“Concentrate on the feeling, Percy,” Ana said, drawing my focus back to my magic. I closed my eyes and focused.
“Can I help you—” Heidi said, in the tone she only used when speaking to those who had offended her.
Suddenly, Ana’s hand was no longer in mine—it was ripped loose—and a firm grip on my right shoulder threw me back.
“What the fuck!” Heidi roared.
I lost my balance, my eyes flew open, and I saw the Academy guard from the entrance of the Noble Student Residence Halls standing over Ana menacingly as I fell backwards. I reached my hands out to the side to catch myself, forgetting all about my attempts to store my magic. The instant my palms met the earth, it felt like lightning had shot out from me. A ripple—a surge—like the angry sea, shook the ground.
It was near-instantaneous. All plant life within thirty feet of me withered and died— too fast, too suddenly. The browning lawn was black, like a fire had consumed it. But it was not fire. It was my magic. I could feel it travelling below the surface—deep—killing the very roots. It was cold. A stranger to me. Yet undeniably part of me.
“Percy!” Heidi called. I turned from the destruction I had created, only to be walloped by the dead weight of the guard falling across my hips.
“Ahh!” I cried out. Was he dead?
“What have you done?” Heidi shouted.
“Nothing!” I answered. But the destruction—the carnage—was around us, radiating from me in a circle of death.
“He’ll be fine,” Ana answered, also in unison with me, and I realised Heidi had been speaking of the unconscious guard, who was breathing heavily and trapping me in place. “He was about to pull his gun on Percy,” Ana continued in her defence.
“I know. Damn, you blood witches are a scary brood,” Heidi laughed.
“Could someone maybe help me?” I asked, struggling under the guard and trying to roll myself out from under him.
“Yeah, sorry, Percy. I didn’t think about how he would fall,” Ana said as she grabbed his limp arm and groaned while attempting to roll him off me.
“Here,” Heidi said, leaning over and grabbing his shoulder.
“You’re actually helping?” Ana asked, a little snarkily.
They were friends—sort of. Friends by circumstance, I suppose. Ana didn’t like Heidi much, but I could understand. Heidi was certainly a classist—a believer in pureblood superiority. Still, she seemed to have a soft spot for Ana and me—the only other witches at Sanguis Academy. The lack of other fellow witches undoubtedly helped endear us both to Heidi. Half-witches were still witches, and as much as Heidi believed in and benefited from the House system, witches were above vampires and shifters in her books. For the most part. Her relationship with Selene seemed far more genuine—twoequals with enough in common to enjoy each others company. I sometimes felt a little like a project to Heidi—her little half-witch sort-of-friend that she would help be a better witch. But I guess that was working in my favour with our lessons.
“Do you not need help?” Heidi asked, impatiently.
“Please, can you guys bicker after you get this heavy lump off me?” I cried, exasperated. He was heavy, and his landing had been painful, and my temples pulsed with a new headache.
They didn’t reply. Instead, they heaved in unison until I could wriggle and twist my way out.
“Are you okay?” Ana asked as I knelt on the ground, my fingers digging into the earth.
“Yeah,” I breathed heavily. “He was heavy, and I feel sick,” I said as a wave of nausea hit me, coldness dripping down the back of my neck and spine, twisting my stomach.
“What now?” Heidi exclaimed, exasperated. I turned to look in the direction she was facing as she spoke and saw a group of Academy guards running towards us, weapons drawn.
Ana raised her hands.
“We aren’t a threat,” she called.
There was no answer apart from the sound of them drawing swiftly closer, shouting commands to each other to take aim.
Heidi stepped forward, and the air around her seemed to fizzle. Half the men stopped in their approach, confusion on their faces, their blind eyes looking around wildly. The power that exuded from Heidi was not the playful, mischievous type that was typical of her. It was menacing, like lightning before the roar of thunder.
“STOP YOUR ATTACK AT ONCE!” one of the guards yelled.
“YOU FIRST!” Heidi answered. “Ana, is your gift confined to touch?” she asked calmly.
“No,” Ana answered, her back straightening, shoulders squaring.
