“I told you to catch the flame, Ms.Spinwell.It’s a basic task.”
“I—” She didn’t get farther than that when another flame flew her way.This time Wave got her hand up in time, and the burn hit her palm.“Shit,” she cursed.Her insides were vibrating, and Wave could barely hold back.This was a bad,badday to get picked on.
“Kaspian, catch,” Dr.Kelsey said, throwing a flame at another student who expertly caught it and cradled it in his palm.“Good.Now snuff it out.”Kaspian did.“See, Ms.Spinwell, it’s not hard.Again.”
“I don’t—” The flame hit her arm and singed through the fabric.Once again, she had neglected to take spelled clothes.Or maybe she had unconsciously known this was going to happen and craved the pain.This pain was real, not tearing up her insides and mind.Dr.Kelsey was using small flames that didn’t really do much harm, but they still stung more than the flickers he had used before.Like endless little needles poking at her.
“Concentrate, Ms.Spinwell.”
“But I—”
“No excuses.”Now the flames came at her in steady intervals, and they grew.Her three-layer shielding held, making the damage only superficial, but Wave couldn’t pull up a shield like Marc had tried to teach her.She couldn’t catch the flames.That would mean tapping into her power and pulling it to the surface.The exact thing she was trying to avoid.
“Dr.Kelsey,” she gasped.“Stop.”
The flames kept coming and now they were hotter too, leaving behind instant blisters.“If you had been paying attention, Ms.Spinwell, you could do this easily now.You should be able to do a simple thing like this in your sleep.”
Wave locked her muscles in place, trying to control her shaking.Outside, thunder rumbled.
Shit, shit, shit.
Elena laughed.After her very public breakup with Powerhouses, she had doubled her snide remarks and sent death glares Wave’s way every chance she got.Only Irishen’s presence seemed to curb her assaults, and now she was enjoying herself.
“Not so special now, are you?”Elena sniggered when two more flames burned Wave’s arms.Her shirt was ruined beyond repair.
“Stop,” Wave gasped softly.
Dr.Kelsey, still too red and with a glint in his eyes, shook his head.“You know how to make it stop, Ms.Spinwell.Catch a flame.”
“I can’t,” she whispered.Blood started to trickle down from her nose.The power building up in her veins was thrashing to get out.Someone would get hurt.
“What was that, Ms.Spinwell?I think you need more motivation.I haven’t seen you even try,” Dr.Kelsey growled, and now the room gave a pulse with his power.A wall of flame sprang to life and started to slowly move toward Wave.
Frozen in place, Wave braced.That shit would hurt, seriously, but she had been through worse.She wasn’t dealing with power buildup, she could be healed.She tried to reassure herself about all of that, but still, lightning crashed outside, close enough to make the windows rattle.
Calm down, Wave.It’s just a wall of flames.
“Please stop,” she whispered her last plea, not caring how weak it made her look.The windows rattled again.The heat was making her sweat.She closed her eyes.
“Enough!”A crush of ice followed the furious voice.Wave blinked open her frost-covered lashes and looked at the figure standing in the doorway.Prince Irishen Sleethill was seething, and frost covered every inch of the classroom and the students.A wall of ice separated Wave from the wall of fire.
“Prince Sleethill, I do not tolerate interruptions to my class,” Dr.Kelsey snarled, but while his tone was irritated, his posture no longer held the malice it had a moment before.
Wave bit back the moan that wanted to crawl up from her throat at the cool caress of the ice over her irritated skin.She wanted to bathe in that ice.She was finding it really hard to be even mildly irritated at the man responsible for it at the moment.
“Wayla, are you alright?”Irishen ignored Dr.Kelsey completely as he addressed her.
“I am now.Thank you, your highness,” Wave said softly.
“Irishen, what is this nonsense?”Elena snapped, getting up.Irishen turned to look at her and narrowed his eyes.He didn’t answer her, though, and instead turned back to Wave.
“Come, Wayla.Let’s get you checked out.”
“I’m fine,” she tried to say, but then Jarred rushed in with Justin on his heels.Oh no.
“Wayla,” Jarred gasped and was at her side in seconds.Wave saw Justin say something to Irishen, who nodded.They were tense, but Justin still clapped Irishen’s back before taking up a stance beside him.So, the cavalry had arrived, and she had Irishen of all people to thank for that.
“I’m fine, really,” she assured Jarred.“Risha’s ice already soothed the burns.”She kept her voice low.
