Chapter 24 Balance and Betrayal
BALANCE AND BETRAYAL
Itry to listen during Alchemy, but my thoughts drift to Kai, wondering if he feels betrayed by fate too as he sits beside Veronica.
When I arrive outside the locker rooms for seventh period, a female with white-blonde hair waits with a bag bearing my name. She says nothing as she hands it to me and disappears.
Inside are black leggings and a long-sleeved tee—the same uniform everyone else is pulling on. The nullite suit is surprisingly flexible and lightweight, nothing like the heavy planks they tried to maneuver in Charms.
I follow the others into a giant gymnasium, bigger than a football field.
Professor Bracklan is tall and broad with bushy brown hair. He claps his hands. “Today, we’ll be working in pairs.”
The room shifts with interest, students straightening, already whispering as the professor begins calling out names.
“Kai, you’ll be with our new student, Brielle Breslin.”
My head snaps up.
“Kai and I train together,” Veronica says, loud enough to gain attention. “We always train together.”
“It’s a single class, Miss Levine,” Professor Bracklan says with a bored expression. “A test of balancing powers. Besides, it’s good to practice with others, not just your partner. You won’t always have them at your back.”
Veronica glares at me with pure loathing as the rest of the class is paired off.
“Find your partner and an empty space,” Professor Bracklan announces. “We’re going to work on counterbalance. If your partner overextends, your job is to stabilize them. If they lose focus, ground them. Remember, power is balance.”
Kai looks as though he’s debating alternatives before flicking his chin, indicating I follow him. It unnerves me. It unnerves me more that I follow.
Pairs are already starting to practice, small amounts of fire, air, vines, and water crackling through the space.
I follow Kai to the far end of the gym. He doesn’t say anything as he sends a stream of air nearly to the ceiling. He lobs a few more, each of them controlled, elegant, and effortless.
“Relax,” he says.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“Stay out of the way.”
His next gust circles him like a shield before dissipating. He’s focused and detached.
I glare at him, mentally cataloging all the ways I’ll haunt him once I figure out how to use my elements. “If I were working with Scarlet, how would we balance each other?”
Across the room, a student says something, followed by a snicker that has Kai’s spine going rigid. I watch in muted horror as his skin ripples, his eyes taking on a wild look.
“Kai,” I whisper.
He shakes his head once, teeth gritted as his fingernails lengthen into points.
Professor Bracklan turns in our direction.
Armed with nothing but my nullite suit and reckless abandon, I move to block the professor’s view. “What do you need?” I whisper to Kai.
“Just—” He closes his eyes and pulls in a deep breath through his nose. “Don’t move. Just stay there.”
He takes another deep breath. Then another. His shoulders slowly ease.
Professor Bracklan approaches, eyes sharp as he tries to look past me at Kai.
“Professor, could I theoretically counterbalance several people at once?” I ask, pulling his full attention to me.
Something like amusement flickers in Professor Bracklan’s eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone call us people,” he says dryly.
“Elementals,” I correct.
He nods his approval. “Not usually.” He launches into an explanation that gives Kai a few more moments to regain control.
When he finally moves on, Kai gives me a brief nod that I think is appreciation.
He glances across the gym before lowering his voice.
“Most of this is bullshit. It takes a Vestra to stabilize each other. Elementals can loosely channel energy—” He nods to two students who have joined hands, a stream of fire and water rising in tandem.
“But that’s not combining elements or stabilizing. ”
Envy spears me anyway. I don’t fully understand what I’m watching, but it looks powerful. And they make it look so simple. So easy.
“How do I make it look like I’m doing something?”
To my surprise, Kai grins, his dimples stamping deep into his cheeks, calling far too much of my attention. “You just—”
A shift in the air has Kai’s head snapping up, his expression turning from playful to predatory in an instant.
Before I can process what’s happening, an invisible force slams into my back.
The sharp jolt has me stumbling toward a training rack holding practice weapons with the grace of a baby giraffe.
Strong arms catch me. One hand wraps around my upper arm, another grips my waist. The scent of pine and cedar surrounds me.
I blink as I glance up, finding Kai’s stony expression.
Panic thrums through my veins as my gaze flicks to his left arm, to the slight gap below his palm, my breath catching.
No imprint.
My chest contracts with sharp relief—immediately chased by something heavier. Hollow.
“It’s the nullite,” he whispers, the hint of amazement in his voice betraying his own uncertainty. He doesn’t move away, doesn’t stop touching me.
A snicker cuts through the moment, and I turn, spotting Cassandra a dozen feet away, wearing a smirk that is pure satisfaction. “Oops,” she says sweetly. “Sometimes I forget my own strength.”
“It’s a direct violation to use a charm on another student.” Kai’s voice is low, his posture rigid.
Cassandra arches a brow. “Only if it’s intentional.”
“Miss Madden,” Professor Bracklan’s voice cuts through the growing tension. “If you’re struggling with self-control, perhaps you should take a break and observe today’s lesson.”
Cassandra pastes on a smile. “That won’t be necessary, Professor.” She turns to her partner, a blonde who looks terrified even to breathe. “I just need my partner to help balance my element.” She punctuates her words, leaving the blame on the poor girl. “I’m having to use charms to do it myself.”
Professor Bracklan flicks his wrist, and a red line forms on the floor that he nods to. “Then I suggest you give yourself more space.”
