The Mage’s War (Crescent Moon Academy Book 1)

by CY Jones

  “Fuck, you’re a bastard. You both are. Fine, I’ll talk to her,” he huffs, practically breathing fire.

  “Good, about damn time. I’ll wait until tomorrow if I were you. She’s with her brother right now,” I tell him.

  “What? We’re supposed to be keeping them apart. You remember what that psycho did to Kirito, don’t you?”

  “Of course I remember. There’s nothing I could do about it. Caster told me she sensed his energy in her room when I walked her to her dorm. Archer must have told her the same because she started to act funny until I left her alone. I didn’t push because I didn’t know what to tell her besides the truth, and I didn’t think you wanted her to know her brother was the one that attacked Kirito.”

  “No, you did the right thing. That fucker. I can’t believe he’s still alive. You’d think the mages from the other academies would have taken him out by now. How incompetent can they be?” he grumbles.

  “At this rate, we’ll be the only ones left. Milo said he single-handedly took out Crest Hill,” I report.

  “Damn, that’s no second rate academy. I was hoping they would get rid of him for us,” Zion muses. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head as he searches for another plan. Some other route for us to take that doesn’t involve us having Angelica’s brother’s blood on our hands. We’re in an impossible position on this slippery slope.

  “We’re probably going to have to come up with a new plan and we’ll need to involve her,” Ry states.

  With that comment, Zion stalks off. He hates it when shit doesn't work out the way he wants. I get his frustration. I want to see Quinn Boudreaux dead as much as he does for what he did to Kirito.

  “That went well,” Ry snarks.

  “Actually, it went better than I thought it would,” I say.

  “We’ll have to wait and see what happens. We may have just made things worse.” My brother’s right. We may just have well had. Anything can happen with those two. Angelica is the accelerant and Zion the fire and we just threw a match in.

  “Let’s just hope for the best. Come on, I’m hungry,” I say, walking away and he follows without another word.

  Chapter 24

  Shattered Glass

  Angelica

  The next week goes by smoothly. Turns out, Oli was right and I kicked ass during my Spell Casting exam. Seems like all those extra practices with the guys were good for something. Despite the ‘we’re engaged to be mated’ bomb Quinn threw on me after I lost the wager, he only ditched me twice for our free period sessions this week. He’s proven that he’s trying to put in more effort and it’s quite the turn around from what he’s been doing. If I didn’t think too much about the new complication he forced upon me, it was almost like old times.

  This time, when we practiced I didn’t downplay my abilities as much as I did the last time, and the cocky bastard actually thought his expert teaching was the reason behind my improvement. If he only knew what I could really do. He’d probably shit bricks. Or be proud, my brother is fickle like that.

  Meow, Mr. Meow croaks in my ear, making my ear drums ring. Sitting up, I narrow my eyes at the little monster. Would five more minutes of sleep really kill you? I grumble, annoyed at my furry feline. A second later, my alarm goes off and I give up on sleep altogether. There’s no such thing as a sick day here. You could be on death’s door and still expected to come to class.

  Using the Keurig machine in my room, I make myself two cups of coffee and down them both before getting dressed. I’ll need at least that to deal with the love birds in my first class. Even though the thought of seeing them together makes my heart hurt, I know I can’t be a wuss and skip out. I’m not programmed like that. A Boudreaux never runs from their problems. Not to mention, I’m not that instructor’s greatest fan since Mr. Meow decided to make a mockery out of his class. I’ve heard he’s not pleased with my sudden rise up the ranks. Does he really think I’d let myself be killed just to satisfy his expectations? Or maybe he believes the rumors and thinks I’m sleeping with the heirs in exchange for protection? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. He doesn’t like me much and has a low opinion of me.

  As usual, the halls are busy, and everyone I pass gives me the side eye. Well, that’s fine. My resting bitch face is firmly planted and ready to go. Of course, they whisper as I walk passed, but no one has the balls to say anything to my face. I swear, this academy can be such a joke sometimes, but it would have been nice to make at least one friend who isn’t related to me. Quinn is okay and all, but he isn’t girlfriend material and the heirs… well, I have no idea what we are. Sometime fuck buddies? Comrades? I have what you want and you need me, friends? Why does everything in my life come with a question mark? I wonder, if I were born human, would I be this complicated?

