I was met by a female bear shifter. Giving her my best innocent smile, I asked, “Coach Holmes?”
She nodded once and handed me a stack of clothes with a silver bracelet on top. “Call me Beth. My brother co-teaches the class with me.” She tapped the bracelet. “That goes around your ankle. It blocks all magic from being used.”
I froze in place. “What? Why?”
She arched her brows in a challenge. “The point of this class is to build and test your physical strength. It is also a mixed class with non-magic users. So there is no magic to be used. If you don’t wear the bracelet, you automatically fail.”
Fucking great. I nodded and stepped inside the locker room to change. Once I snapped the bracelet around my ankle, I shuddered as my magic was completely blocked my power. I had hoped it wouldn’t be totally blocked from me. Damn school and their rules.
Lucky for me, I trained with the enforcers back at home on a regular basis. So I was ready for this class.
I was not ready for the type of training the coaches inflicted on us. Right out of the locker rooms, we were paired up. I was paired with Zelphar. Although we were just about evenly matched strength-wise, I instinctively reached for my magic several times. Each time a shot of electricity jolted my system making me fall to my knees.
“Stop depending on your magic. That should also be your last resort in a fight because your opponent would expect you to use it and would prepare.” Zelphar circled me and I snarled at him.
“Careful, I might think you actually want me to succeed.” I caught a flash of acknowledgement in his dark blue depths.
I pushed to a stand and charged at him, connecting my shoulder with his mid-section like a linebacker. Then I slammed him to the ground. Air whooshed out of his lungs, but he recovered quicker than I expected. He locked his legs around me and rolled until he straddled over me.
Hating to be pinned down, I bucked to try to throw him off. It didn’t work. I wasn’t stupid enough to pull from my powers again. I didn’t have a need for any more pain caused by the damned ankle bracelet to call to my magic.
But I had a few tricks.
Throwing my hand out, I punched him in the gut, then hit him in the throat with the other hand. Victory rushed in my veins and I bucked him again. That time he faltered enough I was able to scramble out from under him.
Using my supernatural speed, which didn’t involve using my magic—thank the gods—and rushed around him to put him in a headlock, cutting off his air. Well, tried to anyway. He was demi-god.
Leaning down, I spoke in a low tone so no one would hear our conversation. “Who sent you here?”
Grabbing me with his arms, circling my upper body, he twisted and threw over his shoulder. I landed on my back on the mat. Pain exploded across my back and growled at him as I rolled to my feet again.
Zelphar smirked. “Who said anyone sent us?”
Us. I wondered if he always referred to him and his twin as a unit. “Come on. Do you expect me to believe that a set of demi-gods twins get sent to reform school for trying to kill a mage leader? You really need a better excuse than that.”
“And you know what the mages will and won’t do?” He charged at me and dodged him while kicking out, connecting with the back of his knee.
“I know they wouldn’t blink to kill someone who defies them.”
Faster than I anticipated, because he—I realized in that moment—was going easy on me, he tackled me to the ground. One of his arms was tucked under one of my legs and his other arm pressed into my throat. The move made me immobile.
A wicked smile formed. “You’re awfully paranoid. Is there a reason for that?”
A spike of dread burned my gut. The storm of emotions in his features told me he knew more about me than I’d like. Or maybe I was being paranoid. Instead of answering I tapped the floor, surrendering.
He released me and stood, offering me his hand. I slapped it away and rolled to a stand. Then I moved into his personal space. “Stay away from me. I don’t need complications right now.”
I walked past him, knocking my shoulder in his. He chuckled and it made my blood boil. Arrogant ass.
“What was that about?” Lucent handed me a water when I reached him. He and Karn were paired up. I knew from sparring with Lucent my whole life that he could best either of the twins. Yet, neither he nor Karn looked winded.
I might not feel as bad as I had if I didn’t try to pull on my powers. And if Zelphar hadn’t annoyed the shit out of me.
“I’ll tell you later.” I flicked my gaze to Karn, who had moved past us to talk with his brother.
The rest of class was filled with running laps.
After removing the ankle bracelet, I stood in the locker room, enjoying the rush of power dancing throughout my system. I even conjured tiny flames on the tips of my fingers, smiling.
I heard Lucent call me from outside the girl’s locker room, so I willed the fire to recede back inside the center of my body and quickly changed back into my uniform and blazer.
First day almost done.
I exited the locker room and smiled at Lucent. “What’s next?”
“Organic Enrichment.” Lucent frowned. “Not sure what to think about that.”
I pulled out the schedule. “It’s in the tropical garden so it can’t be that bad.”
Organic Enrichment was everything. It made the entire day worth going through. The entire House of Phoenix was in the class. The best part was when they said we didn’t have to wear our magic-reducing blazers while in that class. The reason being we had to use our powers to their full capacity.
“Because our power is based on the element fire, we are natural healers. Those who live in tropical regions will find this class their easy A’s.” Haven Rose, our teacher for this class, was a petite, beautiful blond. Her voice was soft, but it also held a power behind it, telling her was every bit an alpha female.
“It is natural for us to heal the earth where we live. That’s what this class is for. Each of you will learn to use and take from the tropical gardens without disbursing the natural balance or harming it.” Haven’s features turned serious as she spoke her next words. “I will not tolerate any misuse of your freedom to use your magic. You are all here with the same goal. To be reformed and return to your homes better than before.”
Just when I was beginning to like Haven, she called on me to be her assistant for the duration of the term. I tried to get out of it, saying that Cordea was a much better choice. Cordea, the traitor, said, “Oh no, you’re the future clan leader, so you’re better qualified.”
While I like her confidence in me to live through reform school, I hated being the center of attention. And that was why I was picked. To put me in the spotlight so I’d get over it.
By the end of class, I felt renewed and found that leading the class in some of the activities wasn’t as scary as I wanted to believe. I was born to lead. Until then I didn’t want to admit it.
One day of reform school down. A whole fucking lot more left.
6
Ember
After showering and putting on my comfy cat print yoga pants and an oversized black T-shirt, I padded on silent, bare feet down the hall to the dining room. Voices filled out of the room as I drew closer.