Deviant Descendants (Descendants Academy #2) - Belle Malory Page 0,19

needed air.

The ancient text, Tales of Symbol Magic, came to me. Diagrams appeared in my head, one for shields, another to harness an energy blast. I didn’t waste time debating how they worked, but I mimicked the symbols with my hands, circling my wrists, and steering my fingers in perfect execution from the book.

Pressure rose up from beneath me, causing the mermaids to stop their attack. “What is happening?”

The pressure mounted, and the water formed a barrier around me. “She’s a mage!” the other hissed, just as they were blasted outward. The magic worked like a bomb, sending the mermaids spiraling through the water.

As soon as they were gone, I swam toward the surface. Gasping for breath, I lingered there for several long moments, staring at the full moon overhead, grateful to feel the air going in and out of my lungs. It was frightening to think about, but had I been down there a few more seconds, I wouldn’t have made it back.

Eventually, I forced my aching body to move again, heading to the shore. Digging my fingers into the muddy ground, I pulled myself up, thrilled to be out of the water. Sorrows—ha! They should call it Inlet of Horrors.

But thank god, it was over. I paid up in full on that bet, and I walked away without once looking back, hoping to never encounter another mermaid ever again.

Now, to deal with the mages.

All of their eyes were on me, making me feel self-conscious. Absently, I noticed the way my hair no longer touched my shoulders. What was left of it was matted to my scalp in short patches. Two of my fingernails were dug from the nailbeds. Blood mixed with salt water dripped from my rough, scratched skin. I hissed at one particularly bad scrape on my foot, glancing down at it.

Oh no, my legs.

They were a sickly green color. I drew up my arms, finding they were the same awful color. God, I must look like the Loch Ness monster.

Squaring my shoulders, I tried to not think about my appearance. I kept my eyes on the ground, putting one sopping foot in front of the other. It was over, I survived, and that was all that mattered.

Once the crowd of onlookers saw me up close, several gasps were drawn, accompanied by a slow, uneven applause. They seemed more impressed than disgusted. I should’ve guessed. Strength outweighed beauty in House Ares, and it looked like I fought off the mermaids with my bare hands. Little did they know, knowledge was what truly saved me. Thanks, bibliomagery.

Riley may have won this round, but she hadn’t knocked me out for good. Not by a long shot. Speaking of…I looked around for her, wondering what she thought of my survival. I scanned the shore, but she wasn’t there. Farther off, I glimpsed her red toga. She had packed up and was already halfway back to campus! Apparently, my dear sister didn’t care whether I lived or died.

Xander suddenly appeared at my side. His arms came around me, cocooning me in his warmth. “You didn’t give me enough time to get down. You almost…” He stopped, too choked to finish. I’d never heard that much emotion in his voice. He always held it together, always kept a straight face.

“Don’t.” I shook my head, not wanting him to beat himself up. “You couldn’t help me. You know that.”

Had he jumped in, it would have saved me a thrashing, but it would have cost me more in the long run.

“Your life is worth more than their approval,” he said, anger replacing the fear in his voice.

“I did what I had to.”

Being an outcast again was not an option, not while my murderous sister was building her own army.

“The spell I gave you didn’t hold, did it?” He shook his head. “I should’ve known it was too advanced. That’s how they got to you.”

I pulled back, without meeting Xander’s probing gaze. I didn’t want him to own any part of what happened tonight. All of this, including the consequences, fell solely on my shoulders.

Reina and Cassius caught up to us, both of them breathless. The look in their gazes were enough to tell me I was a hot mess. Reina handed me my toga, and I tugged it on, trying to shield myself. I didn’t want anyone, especially Xander, to see me like this. Bloody and bruised. Ugly.

Cassius cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the obvious tension. “Nice work, Thorne,” he said proudly. “You showed