Magic Secret (Half-Blood Academy #2) - Meg Xuemei X Page 0,28

by his presence and hanging on to his every word. “Stop fooling around, Axel,” he snapped when he noticed that Axel had sneaked his arm around my waist. “Show the soldiers a good example!”

Dozens of students, some of them seniors, turned to look in our direction.

Yelena waved at me, and Nat winked. They both looked relieved that I’d returned to class after missing a couple this morning. I understood their worries. Usually when a student was called to the headmistress’s office, it was for disciplining. Everyone seemed to know I had trouble following the school rules, thanks to that jackass Paxton dragging me across campus to my class yesterday.

I waved back and smiled at my friends.

Demetra and her clique looked daggers at me, probably wishing their glares would kill me on the spot, since obviously no higher power had listened to their prayers for the headmistress to kick me out.

Other students looked stunned at my closeness with the Demigod of War.

If they could see how the Demigod of Death kissed me, their eyeballs would probably pop out and drop to the floor.

“Axel, the class has started,” I whispered to him, hoping he’d unwind his arm from around me.

My will was a bit weak at the moment after Héctor had kissed me then taken off like that. I needed physical comfort. The demigods seemed to want constant physical contact with me as much as I did with them. If I was a moth to their flames, so were they to mine.

“So?” Axel arched an eyebrow. “I’m one of the instructors. I don’t need to do the gather-around thing since I don’t train the other students. I’ll train only you, so we’ll stay where we are and you don’t need to fall into formation either.”

“You haven’t graduated,” I said. “Didn’t the headmistress say that you’ve missed most of your classes? I think she’s pondering demoting you.”

“I’m a demigod,” he said. “I know everything. I don’t need to go to any classes. I was born with all necessary practical knowledge as well as mighty power. Have no doubts, Cookie.”

“Humble much?” I asked. “I have more doubts now.”

“Then you’ll hurt my feelings.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m not sure you even have them.”

“I have plenty for you, Cookie—only you,” he said softly. “But I have to hold back. I’m afraid the weight of my feelings would crush you before you’re ready. A demigod’s feelings aren’t easy to inspire, but when it happens, they’re very intense.”

My heart fluttered. I’d experienced how intense the demigods could be, and I was drowning in their high energy and secretly loved it.

But would I be able to take it when all of them unleashed their desire and powers on me?

“Let’s go to them,” I said in a lower voice. “I don’t want you and Zak to get into a stupid fight before the class even starts.”

“As you wish,” Axel said, letting go of my waist, but he immediately held my hand and led me to the group of students, who fixed their eyes on our entwined fingers.

The Demigod of War could steal thunder from the Demigod of Sky just like that.

Under the other students’ heavy gazes of envy and hatred, I tried to lift my chin to show some attitude, but for the first time, I failed to demonstrate it.

Axel had no qualms about showing his affection for me in public, and I had no qualms about beating the crap out of anyone. But I was a bit reserved when it came to public displays of affection. Mostly it was because I wasn’t entirely sure how my relationship with either Axel or Zak was playing out.

With Héctor, it was clear. He was my ultimate shield. He was courting me, and I was letting him. If the Academy didn’t work out, I would move in with him and bartend somewhere to pay rent.

Okay, he probably wouldn’t allow me to pay rent, but I wouldn’t let him compromise my independence and integrity.

With Zak and Axel, we’d gotten off on the wrong foot at the beginning. It was going to take a while to mend our relationships. On the surface, we appeared fine now, but there was still a knot in me—a reservation about them.

Even if I was emotionally reserved, it didn’t mean I would swat Axel’s hand away and hurt his feelings in front of everyone. He was probably three years older than me. Age-wise, we thought alike a lot of times, and I had more in common with him