11. Zeph
“All right, new schedule,”I said, standing at a stone board with my wand. I pointed the end at the obsidian marble. “Today is defensive training.” The words scrolled across the rock in a fiery scrawl.
The action repeated as I said each new course by day.
Defensive magic.
Death magic.
Offensive magic.
Crash course into royalty affairs, including ascension with historical references, and general strategy.
Quandary magic.
“We’ll go day by day, taking turns in the demonstrations. But we’ll all be attending and learning together.” That final sentence was for Zakkai, who sat beside Aflora with his arm lazily draped over the back of her chair. He cocked a white brow, his arrogance grating on my nerves.
Because I’d just spent the better part of the last twelve hours hearing him pleasure Aflora on repeat, all damn day. Which meant she hadn’t slept well.
And neither had I.
Fucking prick.
Our only saving grace was the fact that we had bought ourselves some time by coming here, because I highly doubted Lucifer would strike a deal with Constantine anytime soon.
“This is our training facility.” I glanced at Shade for confirmation, and he nodded.
“The gargoyles are ensuring the other students don’t bother us,” he added out loud. “This area is used for advanced courses, but the headmasters agreed to move them elsewhere for the time being for safety purposes.”
“Good.” Because we were about to unleash some intense and dangerous spells. Best not to be interrupted, especially should I decide to do a defensive demonstration with Zakkai. “Then let the fun begin.”
Aflora didn’t hesitate, her willingness to learn evident in the way she responded to our first day of training. She was tired by the end, her body and mind sore from everything I threw at her, but she didn’t break or bend or beg me to stop. All she said was “More.”
The next day, in our defensive magic course, went much the same way with her memorizing, manipulating, and regurgitating spells. She even put me on my ass a few times—a feat very few could claim. Of course, I was distracted by her mouth because all I wanted to do was kiss her when she managed to replicate an advanced shield using her hands instead of a wand.
The courses continued, Aflora never once wavering or complaining. She was focused and the definition of determination, doing exactly what we told her and adding a few twists of her own.
By night, she was an apt pupil, learning and excelling and perfecting her skill.
And by day, she engaged in a similar routine… in the bedroom.
Constantine remained quiet, the trials lurking somewhere on the horizon. Shade met with his grandmother often, seeking updates. But aside from ensuring that all of Midnight Fae kind hated Aflora, he hadn’t given anything away regarding his next trial.
However, we all knew something was coming.
He would be furious that she managed to pass two ascensions with such efficiency, and so quickly, too.
“He’s strategic,” Kols was saying now as we watched Shade and Aflora practice offensive magic. It was her third course in the topic, as we were well into our third week here at the Academy. “And the longer he takes, the more nervous I get.”
Zakkai nodded, his silver-blue eyes on Aflora. He’d tied his white hair back at his nape today, displaying his long, athletic neck. And the bite marks Aflora had left there during her time in his bed today before class.
We’d developed a routine on sharing her, with our mate choosing to sleep in a different room each night. She never slept in her own space. I wasn’t even convinced she knew a fourth bedroom existed.
Twice, Shade had chosen to join Kols, me, and Aflora.
Zakkai never did, preferring his solitary time with her.
It was different, but it worked. Because I wasn’t sure I could share her with him. He would try to dictate the show, and I refused to submit to him.
Shade didn’t exactly roll over for me either, but he seemed content to follow my lead.
Zakkai would sooner bite me than follow my direction, something he proved weekly during the Quandary magic classes. I told him not to push our mate too hard, and he translated that as Put Aflora in the most dangerous position possible and see if she can survive it.
Dick, I thought, not for the first time.
At least we agreed on Constantine. “He’s definitely planning something big,” he said. “Either Zenaida can’t see it coming, or she doesn’t want to risk the outcome by warning us.” He ran his hand over the stubble dotting his jaw, then reached around to roll and pop his neck. “Regardless, we need to be ready.”
“Yes,” Kols agreed. “We do.” He folded his arms and observed Aflora dismantling one of Shade’s resurrection spells with a bout of life from her earth magic.
“Impressive,” I murmured, grinning as she created a root from the figment and wrapped it around Shade’s leg. She yanked on it, dropping him to the ground on an Oomph. “Ready to duel with someone stronger?” I asked her.
A shadowy figure flew at me half a second later, the Death magic stealing my breath and taking me to my knees.
I called up a defensive disfiguration spell, dismantling his enchantment and freeing my lungs. Then I shot an offensive charm at him meant to blister his eardrums—that he blasted away with his wand.
“You were saying?” the Death Blood drawled.
“That he wanted me to play with Aflora,” Zakkai replied, sending a net of magic over her that sizzled and sparked and drew a surprised yelp from her. “Figure that out, little star.”
She growled in response, making the hairs along the back of my neck stand on end. “What did you do?” I demanded.
“We’re reminiscing.” Zakkai cocked his head. “Stop snarling, little star. You need your oxygen.”
I stepped forward. “Take it off her.”
“No.” Zakkai looked at me, his stance defensive. “And I don’t recommend trying to help, or it’ll make it much worse for her.”
I lifted my wand at him. “Undo it, Zakkai.”
He glanced at my hand and snorted. “Try and you’ll definitely regret it.”
