Oh shit. I’d forgotten one very important point in my sudden dance excitement.
“It might not be a good idea for me to leave the school,” I said, sadly. Especially if leaving would put my friends in danger again.
“I’ll clear it with Dad,” Larissa said. “As long as we take security and your power is still locked down, it should be fine, right?”
I shrugged, having no idea, but if Princeps Jones agreed, then I’d go along with it.
It was time for Water Magic, so I hurried off to class and was one of the last to arrive. Asher was already waiting, and I joined the line as everyone had another shot at walking through the door. Which no one managed. When it came up to my turn, Asher reached out and stopped me before I could try. “I don’t want to risk the block on your magic,” he said, his features colder than usual. Which stupidly bothered me.
I didn’t argue, deciding I could act as dismissively as him. Asher did his magic hand thing and opened the doorway. As I passed by, I didn’t even give him a second glance.
When we stepped out into the beach, I resisted the urge to run straight for the water.
Everyone stopped right on the waterline, our shoes kicked off. A squeaking sound drew my attention and I smiled as a few of those pink dolphins made their presence known. Asher ignored them. “Everyone into the water again. If you can’t find your connection to Sonaris, you’ll never capture the essence of water magic. By the end of the lesson, I want to see you draw water up with your palm. I’ll demonstrate how in a minute.”
As we waded out, I noticed that there were a lot fewer students today. We’d lost maybe a quarter. The ones that remained, though, looked comfortable in the water. They were determined to find the connection, and so was I.
I spent the rest of the lesson finding my bond with the water. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the push and pull of the currents; I knew when the waves were about to hit; I felt the animals. If Sonaris was part of the power of the water, then I felt like I was one step closer to connecting with him. I also had no problem following Asher’s instructions, drawing up trickling streams of water with my palm, swishing them around the air in front of me.
Asher didn’t speak to me for the rest of class. Or at the next class later that week. In fact, for the next month at school I barely saw Asher, even though I had two classes a week with him. At first it hurt me, and then it pissed me off.
“I just don’t understand what the hell I did?” I complained to Ilia one afternoon when we were throwing bread into the water that surrounded the Academy. We sat on a small overlook, right beside the entrance bridge, in full sight of the security that lined either side of the main path now.
She shrugged. “They’re always like that. It was surprising that they were so friendly with you in the first place.”
It had been surprising, but it hadn’t felt weird. At least not to me. “Even worse is that they’re basically ignoring me, except for the one time they stepped in to stop me from going shopping. I mean … that’s bullshit and unfair.”
There had been no dress buying for me, because they’d talked Princeps Jones out of letting me go. It hadn’t bothered me that much, because I thought it meant they cared, but now I was thinking that was just an asshole power trip.
“Are you still determined not to go?” Ilia said, trying to hide her smile.
I crossed my arms, staring into the clear water. “Can’t go if I don’t have a dress. Even if it is mandatory.” I was being a stubborn ass, but they had pissed me off.
Larissa leaned forward, swinging her legs over the side. “Do you think Asher is distant because he’s worried that touching you might trigger some sort of power thing again? Like … maybe he wants to touch you, so the only way to keep you safe is by keeping his distance.”
I laughed, and then laughed some more, holding my stomach. “Girl,” I said between chuckles, “you know I love romance novels as much as you do, but that’s not what’s happening here.”
Neither Ilia nor Larissa joined me in laughing, and I just shook my head at them before changing the subject. “So, the dance. People are really excited. Like … I didn’t expect it to be such a big deal.”
It was this weekend, and already the school was being transformed. Magic was in the air. Literally.
The commons now sported some gorgeous fairy lights above them, twinkling in the trees and across the sky. There were huge floral arrangements filling every archway, and long flowering vines wrapped around all the pillars. The Academy had already been pretty, but now it was magic.
“I’m almost sad I won’t be going,” I said with a sigh.
“Oh, you’re definitely going.” Ilia smiled charmingly. “Trust me.”
I shook my head. “Nope. I don’t have a dress. Or shoes. Or a date. It’s not happening.”
Both Ilia and Larissa had dates. Ilia was still hot and heavy with Josh, and Larissa had accepted an invite from another vamp in her bloodletting class. I hadn’t had any invites, which I was trying not to take personally. The Clovers were doing their best to keep most students away from me, and I didn’t care enough to take them on over it. I had Ilia, Larissa, Simon, and occasionally Dee. That was enough.
“We’ll see,” Ilia added with a smile.
I threw the last of my bread at her, and with a laugh she changed the subject.
* * *
When Saturday arrived,there was a sense of excitement in the air that had me wearing a stupid smile like the rest of the students.
