CHAPTER SEVEN #2
The entire room stared. Even Asher. His smug grin only widened, his eyes dancing with a lethal sort of amusement.
"Too hot, darling?" he mused, his voice low and pointed.
I shot him a look sharp enough to cut stone, but Sera smacked his arm before I could respond.
Ember slowly slid lower in her seat next to me.
"What the fuck just happened?" she whispered.
The professor reclaimed the room with a single, icy look. "Miss Pyreson," she said smoothly, "today is important." Her gaze swept across the rest of the students.
"Can anyone tell me what day it is?"
Silence followed, punctuated only by shifting glances.
"It's… the full moon?" someone finally ventured.
"Correct." She nodded. "Tonight marks Azura's Ascendance—a pinnacle of elemental magic. You may notice your magic flaring. Emotions heightened. Control will be… challenging." Her eyes lingered on me for a pointed half-second. "Your boundlings will be affected as well."
Aether's flame-tipped ears flicked.
"Our first rune today is Swiftstride."
She drew it in the air with a flick of her fingers. It burned briefly—sleek, elegant lines like wind carved into light.
"This rune channels speed. Etch it correctly, and you'll experience a temporary magical surge."
I bounced slightly in my seat, the restlessness in my blood finally finding a focus. Beside me, Aether let out a low, hungry purr.
"This," he rumbled, "we can do."
Ember swatted my arm. "Okay, nerd. Let's see if those glowy ears actually help you run."
We followed Miss Waterstone through the back doors into a sprawling stone courtyard framed by obsidian lanterns and flowering vines.
Above, the pale ghost of the full moon hung in the sky, a silent reminder of the power surging through the atmosphere.
"Line up!" the professor called, her voice echoing off the stone.
"First to cross the far mark earns points for their House. But remember—only those who etched the rune properly will feel its full effect."
I focused, drawing the Swiftstride rune onto my forearm. As the final stroke connected, it pulsed with a warm silver heat that seeped into my bone. Perfect.
Ember stood to my left, bouncing on her toes like she might ignite the pavement for fun.
Maddy lined up on my other side, pink shimmer already flickering along her skin, with Ryven just beyond her.
He'd tied his dark hair into a low man-bun, loose strands brushing a jawline that looked particularly sharp today as he rolled his shoulders.
Then there was Asher. He took the spot to my right. Too close. Too calm.
Seraphina waited a few paces down, composed as ever with Nyssa perched on her shoulder, while Ezra stared dejectedly at his arm. "Uh… mine's not glowing."
Darcy didn't even look at him. "That's because you were flirting instead of paying attention."
Miss Waterstone raised her hand. "Ready!"
Aether's tail flicked beside me, his mind brushing mine with a predatory hunger. Show them, flame one.
"Set…"
The rune flared white-hot.
"Go!"
Magic detonated. Wind tore past my ears as the world blurred. Ember was a streak of crimson fire to my left, her laughter lost to the rush. Ryven moved in smooth, controlled bursts of air, Maddy light and precise beside him.
Asher matched me stride for stride. Of course he did. I could feel the cold hum of his shadows pressing against my heat, a silent challenge in every lunging step.
I pushed harder, forcing the fire in my veins to explode. One last burst of pure Ignis willpower.
I broke ahead and crossed the line first.
A heartbeat later, Asher crossed second.
Cheers erupted from the students watching. Miss Waterstone clapped once, a rare look of approval on her face. "Pyreson—first place. House Ignis earns ten points. Maddox—second."
I turned, breathless, sparks dancing at my fingertips and my lungs burning with victory. Asher slowed beside me, barely winded, his silver eyes bright with a lethal sort of pride.
"Well," he said softly, leaning in just enough to stir the hair at my temple. "I'll let you have that one."
I arched a brow, defying the way my heart hammered. "You didn't let me do anything, Maddox. I took it."
His mouth curved into that devastating smirk. Before he could respond, Ember slammed into me from the side. "THAT'S MY GIRL!"
Maddy squealed, looping her arm through mine. "You practically flew!"
Ryven jogged up, reaching out to scruffle my braids. "Not bad, Princess. Fast for a fire-breather."
I swatted his hand away. "I literally beat all of you."
"By a step," he said lazily, though his eyes were grinning.
"Still counts."
Ezra stumbled in a few seconds later, dramatically collapsing to one knee. "This is humiliating. I demand a rematch. My rune was defective."
Darcy snorted. "Learn to draw, Ezra."
Ezra looked up at me, blinking rapidly. "Tutor me, Princess? My education is clearly suffering."