I’m. Fine,Aflora snapped into my mind, drawing my attention to her on the ground, where she appeared to be paralyzed beneath a layer of cerulean magic.
You don’t look fine, Aflora.
“Trust her to undo it,” Zakkai interjected. “She might not have us all for her trials. She needs to learn how to work on her own without handicaps. Give her a moment to solve the puzzle.”
He won’t let anything or anyone hurt her, Kols added in my mind. This isn’t just about trusting Aflora to fight her own battles, but also having faith in her mates to keep her safe.
She doesn’t look fucking safe,I snapped back, wincing as she whimpered inside the net. She looks pained, Kolstov.
She does,he agreed. But I have faith that she’ll figure it out. And if she doesn’t, I know Zakkai will step in.
What if it’s too late when he does?I countered. What if she gets hurt?
Then he’ll feel like hell afterward, similar to how you did when you killed Clove.His burnt-bronze irises met mine, his auburn brow arching. What happened to the headmaster who wanted Aflora to blossom and grow?
He fell in love.
Kols grinned. Yes. Yes, he did. His focus returned to Aflora, his amusement disappearing behind a mask of concern as she struggled across the floor.
I took a step forward, only for Shade to step in front of me. “Let her learn,” he encouraged, his hand wrapping around my wrist to lower my wand to my side. Then his icy gaze flickered to Zakkai, telling me with a look to check out the Quandary Blood.
When I glanced at him, I found his expression tight with concentration, his silver-blue gaze intense as he watched Aflora work.
His distraction could work to my advantage. I could knock him out and help Aflora.
Or I could fuck this all up by not trusting him and risk hurting her more with him unable to assist due to a magical coma.
My jaw clenched, my irritation over the situation making my heart beat a little faster.
I did not appreciate having my control taken away and a random lesson being inserted into today’s plans. This was not what we were meant to do here.
But Zakkai was the wild card, the one I couldn’t rely on or trust.
And instances like this only made that lack of faith worse.
Aflora gasped, seizing my entire focus.
Then she uttered a long, wicked enchantment and sent the web flying back at Zakkai.
But it didn’t engulf him. He caught it instead and absorbed the magic back into his wand. “Beautiful,” he breathed.
Aflora narrowed her gaze and hit him with another strike of blue magic, then spun a ball of WarFire into her palm. It whirled with a multitude of colors, the intoxicating mix clearly deadly.
“Do it,” Zakkai dared.
She released it, throwing it right at him.
Where it landed against his chest.
Aflora shrieked, jumping up to her feet and running to him in a daze of concern. Only for the fire to sizzle and disappear, his clothing and chest fine. But he caught her by the back of the neck and drew her in for a kiss, one that ended in her biting his tongue.
He chuckled as she slapped him. “What was that?” she demanded.
“Defensive magic,” he drawled, glancing at me. “Just the upgraded variety.”
I narrowed my gaze. “Are you trying to piss me off?”
“I don’t think I have to try, Zephyrus,” he replied. “You’re in a constant state of pissed off around me.”
“Hmm, I wonder why that is?” I pretended to think about it. “Maybe because you don’t know how to be a team member and fucking communicate.”
“No, I’m rather certain it’s because I won’t get on my knees and suck your cock like all the others,” he returned. “I’m not one of your students or your lover. I’m your better. Yet you attempt to dictate to me like I’m one of your pupils, when in reality, I’ve been playing with your spells since I was five years old. So if anyone is going to kneel for anyone, it’ll be you on your knees for me.”
“Okay, maybe?—”
“That’s never going to fucking happen,” I snapped, cutting off whatever Shade was about to say. Because fuck this. “Those spells I’m teaching Aflora are ones I learned as a boy, too. But she’s a new Midnight Fae. I can’t just throw advanced enchantments at her and expect her to learn.”
“And yet that’s exactly what Constantine is going to do,” he countered. “We can’t baby her. We can’t go easy on her. We have to go hard. Because the dark source sure as fuck isn’t going to treat her like a child with training wheels.” He stepped up into my space, his silver-blue irises swirling with power. “I’m ensuring she survives. What the fuck are you achieving by coddling her?” He lifted an eyebrow, daring me to argue.
But I didn’t know what to say.
Because the bastard was fucking right.
I focused so much on protecting her—because my natural instinct was to guard—that I’d forgotten how to truly prepare her. How to teach her.
I took a step back, needing my space from him… from them all… to think, to process what to do next.
“Zeph,” Aflora murmured, moving toward me.
“No, Aflora.” I looked at her, a shield of magic immediately encasing me, my desire not to be touched clear, and perhaps not fair to her, but necessary nonetheless. “He’s right. The bastard is fucking right.” And I hated admitting that. Hated him for pointing it out. Hated him for existing.
I shook my head. “I just… I need a minute.” I backed away, heading toward the room’s exit.
I needed to rethink everything.
To create a new plan.
Three weeks wasted.
Three weeks of elementary training.
Preparing for a war that would destroy my mate if I didn’t properly prepare her. No, we. If we didn’t properly prepare her.
This was why Zakkai had created the original training plan; he’d known we would have to be harsh on her. But I’d pushed back.
We couldn’t hold back anymore.
We had to drive her harder. Test her limits. All but destroy her.
Because Constantine would certainly try.
Now I just needed to decide if I was strong enough to do this—strong enough… to hurt my mate.