from me,” Professor Eddison said. “I’m just channeling what is already there.”
“As soon as you think this lava is cool enough, Eddison, we need to head up to the top and do the same to the volcano itself,” Frost said.
“What about the lava running down the mountain in the riverbed we created?” Gabby asked.
“Professor King will cool it as well,” Frost answered while looking at the other professor for confirmation. King nodded and then turned his attention back to the lava lake.
“What’s the next plan of action?” Miles asked.
Gabby had to fight back her exhausted groan. It wasn’t just physical. Dealing with the revelation that Liam was indeed her mate—her other half—and the one being who would keep her from falling into the darkness and succumb to the pull of the power the darkness offered, had taken its toll on her.
“I’ll check in with the royals and see if they can tell us where the next potential crisis might pop up. Hopefully, we can get ahead of it, but we need to get some rest first,” Frost answered.
Gabby slumped forward and leaned into Liam. She tensed as she realized what she’d done and started to pull away, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tighter to him.
“Lean on me, Gabby,” he said softly. “It’s what I’m here for.”
Her chest tightened as her heart pounded a little harder, and she found it harder to breathe. She was beginning to appreciate the sweet, albeit at times crazy, things he said to her. Gabby’s heart skipped a beat as her overactive mind latched on to her insecurities and ran with them. What if he suddenly decided he didn’t want her or that she was too weird? And yes, she was well aware of the fact she’d already had an internal panic attack over the same questions but cut her some slack. She was damaged to her very soul, so much so that she was actually missing some of it. Her parents had plunged a knife in her heart, and now life was giving it a good, hard twist.
“Everyone still have their packs?” Zuri, who’d been oddly quiet, asked.
“I got yours,” Liam told Gabby.
The fact that he’d managed to keep up with their packs through the chaos of what they’d just been through was impressive.
There was a grumble of agreement and then Zuri said, “We’re going to head back to Crimson Academy for the night. Let’s get a good meal in us and rest.”
Professor Frost nodded. “We will head out again in the morning. It will be early, so I suggest you actually get rest.”
“I’ll take them back. Will you and Professor King be okay?” Zuri asked Frost.
“I think we can handle ourselves,” she said with a smirk.
“Just because no dark elementals have interfered yet doesn’t mean they won’t,” Zuri pointed out. “Remain vigilant.”
Frost saluted her, which made the rest of them chuckle.
Zuri opened a portal, and everyone except Frost and King walked through. The group emerged just inside the main hall of Crimson Academy. Gabby had to admit, it was good to be back. It was the only place that had ever truly felt like home, and after feeling so exposed on the side of that volcano, she suddenly felt protected.
“Liam, you’ll be in one of the student guest dorm rooms. Josie and Miles, there are suites for visitors. I’m sure they have something similar at Hydro Academy.”
Gabby felt Liam’s hand on her back, and she turned to look at him. “I’m going to give you some time, but we will talk later. I’ll text you.” He didn’t give her the opportunity to say no. He just told her what would happen and then turned to follow Zuri.
If Gabby hadn’t been so exhausted, she’d have told him where he could shove his orders. As it was, she was ready to drop, and her mouth didn’t have the energy to toss out an insult.
She marched to her own dorm room and sighed at the prospect of a shower and the oblivion sleep would bring. After she was cleaned up, however, instead of crawling into bed, she grabbed a blanket and crept out of her room. She didn’t know exactly where she was going to sleep, but she wouldn’t put it past Liam to come banging on her door in the middle of the night demanding they talk about their bond. She’d be damned if she was going to have that conversation, at least not yet. The only way she knew