  Class is almost full when I get there and I maneuver myself towards the seat I usually sit in next to Oli, but it’s taken and Oli gives me a look I can’t quite decipher. Maybe he’s waiting to see what I’ll do. If he makes the person move for me then he’ll be feeding into the rumors and I certainly don’t want that. Not going for a repeat of the last time a seat I claimed as mine was occupied, I scan the room searching for another. The desk I started in the first of this semester next to Zion is free, but I don’t have the energy to deal with his clingy girlfriend, even with two cups of coffee filling my stomach, so I walk over to the two open seats next to the window. It's out of my viewpoint from the nauseating couple and far enough away from the instructor that I’d stay off his radar.

  Right before Sir Grumpy Pants walks in, the empty chair next to mine scrapes across the floor and a familiar scent assaults my nostrils. The buzzing in the room from the whispers is automatic, and I don’t have to look up to know what got them all riled up.

  “Do you mind?” I growl, meeting a fiery gaze that sets my whole body ablaze. One I wish I could get over, but apparently, my brain is stuck on stupid and a glutton for punishment.

  “Actually I do, harlequin.” What is with this bastard and why does he have to be so damn pretty? Abort mission. Abort. Whatever the reason as to why he’s sitting here can’t be good for you. Send him on his way and don’t give in to your traitor feminine urges.

  “Where’s your girlfriend? I thought she was super glued to your ass,” I snark.

  Leaning towards me, he gives me a smile I faceplant right into. Yep, I’m done. Why do I have to be so damn weak? It’s always the good looking, snarky guys that get my motor running. Why can’t the quiet nerd float my boat? Instead, here I am, falling without a parachute for the unattainable.

  “You sound jealous. Would you rather it be you glued to my ass?” he goads.

  “Sorry, I’m not the clingy type. If I can’t trust you to be out of my sight without a wandering eye, then you’re not the male for me.”

  “Nice to know, but you didn’t answer my question. Tell me, Angelica, do you want me?” he asks point blank.

  Have I stepped into the Twilight Zone? This has to be the first time he has ever called me by my birth name and not some sarcastic retort to my classification, and since when would Zion Hawthorne ask me if I want him or not? So far we had this, ‘you stay out my way and I’ll stay out yours’ coexistence going on. Yeah, his Champion saved my neck that one day. But from what I was told, it was his brilliant idea that put me in danger in the first place, and then she showed up, ruining everything. I still have no clue what their deal is. Are they engaged? Are they even a couple? Because, right now, with him questioning me, I have to believe the answer is a big fat no. Speaking of which.

  “Zion, what the hell is going on?” Violet screeches with her hands on her hips like that’s going to make her anymore intimidating in that short ass, slutty dress she’s wearing. Where the hell did she think she’s going? Clubbing?

  “What does it look like, Violet?” he volleys with a roll of his pretty eyes. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s enjoying himself right now. It must be good to be king, but if this is s
ome kind of ploy to use me to get rid of the nuisance called Violet, he’s about to be very disappointed. I plan on watching with the rest of class and seeing where this shit show goes.

  “Why are you sitting next to this reject? Don’t tell me you’re fucking her too? I know your friends have low standards, but I thought you were better than that.”

  Hey, that was uncalled for. Clenching my fist, I resist the urge to sock her in her face. I still owe her for kicking my familiar across the room.

  “Don’t be petty, Vi,” he says in that condescending tone of his that he’s so good at. “Angelica has more power in her pinky finger than you have in your whole body. It’s about time I start thinking about myself. Your watered down family line just isn’t cutting it anymore. Granted, Boudreaux is a good witch family, but it’s quite a powerful line to not overlook. Even my father would understand that.”

  “You can’t be serious,” she shrieks.

