realized I was having a conversation with the asshole in the form of verbal jabs. That was what he wanted. He wanted my attention, even if it was negative. He couldn’t stand that I ignored him.
Seeing through his tactics, I decided not to give him another inch of satisfaction.
I wrapped an arm around Zak’s waist and turned him away from Paxton. Zak had made his point about me very clear, so I didn’t think Paxton would attack me from behind. Even so, I didn’t totally relax. I called my fire to rise in case an attack was coming.
“Shall we learn some magic, Zak?” I asked sweetly, smiling at him.
I needed to bypass my fire magic and find something else that was equally powerful. I’d proved that I had more than one kind of magic, though nothing other than my hellfire had showed up again since my last faceoff with Paxton.
Zak looked stunned by my smile, but he recovered the next second.
“Yes, Rosebud,” he said, hugging me into him. “That’s why I’m here. But you’re the one who’s learning, and I’m the one teaching.”
I’d bet money that Zak didn’t have any training in the department of sense of humor. Nor was he good at flirting. He probably never bothered. His good looks and incredibly hot body guaranteed that he didn’t need those skills.
Axel, on the other hand, was the king of flirting.
Zak swept his gaze over a group of students, who loitered around, gawking at us.
Demetra and her clique stood at the front, looking bitterly disappointed that Zak had put a stop to the escalating aggression between Paxton and me.
Zak fixed his blue eyes on Demetra, and she parted her scarlet lips, dazed by his attention. Heat rose in her eyes, as if his mere gaze had melted her panties. Zak might act all detached, but he was every bit the son of the King of the Gods.
His hard body was utter perfection, and his face had inspired artists to create beautiful, masculine statues all around the realm.
The plant vines started dancing around Demetra again, playing with her thick blonde hair and pulling the top of her uniform open to reveal her cleavage.
That chick was mean and nasty, but she knew how to seduce.
“Why are you all here instead of practicing, first years?” Zak asked sternly. “Do you not understand that discipline is fundamental for a soldier?”
Paxton had learned Demetra’s name, but Zak hadn’t.
Demetra’s face paled a little, and she shot daggers at me instead. She seemed to want to point out that I wasn’t exactly a model soldier who followed any rules, but when she looked at the lightning in Zak’s stern eyes, she recoiled.
That was comical.
Bullies were all fucking cowards in their blood.
“I apologize, Demigod Zak,” she said, darting her sultry glance at Paxton.
I doubted she’d given up on Zak. She’d keep trying to find a crack in his steely demeanor. Before the trial, she’d confidently declared to her clique that every man had a weakness and the demigods were hers to pluck.
“We’re here to support the revered Demigod Paxton,” she said purposefully.
“Support Paxton?” Zak asked in confusion.
“I’m not sure what One-eighth meant by revered,” I told Zak with an amused smirk. “But she and her gang are Pigston’s groupies, or probably his secret girlfriends, for all I care. If those mean chicks aren’t careful, they’ll end up the swimming boy’s squeeze toys and snacks, considering his reputation.”
Zak traced his thumb over my cheek. He really liked my smile, no matter what form it took, no matter if it was dark or light or had teeth and claws.
“They’re yours, Pig—Paxton?” Zak corrected himself quickly and motioned his chin toward the clique.
Paxton snarled as he waved Demetra and everyone away dismissively. “Go back to your posts. Idle again and you’ll receive punishment.”
Power rolled off him, sending all the students flying and crashing into each other or to the ground. As soon as they got up, they scampered away.
The Demigod of Sea wasn’t just malicious toward me.
“What do you know about my reputation, Princesa?” he followed up with a snort.
He wanted to further engage me, but I wouldn’t give him that. I wouldn’t give him the time of day.
I pulled Zak farther away. I didn’t want the sea demigod in my proximity.
Theodore, however, fell into step beside us.
“You haven’t briefed me about fighting the demons, Marigold,” said the priest. “None of the first years who faced off the battle demons lived to tell the tale. It’s clear that you’re a wild