23. Practice makes Perfect #3
Building it mentally, I see my signature glow encompassing my palm, and with a red photo-flash, I’m holding a brown leather diary.
“Yes.” I do my little happy dance. It’s ninety percent perfect. Who cares that the back cover is a bit bigger, and the lines on the pages are vertical. All in all, go me.
Wrapping a hand around my wrist, I rotate against its stiffness and massage the skin.
“I wish like hell there was a way for me to retrieve your bracelet,” I whisper, missing Rosie each day, but even more in this moment as I stare at the smooth skin of my wrist. There is no longer a tan line from never taking her gift off.
A memory from my first birthday with her awakens, and I sit back with my eyes closed.
It was the first one since meeting her, and somehow, she managed to sneak away and purchase a gift.
The bracelet. What I found surprising was her and I were damn near inseparable, so how she found time, I don’t know.
But the moment it clasped around my wrist was like being born a second time, creating a family of two. Her and I.
Giving me Love…Immunity…Faith…Empathy.
Living inside my mind and remembering this perfect moment, I feel tingles itch across my fingers and wrist, until something solid presses against my skin. My vision returns, and I witness a fading crimson glow.
“Holy shit! Holy shit!” Flinging my covers, I leap off the bed. “What the fuck. Did I…” Panic, fear, excitement, and whatever else has me pacing the room. Chills form goosebumps as I hyperventilate. “H-How…How is this possible?”
Minutes, maybe hours, go by before I am able to calm down. I check over every inch of it, and sure as shit, it’s hers. Each blemish, scrape, and dent are there from never taking it off. At least not until she passed.
I created a makeshift jewelry box where Angie’s necklace hangs and placed Rosie’s bracelet inside it. Since then, I’ve been sitting on my bed, staring at it after writing down today’s events, leading to the moment of my breakdown.
The sun has set, and hues of sparkling blue dance upon the walls. Shock keeps my brows scrunched. How the hell did I do that? More hours trickle by, or so it seems, and a resounding knock at my front door echoes down the hall.
No one in their right mind would be knocking this time of night, so I scoot off the bed and grab my phone. “Ten-thirty.” My eyes roll. The pounding on my door continues, and I rush to grab some sweatpants, figuring one of the students has the wrong room. My steps guide me to my living room.
“Who is it?” I ask, realizing there isn’t a peephole.
“Alex.”
I gasp. What is he doing here? Isn’t he a part of House Life? My chest pounds with an unorthodox beat, offsetting the wings of the butterflies flapping around my stomach.
“Kyra?” His velvet tone caresses my ears.
“Yeah. O-One second.”
The inner girl in me screams at the top of her lungs. Talk about surprises. Yeah, another thing not on my bingo cards for today. Regardless, Alex stands outside my door. Why?
“Kyra, I don’t like to be kept waiting,” his pitch lowers, and my head flicks to the door, making my anxiety stir more.
I clasp the handle, turning it and find him towering a few inches away. And damn he looks good. Alex scans over me before entering, and I unintentionally, slam the door closed, realizing a layer of sweat coats the knob. Great. I wipe my hands on the back of my sweatpants.
“What’s that on your head?” he asks, scrunching his brows, and mine mirror his until a certain realization kicks in.
Fuck, I’m still wearing my bonnet. Embarrassment paints my cheeks a flaming red, and I snatch it off quickly, letting my thick braids fall over my shoulders.
“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. What’s the nature of your visit?” I question, hoping this subject can change.
“Take a seat, Kyra,” he commands. My name spoken with his tone whilst peering at me with those pale gray hues, has whatever I was thinking racing for the damn hills. I’m left speechless as my body moves on instinct, obeying him.
“An incident happened today. One you should be aware of.”
“Okay, what?” Taking a seat, I give him my undivided attention.
“Angie was injured. I know–”
“Wait what.” Standing in haste, I feel my rising fear. “Where is she, Alex?”
“I need you to stay calm,” he says, moving closer.
“You came to my room with horrible news and expected me to be calm? In case you haven’t noticed, Angie’s been by my side throughout everything while you and everyone else either ignore me, treat me like shit, or want me gone.
No, Alex, I will not stay calm.” Craning my neck to meet his gaze, I continue, “If you won’t tell me where she is, I’ll find her myself. ”
A scarlet glow lights the room, and heat weaves over my fingers. In a flash, my diamond sigil sprawls out beneath us, and I capture him in my gaze, ready at any moment to search the entire Academy. “You choose.”
