Chapter 23 Ashlyn

The gym had become my new favorite place. It was the only place where my mind could be completely clear. And as long as I didn't incinerate an unwitting student, Dad was thrilled by my new obsession.

With my headphones plastered on, I felt like my old self again, pre-Niko. Only now, I knew how to tap into my phoenix form. With enough focus, I could use my phoenix vision to hit my target without shifting. I even felt more balanced, as if my wings were always out, making me lighter on my feet.

Training was addictive. I looked forward to the rush I felt every time I entered the gym. But most importantly, it kept me secluded. If I had my headphones on, everyone knew to leave her alone, which was exactly what I wanted. How ironic that I had once been shunned because I couldn't control my powers, and now that I could and everyone liked me, I wanted nothing to do with any of them.

Luckily, the gym was empty this evening, so I could enjoy my blaring rock music and physical exertion in peace.

After an hour of sparring with a dummy, I jogged to the target range on the other side of the exercise equipment. There were different levels to choose from, but I had only gotten through one of the medium stages. I'd tried the hardest difficulty once, but it kicked my ass. So I'd made a goal: I wouldn't try my hand at testing out of the sim until I mastered the hardest stage—more than once.

"Down with the Sickness" by Disturbed began rocking in my headphones while I stared at the panel. I navigated the options on the screen to choose the type of targets I wanted—too bad the faces of certain ex-students weren't an option. I picked the default clay pigeons, and feeling ambitious about my speed, I entered in seventy-five miles per hour. And difficulty? Medium-hard.

I went to the starting spot and jogged in place as the screen counted down from ten, steadying my breathing.

I moved along to the beat and cleared my mind, thinking only of my fire. The heat came to life in my stomach, and I brought it to my fingertips in record time. When the number hit three, I prepared myself, holding the balls of fire like they were baseballs. The panel went blank, then a target flashed on the screen with a bullseye.

I blinked to focus my phoenix vision. With it, I could easily track my moving targets. Clay pigeons shot out at a dizzying speed, but I hit every single one. I ducked and jumped to catch my marks, adrenaline rushing through me, forcing my heart to race. I used to be afraid of losing control, but now I was on fire!

The panel finally blinked to inform me that the drill was over. I pulled off my headphones and was startled by the group of shifters who stood watching me. I hadn't even noticed their arrival. My classmates awkwardly clapped, which made me want to bolt from the room. With a few nods of acknowledgment, I brushed past the onlookers to grab my bag.

I didn't bother to wipe the film of sweat off my face, and I was sure that my hair was no longer tight in my ponytail. I couldn't care less, though. I only wanted to get back to my room to shower and get ready for dinner .

The second I rounded the corner toward the gym's exit, I spotted the last person I expected to see on this campus leaving a private training room. Niko?

I froze, the fire inside me extinguishing as if blown out by a rude gust of wind. He looked the same. His familiar short-cropped hair had a negative image of flames shaved into the sides. But now he wore a military uniform.

I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him until this moment. I wanted to rush into his arms and kiss him fiercely just as much as I wanted to punch him in the face.

But I didn't do either of those things. I just stood there, unsure of what to do. If he showed even the slightest interest in speaking to me, I would have. But once our eyes met, he averted his gaze, looking everywhere but at me.

He made my decision for me.

The adrenaline in my system amplified the burgeoning fury in my chest, and I decided to finally follow Arya's advice.

With a quick sweep around the room, I spotted only one guy I found the least bit attractive. Jackson, the hound shifter with a temper—the perfect rebound. With more confidence than I actually felt, I sauntered over to Jackson and tapped him on the shoulder.

He was tall, towering over me as he turned to look at me. "Uh, hi? What's up?" His eyebrows scrunched together as he stared at me.

"Hey, Jackson. Wanna go out with me? Get some food? Have some fun?" Again, confidence radiated off me, and I had no idea where it came from.

The group of hounds behind Jackson teased him and playfully patted his back, and though my cheeks heated, I held my sassy stance and waited for his reply with a coy smirk .

Jackson's eyes grew as wide as did his smile. "Hell yeah! Anytime, anywhere."

His smooth response made my stomach turn into knots. For a second, I wrestled with guilt over my intentions, but I wasn't done putting on a show for everyone—especially Niko.

"Alright. Friday, Christmas Eve?" I suggested, brimming with domineering authority like a diva.

"Sure!" he burst with a nod and an acceptably handsome grin.

"Cool. I'll text you the details." I spun on my heel and sashayed toward the exit, barely sparing a glance at Niko as I passed.

He did meet my gaze then. And he looked broken.

Now, it was my turn to ignore him. I swept my eyes away from him with disinterest, only for them to land on Arya, who, oddly enough, came out of the training room shortly after him. I had expected to see respect or approval on her face, but instead, I only found disappointment.