Cassandra hesitates, as if deciding how far she can push this. With a quiet scoff, she pivots and moves to the line.
Kai straightens, removing his hands as though my skin suddenly burns him.
Once more, I pretend not to notice. Not to care.
I’m relieved when Elemental Mastery ends—despite all the warnings about Dueling and Combat, pretending to work with Kai feels like a new kind of torture.
I follow most of the class into an adjoining room lined with ringed-off sections.
A tall male—I’ve learned it’s the proper term rather than man—with dark hair severely combed to one side stands at the center, surrounded by what must be a hundred students. That’s the only indication he’s the professor.
He flicks his chin in my direction. “Brielle?” His voice is surprisingly high for how big he is.
I nod.
“I’m Professor Hammerstad. You’ll be conditioning for the next few weeks to prepare you for the rings.” He lifts his crystal link and flicks a projected list toward me. “Kimber will help you over there.” He points toward the corner, where a female with long navy-blue hair stands, arms crossed.
Kai stretches his neck, then steps into one of the rings.
Without further instruction, I head toward Kimber.
“Do you know how to use any of the machines?” she asks, skipping introductions.
I nod, more confident after my week at Mysthaven and the hours spent conditioning.
“Let’s get started so we can get you in the rings.”
I spend the next hour straddling the line of consciousness and delirium. My lungs go from burning to aching to feeling like they’re filling with blood. My muscles are no longer physical forms, just jelly.
The only things keeping me upright are Cassandra’s and Veronica’s glares and my stolen glances at Kai as he steps into two different rings and takes down both opponents.
His style is lethal. Intimidating. Terrifying.
When the massive digital clock finally ticks down to zero, it takes everything in me not to collapse, knowing that if I do, I won’t be able to get back up.
I’m counting my steps to keep momentum when someone crashes into my shoulder, sending a sharp pain down my spine. “Watch it, defunct,” Veronica mutters.
Most of the class has already filed into the locker room, but the remaining students pause, throwing amused glances between us.
“Is there an issue?” Kimber asks.
“She was trying to use her element to influence us.” Veronica’s lie is seamless.
My chin snaps back, caught off guard by the accusation that I have no defense for.
Kimber turns to me. “Is that true?”
“I think they’re trying to make an inside joke because my power’s so low,” I say.
“It felt like she was trying to use her power,” Veronica presses. “But maybe we just felt her extreme fatigue since she’s so out of shape.” Apparently, she’s the female version of Lochlan.
Perfect.
“Likely,” I reply flatly.
Kimber looks between us again. “Hit the showers.”
I wait until Cassandra and Veronica move toward the locker rooms before following.
As I reach the doorway, something invisible circles my wrist, tugging me backward.
I drop my elbow, but no one is behind me.
Instead, an invisible force pins my arm to my side before restraining my hands behind me.
The scents of pine, cedar, and fresh rain are sharp against my senses, but it’s Kai’s predatory expression that steals far too much of my focus. “Not fast enough,” he taunts.
“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Don’t interact with Veronica or Cassandra.”
Is he defending them?
My hackles rise as I futilely struggle against his restraints. “I wasn’t,” I hiss. “Your girlfriend sought me out.”
The hold on my wrist tightens as his jaw ticks. “We told you to keep your head down. I’ve watched you shake hands with at least thirty males, and brush against dozens more. What in the hell are you doing, Red?”
My temper flares, though embarrassment threatens to bleed onto my cheeks. “I was testing a theory.”
“What theory?” Something stirs in his expression, but it’s so quick, I can’t put a finger on it.
“I was checking…” I discreetly look around. “To see if anything happened.” I don’t dare say the word imprint. Not here. Not with him as my witness.
That muscle in his jaw feathers again. “And what has your theory proved?”
I pull my wrist free, and surprisingly, the hold slips. “I’m still in the hypothesis stage.”
He watches me for a long moment. “Get changed.”
“Gladly. That’s what I was trying to do.” I turn sharply and don’t look back to see if he’s watching me.
I consider skipping the showers, but since my sweat is sweating, I join the last of the students. The line moves at a surprisingly fast clip, and I’m slipping into a stall in no time. I stare at four blank walls and a small screen.
There’s no showerhead. No faucet. Just damp floors.
I grab my crystal link and scroll to Scarlet’s name.
How do I use the gym showers?!?
Thankfully, she begins responding immediately.
Scarlet: Sorry. I forgot about Mysthaven having real showers.
Cover your hair with the cap, then strip (including shoes) and hit the green button.
It’ll spray a cleaning mist on you, and then a blue light will turn on, and rinse you.
After that, enter your locker number. It will transport your clothes.
When you’re done, put your gym clothes inside the chute, and they’ll be laundered and returned to your locker.
I send her a quick thank you before reading through the steps again to ensure I have them memorized.
It takes me four times longer than it should as I check and double-check each step. The soap mist is a slight tickle that makes my skin smell like eucalyptus and grapefruit before the blue light flashes and barely wets my skin. Warm air blows me dry.
I dress quickly and shove my gym clothes into the small compartment. A soft whoosh confirms they’re gone.
As I step out, the wall of mirrors reveals that my makeup is gone, but my hair still looks perfect thanks to the styler from this morning.
I head for the parking lot where Griffin had dropped me off this morning. But as I round the corner, a flicker of red hair catches my eye.
The redheaded male from Runes.
And like a shard of intuition, sharp and sure, I know he’s following me.