He turns in circles, peering at my floor. “How…” Confusion and intrigue twitch his lips. “Since when have you been able to do this? Are you perhaps a Lega–”
“Alex now’s not the time. Where’s Angie?” I feel an incredible force rise within my stomach. A spot he is now fixated on.
“She’s recovering, and come morning, she’ll be as good as new.”
“Not good enough.”
I require more information if he expects me to stay. I am not losing another life. Not again. The thought alone has a heavy weight forming over my lashes, blurring my vision .
Alex steps forward, reaching for my hands with slow movements. “Take a seat, please.” He grabs hold of me as a few tears fall.
“Is she okay? I need to know that much.”
“Angie’s tough, and you’ll see her tomorrow. You have my word,” he reassures.
“I’m holding you to it. If she’s not–”
“I’ll ensure it personally. Before your lecture starts, she’ll be standing there. Now please.” He gestures a hand towards the sofa, and I follow, dispersing my sigil and feeling a burst of energy return.
He follows, sitting beside me with clasped hands over his knees.
Alex’s appearance is more rugged than his normal attire.
His aura pushes against mine in sporadic patterns as though his mind is everywhere, all at once.
Thanks to Yasmine and Blaise, I’m understanding the sensation of other fays auras.
“Hey, you were telling me about what happened.”
“Right. My apologies.” His throat clears, and I’m trying hard not to indulge myself in his bourbon and mint fragrance.
Shaking a leg, I force out these inappropriate fantasies.
“As I stated, Angie was hurt, but I’ll never lie to you.
We were close to losing her–Ethan and I.
” Alex huffs, taking a moment for reflection.
“We were on a mission, and things went south. Fast. But the details aren’t important.
As per the reason I’m here, from today until I deem fit, you and I will train after classes,” he says, turning and gauging my reaction. “Starting today.”
Well shit. This is a lot to take in. Here I thought things couldn’t get any worse.
“Use your words, Kyra. What are you thinking?”
“Umm.” Thinking he can’t be serious, I rebut, “You’re insane, showing up with news about Angie, your missions, and now this little cherry on top.
Training with you after my classes every day.
What the hell is wrong with everyone here?
That’s what I’m wondering.” Standing, I try to focus on something else.
I shake out my hands, not knowing what to do with them. Or me .
“Understandable. I won’t force you against your will, but at least hear my reasoning behind it,” he says, moving alongside me.
“What we witnessed is far worse than imaginable. Horrors of fays’ souls being plucked from their bodies, transforming into something…
dark. We all should be strengthening our magic. ”
Alex turns, peering beyond my balcony. “Earlier today, I stumbled across an ancient scroll dealing with a similar magic to yours. From what we know, there’s a single fay who wielded creation magic.
They were also the first to ascend into Godhood.
With this, perhaps it’ll shine light on what you can do.
Agree to train with me, and let’s see if you can surpass even the original God of Creation.
A magic unknown to our world for thousands of years.
” He smirks, and his throat vibrates a deep sonance, as if he agrees with his own idea.
“Shit.” Excitement blazes along my veins, and without question, I realize, hell yes, I’m doing this. But I can’t show my eagerness. “On two conditions,” I say, holding in this spark of passion.
“Name them, and it’s done.”
“Angie better be here before I wake up, and I’d like to see the scroll you found.” I dare him to make this promise.
Flicking his wrist, a small, black sigil hovers above his hand, then vanishes, leaving an old scroll. He places it on one of my sofa cushions and asks, “Are you ready?” He is keeping his word without any push back, and honestly, it makes me feel a bit warm on the inside.
“Yes.”
“By the way, soon, we’ll have a conversation about your sigil.
Until then, we can use mine.” He grins, holding out a leathery gloved hand, and I accept, finding myself swooning, giggling like a schoolgirl, which prompts an embarrassing burn over my cheeks.
I’m thankful we’re not using my sigil. No telling where the hell we’d end up.
Alex conjures a larger sigil beneath us, and I think back on the many failed attempts of mine. “How’d you get control over it? Can you show me? ”
“Kyra, I’ll show you everything and more.” His velvet voice is low, sending a chill down my spine as he smiles. He is intoxicating, exuberating confidence.
Heat builds between my thighs, and without a doubt, I know this fay has done something no one else has done in years. Turned me on. I’m in trouble. Big trouble.
We vanish and spawn inside the now empty training room from earlier. I stretch my hoodie’s collar, allowing air to cool my skin when Alex takes a few steps away, saying four words I don’t expect to hear.
“Take off your clothes.”