Shadowborn Academy_ Year One (Dark Fae Academy #1) - G. Bailey Page 0,30
my emotions.
And now this dude.
Fuck.
“Agreed. See you around, my lady,” he bows and grins at me again with that cheeky, sexy wink of his.
“Don’t call me that!” I shout back as I slide the dagger into the back of my skirt. When I turn around, Zander and the frog-thing have already vanished.
Note to self: This is why I shouldn’t wander alone in the forest.
As suspected, Corvina Charles cannot stay away from trouble for long. Her mind and soul sniffs the darkness out, craves it even when it leads to her to nothing but destruction. I walk from the treeline as she casts a powerful spell, the dark magic hovering around her in an enchanting cloud, her eyes widening from the pleasure of using it.
The dark magic likes her. It feeds her willingly, only asking for her pain and anger in return.
I’m captivated as she uses a high-level hexing spell on the five wardens, turning them into useless slugs that slither across the ground. My fingers dig into the bark of the tree I stand behind as none other than Zander Sabhain approaches and talks to Corvina. Teases her. Tests her.
They are both monsters, born out of spite and hate for a cause they don’t yet understand.
It’s no wonder they stare at each other with such pointless longing. After a few moments, both Zander and Corvina go their separate ways. With a smile that is rare on my lips, I walk out into the clearing and lift my foot. I take great pleasure as I stamp on the slugs, hearing their wails as they die.
Soon it will be more than silly, replaceable wardens that die. Soon it will be this entire forest.
I can’t quite shake the Shadow Warden from my mind as I walk back to the river.
“Good one,” Wren says, soaring through the trees above me. “You never fail to impress or amuse us.”
“We haven’t had lunch yet either,” Rook adds, flying after her and Crowe. “Would it be okay if we ate some of the bullies you turned into slugs? They were looking mighty delicious.”
I’m tempted to say yes, but I shake my head. “The Shadow Warden will no doubt be back for them.”
Why does that thought make my heart flutter?
My friends squawk, their way of laughing, before disappearing into the shadows. Pitch remains uncharacteristically quiet inside me.
When I rejoin the group of students by the river again, they’re each holding jars of water that gleam the same colour as their crystal.
“Put your crystal inside and say lampas academeia,” Sage explains, handing me a jar filled with normal water. “Whenever we get lost in the forest, we just say that and the crystal will light the way back to the academy. How cool is that?”
“Pretty cool,” I admit, pulling my crystal pendant off my neck and dousing it in the water. “Lampas academeia.”
The crystal glows, as does the water, and in the distance not too far away, the academy shines like a beacon of light.
“Right,” I say, slinging my crystal around my neck. “Where to now?”
“Magical Defence: Level One,” Sage answers, and we join the others walking back to the school now gleaming through the trees.
After a workout and a half down the tower steps that is supposed to be a secret passageway, Sage and I finally find the classroom we were instructed to go to. I push the door open and step into the room only to trip over something and just about face-plant the ground. Luckily, Sage is quick to grab my arm and steadies me up. Scowling, I dust a hand down my clothes and follow the foot that was sticking out.
“Watch out there, newbie,” Jonah scoffs, leaning against the wall with a cocky smirk slapped onto his face.
Sage clamps a hand on my arm, stopping me from doing anything stupid.
Damn, she’s stronger than she looks.
She’s also wise. We really can’t risk another trip to the headmaster’s office so soon.
“You’re just as new as me,” I spit back at him, “but if you trip me again, I will—”
“You’ll what, exactly, little Vina?” he teases, pushing off the wall and stepping closer. His silver hair is tied back today and it just makes me notice how perfectly clear and flawless his skin is, how bright his eyes are and the way they pore right into you. They’re all things that make you want to like him, but then he spoils it by opening his mouth and spewing out a bunch of hate.