I tilted my head, feeling the adrenaline-fueled confidence of the moon. "What's the payment plan?"
He blinked. "Payment—?"
"Because clearly attention isn't free," I said sweetly. "And you seem to struggle with focus."
Ryven barked a laugh so loud it startled Nyssa, while Maddy gasped dramatically. Ezra pointed at me, a grin breaking across his face. "Oh, I like her. She's vicious."
"Only when necessary," I replied.
Asher stepped closer. Too close. His shadow fell over me, cool and heavy. "Careful, Ezra," he said mildly, his eyes locked on mine. "She bites."
My pulse stuttered. The air between us suddenly felt thick enough to choke on.
Before I could find a witty comeback, Ember's voice cut in—flat, loud, and entirely unimpressed. "The sexual tension here could be cut with a blade. Can we go back to the magic now?"
Total silence.
Ryven choked on a laugh.
Maddy started wheezing. Ezra straight-up lost it, doubling over, and even Darcy's mouth twitched into a suppressed smile. I went scarlet, the heat in my face rivaling the fire in my veins.
Asher, the absolute menace, didn't even look embarrassed. He just smiled at me.
"I am surrounded by idiots," Aether growled in my mind.
Miss Waterstone cleared her throat sharply, reclaiming the courtyard. "Focus! Back to your stations."
But the damage was already done. As we walked back, I could still feel Asher's gaze on the back of my neck—and the heat of the full moon was only just beginning to rise.
···
The next class was Boundlings 101, and I was a wreck. Not just first-day jitters—real, bone-deep nerves.
Aside from Asher, no one else had a celestial panther, and Aether was already acting like the lesson was a personal insult to his intelligence.
He moved with a lethal, predatory grace, his shoulders rolling as he cast looks of quiet superiority at the passing students.
"Please be nice," I sent down the bond. "Play well with others."
"I always play well with others," Aether replied smoothly.
"Then why have you been glaring at Zya this entire walk?"
His ears twitched, the faint flames at the tips flaring hotter. He didn't answer. He didn't need to; the low, vibrating rumble in his chest said it all. My bonded panther was preparing for a silent war over mere eye contact.
Ahead of us, Ember and Maddy were locked in animated conversation, while Ryven and Ezra trailed behind, bickering over something ridiculous.
A few paces ahead, Asher walked with Darcy and Sera, Zya padding silently at his side—though her silver eyes kept drifting sideways to Aether, and the fire on his ears burned brighter every time they did.
I was so preoccupied with the escalating glow that I didn't notice the shadow lengthening beside me.
"Seems we have some prissy cats," Asher drawled.
His presence slid into place as naturally as his shadows, which curled lazily at his boots. I schooled my expression into something neutral, even as a shiver raced down my spine.
"Did you have a good night, Princess?" He leaned in, his smirk deepening.
"Of course I did," I said, forced sweetness dripping from my voice. "I spent it with Jeremy."
"Hmm." A low, dangerous sound. "Well," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear, "Predictable."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means, Princess," he murmured, his voice velvet and poison, "you don't like danger. You like it safe."
My pulse kicked hard. Traitorous heat bloomed under my skin, and my body reacted instantly to his proximity, craving the chaos he carried. I hadn't realized my hands were clenched into fists until my nails bit into my palms.
"Didn't like my choice, I see," I muttered.
He laughed under his breath, his eyes raking over me with devastating slowness. "Seems like your body's already chosen."
Then he straightened and walked ahead, melting back into the group as if he hadn't just set my blood on fire. I stood there for a heartbeat too long, my stomach twisted and my heart racing.
"You really are like a female in heat," Aether observed dryly through the bond. "Pathetic."
I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples. "I just don't understand why he does this to me," I whispered. Gods, I was betrothed. To an amazing male. Jeremy kept me grounded and safe, and… safe.
There it was. Exactly what Asher meant.
Aether chuckled, his tail flicking against my ankle. "Maybe your body needs more… danger."
I nearly choked. "Well, clearly the goddess of love hates me," I muttered.
"Or she's testing your taste," Aether replied, "and so far, you're failing."
I glared at him. The celestial panther just stretched luxuriously, not a single care in the world.
We rejoined the group just as we exited through the left arch, out into the crisp morning air.
This was boundling class, held outdoors in the arena near the edge of the academy, where the Aegos Trials would eventually roar to life. Rolling hills stretched out beneath a sky pale with dawn, the arena rising like a stone promise in its center.
Ember slung an arm around me. "So, Mr. Darkling?" Her eyebrows waggled, clearly referencing Asher, who strolled a few paces ahead.
I gave her a look that could have burned her curls right off her head.