Chapter Thirty-Six
She woke slowly, consciousness creeping back in layers instead of all at once. Her head throbbed dully, like someone had wrapped a band around her temples and tightened it just a little too much. She groaned and rolled onto her side, eyes still closed.
Fuck.
Bits of the night came back in flashes, warm lights strung across beams, music vibrating in her chest, laughing too loud, spinning on the dance floor. Then the sharp snap of fear. A hand that wouldn’t let go. Breath too close. Panic like ice in her veins. Her eyes flew open.
Did that really happen?
She lay there staring at the ceiling, heart beating a little faster as the memories settled into place. Her magic not working, the punch, Joshua’s voice: low, furious. Rian and Cam’s steady presence and Dominik’s hands, warm and careful. Being wrapped in a blanket like she might shatter.
She exhaled slowly.
She liked that they protected her. Gods, she did. There was something deeply comforting in knowing they had her back without hesitation.
And yet, she hated it too. She had always been independent.
She always handled her own problems. Creeps weren’t new; she’d dealt with men like that a thousand times over.
Sharp words, firm boundaries, sometimes worse.
But she knew how to take care of herself.
For twenty-five years she’s kept herself alive, protected herself, never failed.
But last night…She swallowed. She’d been really drunk.
Too drunk. And when he wouldn’t let go, when panic flooded her system, her abilities hadn’t surged forward like they usually did.
No spark of ether, no instinctive push of energy.
Not even when she willed it. Wasn’t fear suppose to widen her range?
And she had felt fear. Cold and paralyzing fear. Not necessarily because an unwanted male was touching her, that too, but it was another truth had cut through her panic, he was likely a caster too. Older. More experienced. Capable of doing far more damage than she could in a heartbeat.
Then Joshua had been there. Gratitude settled in her chest, heavy and undeniable.
Right alongside it was something else, both irrational and sharp-edged.
Annoyance. She sighed, dragging a hand down her face.
It wasn’t fair. She knew that. But the feeling lingered anyway, tangled up with pride and vulnerability and the uncomfortable reminder that sometimes, independence didn’t mean invincible.
She rolled onto her back and groaned again.
Great. Morning classes. Another week of daunting lessons.
She reached for her phone and checked her schedule, squinting as the screen burned her tired eyes.
Ether Manipulation and Intent.
Her stomach flipped.
“Oh gods,” she muttered.
Practical week.
That meant actually doing things. Controlling energy. Channeling intent. Standing in front of instructors and monitors and proving she could keep herself, and everyone else...safe.
The nerves hit her hard, buzzing under her skin as she pushed herself out of bed. She showered quickly, the hot water helping ease her headache just enough to function, then dressed with practiced efficiency. By the time she slung her bag over her shoulder, she felt only marginally more human.
The suite door opened before she even reached it. Dominik was there.
“Ready?” he asked gently.
She nodded, and before she fully processed it, he was guiding her into the hall, his hand resting lightly at her back. Cameron and Joshua fell into step beside them, quiet but alert.
Apparently, this week’s rotation had shifted.
“Let me guess,” she said dryly as they walked. “Joshua’s coming in with me.”
Joshua glanced over, unapologetic. “Yep.”
“And Cameron’s back-up.”
Cameron gave her a small, sympathetic smile. “Afraid so.”
Anabelle sighed, rubbing her temples. “Gods.”
Still, despite herself, she didn’t pull away from Dominik’s guiding hand. And as they headed toward her first practical class, nerves knotting tighter with every step, she couldn’t quite bring herself to wish they weren’t there.
???
By the time most of the class had arrived, she noticed people whispering about the professor.
An Elowen Terrane apparently he was a no-nonsense man, a hard-ass they were saying.
By the time the students finally settled, the room was already buzzing.
Not with excitement...more like dread. She caught fragments of whispered warnings as students filtered into their seats.
“Apparently he’s brutal…”
“No patience at all.”
“Failed half his last practical group.”
“Yeah, Terrane doesn’t mess around.”
She swallowed and slid into her seat, Joshua taking the chair beside her without a word. His presence was solid, grounding, even as unease curled in her stomach.
Great, she thought. Exactly what I need today.
The whispers died instantly the moment the door swung open.