  “Yeah, you can’t be serious,” I agree with the harpy. What the fuck is he doing?

  All eyes are on us, even our grumpy instructor, who is either fascinated or doesn't have enough balls to break up the show. This is not Showtime at the Apollo live. I’m tired of being the butt of Zion’s jokes. If he’s trying to shake Violet loose, he needs to use someone else or man up and tell her the truth, that her clingy ass is just too much.

  “I will be, as soon as you answer my question,” he says, turning the tables on me.

  My gaze is trapped in his. He’s dead fucking serious. Dead fucking serious. I don’t see anything that points to him being deceitful. If this is a joke, then Zion is a master award winning actor and he just put me on the spot. The whole class is on baited breath, waiting for my reply, making me wish a blackhole will just appear out of nowhere and swallow me up. I will be eternally grateful to the Gods if that were to happen. Out of all the places I thought this conversation would happen, I never imagined it would be during my least favorite class in front of a bunch of people who don’t even like me.

  “Zion… I...”

  My answer is cut off when the wall of windows beside me shatters, raining sharp pieces of glass around us and a huge eagle lands, bloodied on my desk with a large gash across its stomach, which I fear did not come from the window.

  “Marley,” I cry out for my father’s familiar and my hands go to cradle the bird, but I stop midway, scared of injuring him further.

  Out of thin air, Mr. Meow pops on my desk, and when my gaze meets his, it’s like a vortex sucks me up and takes me under until a blurry scene unfolds in front of me. My father, he’s here, injured, fighting a man I have never met before. A man with dark hair and dark eyes like the night sky when the sun has just about disappeared over the horizon. He’s around my father’s age with the same build, but the power I feel coming off him is unlike anything I have ever felt before. No, that’s not quite right. I have felt power like that once. In the cave, when my powers of manipulation first evolved.

  Dad moves stiffly with his staff clutched tightly in his hand and he uses it as a shield to fend off his attacker. At first, I thought his tight movements were due to the injury on his stomach, a jagged gash just like Marley’s, where his hand is the only thing keeping him from bleeding out, but something instinctively is telling me it’s his opponent that’s causing him to move that way and I gasp as realization hits me. He’s a manipulator... just like me.

  “Dad,” I cry and his eyes turn in fear in my direction like he can hear me.

  “Angelica, you have to go. It’s not safe here for you anymore. Get as far away as you can.”

  Anything else he’s about to say is cut off when his attacker hurls a purple fume of power at him. His smoke is the same color as mine. Our powers are eerily similar, and I wonder who the hell this man is. Dad’s staff barely blocks the blow and he grunts, folding in on himself from the effort. I don’t think he can take much more of this. This guy is so powerful. The man smiles down at my father wickedly and holds his hand out ready to finish him off. That same deadly smoke gathers in his hand, his intentions clear in his dark eyes and I scream, “No,” at the top of my lungs, holding my own hand out.

  Power like I never felt before, stronger than anything I have ever cast, leaves my hand and hurdles straight for the man. His eyes widen when he sees it, and he turns his attention from my father to me and holds both palms out to shield himself. Taking advantage of the distraction provided, Dad smashes a vile on the ground, causing a red fog to surround him. When it dissipates, Dad is gone and the mage he was fighting growls menacingly and hits me with blazing eyes like the galaxy.

  I don’t know if he can see me or how I was able to interfere. I’m just glad Dad was able to get away before he was killed. “Daughter, you’ll pay for letting my prey get away.”

  Daughter? Say what?

  As if he can feel my confusion through whatever the hell this is, he laughs and just the very sound shakes me to the very bone. “What? No one told you that you’re my daughter and not the pretender’s who you let get away? Why do you think you don’t have the powers of the harlequin? That your magic is so much like mine?”

  All of the sudden, I’m right in front of him. There, but not really, but I can clearly see him as he can me. “No, you’re lying,” I deny vehemently, shaking my head.

  “You’re the spitting image of your mother, but you got your powers from me. I knew when Hawthorne came to me, he was telling the truth about you being alive. I never once really believed you were dead.”