Pf. Elowen Terrane strode into the room like he’d been summoned by collective anxiety alone, tall, broad-shouldered, dark hair pulled back at the nape of his neck, his sharp green eyes already scanning the room with unmistakable disdain.
A permanent scowl seemed etched into his face, as if disappointment was his default state.
Well. That confirmed the rumours. She thought.
He dropped his bag on the desk with a dull thud and crossed his arms, surveying them like a general inspecting a line of underprepared recruits.
“Alright,” he said, voice rough and unimpressed.
“You survived two weeks in this hellhole. Let’s see if you can survive learning your abilities, shall we? ”
A collective groan rippled through the class. Anabelle straightened, forcing herself to focus. This mattered. Ether manipulation wasn’t theoretical anymore, it was muscle memory, intent, control. She needed to be present. She really did.
Unfortunately, Tyson had other plans. Something flicked past her ear once.
Then again. The third time it hit her square on the side of the head.
She clenched her jaw. Miniature paper pellets.
Crumpled and flicked with juvenile precision.
She kept her eyes forward, pretending not to notice, but her patience frayed with every soft tap against her hair or shoulder.
Gods, she thought darkly. Such a fucking toddler.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Joshua stiffen. He shifted in his seat, already halfway to standing. She reacted instantly, reaching out and curling her fingers around his hand, holding him firmly in place. He looked down at her, brows drawn together in a question.
“Don’t. He’s not worth it.” she murmured under her breath.
He hesitated, then sat back, but his jaw was tight, tension radiating off him.
As another paper pellet flew, something clicked in her foggy, half-hungover mind.
Last night. Between drinks and laughter and the blur of music, she vaguely remembered Agatha leaning in close, whispering something conspiratorial.
A plan. Something about handling Tyson in the morning. Her lips twitched.
Did they actually do it? she wondered.
The answer came sooner than expected.
About twenty minutes into the lecture, just as Professor Terrane was explaining the dangers of subconscious ether bleed, Tyson suddenly bolted upright with a strangled groan.
“Shit!” he hissed, clamping a hand over his stomach.
Heads turned. He doubled over, face pale, then lurched toward the door in a full-on sprint, barely making it out before the sound of retching echoed down the hall.
The room went silent. Then, Anabelle burst out laughing. She clapped a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking as she tried, and failed, to contain it. Joshua stared at her, then at the empty doorway, utterly bewildered.
“What the hell happened?” he whispered.
She leaned closer, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh… nothing,” she said innocently, a smirk tugging at her lips.
He studied her for a second, suspicion dawning. “Mmm,” he murmured. “I didn’t know you were so mischievous.”
She glanced up at him and winked.
His breath caught.
“If the situation warrants it,” she said lightly, “then yeah. It’s good to have some fun once in a while.”
His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
“You know,” she added, softer now, “you should let loose a bit too. You seem tense most of the time.”
Joshua blinked. “You… noticed that?”
She smiled, genuine and warm. “Of course I have.”
He gulped.
For the first time since she’d met him, Joshua looked like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself.
He looked away first, shifted in his seat, shoulders squaring as if he could physically lock the moment back into place. “I...” he started, then stopped, exhaling slowly. “I don’t really do letting loose.”
Anabelle hummed, amused, turning her attention back to the front of the room just as Professor Terrane shot them a sharp look. She schooled her expression into something studious, though the corner of her mouth still twitched.
“Well,” she murmured under her breath, “there’s a first time for everything.”
Joshua glanced at her again, something unreadable flickering across his face, curiosity, maybe, or something warmer that made his ears tint faintly red.
Terrane cleared his throat loudly. “If you’re done flirting, I’d like to remind you all that uncontrolled intent can fracture your ether pathways permanently.”
Heat rushed to Anabelle’s cheeks. Gods, of course he’d noticed.
“Yes, Professor,” She answered immediately, posture snapping into perfect attention. She bit back a smile.
The rest of the class passed in tense concentration. When Terrane finally dismissed them, the room erupted in relieved chatter. Anabelle gathered her things, nerves still buzzing...not from the lesson, but from the quiet awareness of Joshua beside her.
As they stood, he hesitated, then spoke quietly. “For what it’s worth… I’m glad you stopped me earlier.”
She paused, looking up at him. “Yeah?”
He nodded once. “I don’t always think before I act. Especially when it comes to you.”
Something warm settled in her chest at that, unexpected and unsettling all at once.