  Zion? Why would he come see him? No, I don’t believe it. I don’t believe any of this.

  “I’ll give you the chance to come to me willingly. If not, I’ll destroy everything you care for, starting with your fake father.”

  “You leave him out of this, you psycho. I don’t know who you think I am, but you’re mistaken... I’m not your daughter.”

  His face turns scary as he absorbs my words. “You’re more like your mother than I like. I guess that’s what happens when you grow up in a household full of fools. I’ll have to teach you a lesson the hard way, as I did her. You’ll find out quickly what it means to be a Morganstein.”

  With those damning words, he holds his hand out and attacks me. His power goes hurdling at me faster than I can block. Closing my eyes, I prepare for the worst, holding my hand out in a foolish attempt to lighten the blow. Something cold and hard flies into my hand and I clutch onto it with all I have. In awe, I open my eyes and stare at the staff that chose me just in time to save my life. Morganstein’s powers explode around me, but the staff keeps him at bay until I’m yanked free from wherever the hell I just was and I pass out, allowing my body to drift away with the darkness.

  Chapter 25

  Angelica

  I wake in my room to a frantically pacing Zion. Mr. Meow is in the bed beside me, still knocked out. Whatever he did must have exhausted the little bugger. I really need to ask someone how he’s able to do the crazy shit he does. I remember everything. Even the part where Morganstein claimed I’m his daughter. My staff, the one who chose me is still clutched in my hand and I look it over with wonder.

  It’s clear it’s not a harlequin staff from it’s ivory length to the four skull heads framing the top. Carved in the smooth ivory are red symbols to a language I don’t understand, telling a story I can’t read. There’s dark smudges towards the base like smoke and woven through the skulls are charms and brightly colored beads. This staff is special and not just because it saved my life.

  Sensing I’m awake, Archer asks, “Are you okay, Angelica?” in my head.

  “What happened?” I answer instead.

  “Your familiar teleported somewhere I couldn’t find while you were in class.”

  “Teleported? You mean my whole body left?” I thought I was still in class the whole time.

  “Not quite, just your spirit left. As your Champion, I could tell you were in some sort of astroplane and I tried to follow, but I couldn’t break through.”

  �
��How did I get out? I felt someone yank me away before I blacked out.”

  “Saber’s master. He has the power to bend time and space. He dove in after you and brought you back.”

  “Zion did that. Holy shit.” How the fuck did I not know Zion could bend space? He can basically stop time if he wants to. Power like that, people talk, so why is this the first I’m hearing of it? But… I thought he betrayed me. Again. That man claiming to be my father said he told him about me. The man in question finally stops pacing just now realizing I’m awake.

  “Angelica, thank fuck, are you okay?”

  “You tell me. Why would you tell that man I’m his daughter?” I meant to thank him for saving me, but once my mouth opened, I couldn’t stop the words my brain chose from spewing out.

  “What are you talking about?” he genuinely looks confused and I almost believe him.

  “Morganstein. He said you came to see him and told him I was alive.”

  “Did he say me specifically?” he questions.

  “What does that matter?” I ask, getting upset.

  “Just answer the question.”

  “He said Hawthorne came to see him and told him I was alive. The man is a fucking psycho. Why does he think I’m his daughter? Why did you tell him that?” I hate how whiny my voice is but I really needed answers. I’m so sick and tired of being in the dark.

  “Because it’s the truth, but I wasn’t the one who told him. My father did.”

  “What?” I cry, not sure if I’m hearing him right. “Why would your father tell him such a thing? How does he even know me? You’re the first Hawthorne I ever met.”

  “That’s my fault actually, but it wasn’t intentional,” he rushes to say when he sees the look on my face. “I went to see my father a couple weeks ago. My father, if you haven’t guessed already, is not a good man and is a really powerful mage, but I left my Champion behind to see him anyway, even though I haven’t stepped foot in that house since he killed my sister.” I gasp loudly, my hand flying to grasp his and I pull him down on the bed beside me.