20. Adrianna

20

ADRIANNA

T he walk to the open field for our first class feels like the longest walk of my life. It might have something to do with the fact that Flora is right beside me, a knowing smirk on her lips as she glances at me out of the corner of her eye, but I choose to ignore it.

Anything that involves me and these Krypto assholes has her preening like a peacock. I'm quite sure my life has become a new television show for her at this stage. Who needs a subscription to watch the drama unfold when it's right here for free?

Professor Tora stands tall as we approach the gathering students, observing the crowd who seem no wiser to what is coming today. Our luxury is the heads-up he gave Kryll, but he didn't offer any specifics or any kind of hint or tip to prepare us for the madness. Just that it was happening. It counts for something, I guess; I'm just not sure what yet.

Vallie stands across the crowd of students, smirking in my direction as her friends giggle around her. Anger vibrates through my body, pleading with me to retaliate, but I know deep down that biding my time will be worth the rage I feel right now. It has to count the next time I respond to her because she sure as shit isn't taking the hint.

She bounces back quicker than a damn ping pong ball, and I'm done with it.

"Miss Reagan, a moment," Tora barks, making the murmurs and conversations in the group dwindle to nothing as all eyes fall my way.

Thanks for that.

Sneaking a glance at Kryll, I raise an eyebrow, but he simply shrugs, no wiser to what his brother wants from me than I am.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Flora asks quietly, and I shake my head. That would only paint me as weak in front of everyone, and that's the last thing I am.

"I'm good, but thanks," I breathe, fixing my cloak around my body as I step toward Tora. He waves for me to follow him, coming to a stop a few steps away from everyone else. Once I'm close enough to him, he reaches for my shoulder, making me frown, but the touch isn't harsh.

"It's so I can keep our conversation private," he explains, and I nod, gulping back my uncertainty.

I never know how to feel around him. On one hand, he's Kryll's brother, which should make him safe, but on the other hand, he's a professor, a little ruthless, and under Bozzelli's leadership. Keeping him at arm's length is the best option, but it's a little difficult when he's standing this close, looming his unspoken power over me.

"Why would it need to be private?"

"I mean, it's for your protection, not mine, unless you would like everyone here to know whether you're in full health or not." He cocks a knowing brow at me and I fight back an eye roll.

"I'm fine."

"I'm sure you are. How many fingers am I holding up?" he asks, raising three fingers on his free hand.

"Three."

"Great. Follow the tip of my finger," he orders, moving it from side to side, and I sigh.

"Is this necessary?"

"I'm making sure you don't have a concussion," he explains, and I scoff as my eyebrows bunch together.

"You probably should have done that yesterday."

"I did, and you did have a concussion." The pointed look he offers me could murder a man, and even I have to refrain from shrinking beneath it.

"I'm all healed now," I grumble, dampening my embarrassment at the fact that he did this yesterday and I have no recollection.

"So it seems," he states, dropping his free hand.

"Can you contain yourself during today's lesson?"

" Me ? I'm not the one hell-bent on causing a scene at every opportunity."

"Well the groups are the same as last time we had to work in teams," he explains, and I blink, confusion clouding my thoughts for a beat until I remember the team I was on last time.

Kryll. Raiden. Grant. Vallie.

Ah, fuck.

"Containing myself feels like you're asking a lot of me."

"Good," he states, releasing his hand from my shoulder as he takes a step back.

"You're confusing," I grumble, and he grins.

"You're a handful."

I narrow my stare. "Are we done?"

He nods, but his eyebrows furrow just a fraction, stopping me from stepping away just yet.

"Stay close to Kryll," he breathes, his words a whisper in the wind so no one else can hear him now that his privacy magic is gone.

"Why?" I ask, but he's already turning away to face the gathered students.

"Good morning. I hope you're all ready for an adventure because we're going to be running another practice trial today," he announces, and the audible gasps that echo around us confirm everyone else is caught by surprise.

A few groans and mumbles of concern ring out as I head back toward Flora, Arlo, and my newly named Kryptos. As soon as I come to a stop beside my favorite red-headed fae and favorite red-headed shifter, Vallie's shrill voice comes to life.

"Are we forgetting what happened to me the last time we did this? What that bitch did?" she hisses, pointing a finger at me, and before I can bottle my frustration, I take a step forward.

"That bitch defended herself against some frenzied fucking vampire who was hell-bent on killing me with her thirst for blood," I snarl, hearing my father's voice in my head, reminding me to remain calm and collected, but there's no chance of that right now.

"Please, I would never?—"

"You did," Brody blurts, appearing at my side a moment later. "I healed the gaping fucking hole in her neck," he adds, pointing at the exact spot on my skin, and I shiver at the reminder. The remnants of pain ricochet through my body and it takes everything in me to shake it off and act unfazed.

Vallie stomps her foot, her cheeks heating as she glares at the mage beside me. "I never?—"

"We're done with your drama," Professor Tora interjects, and Vallie folds her arms over her chest with a huff. "Today, we are going to work in teams to reach the peak. The same teams you were placed in when we did the trail in Evermore."

"You say a lot of we when you're not the one participating," Grant, my least favorite human, states, cocking a brow at the professor with far more swagger than he actually has.

Tora swipes his tongue over his bottom lip as he stares him down.

"Beau," Kryll murmurs, fingers flexing at his sides as he takes a step toward his brother. Thankfully, he seems to pull Tora from whatever he was thinking and he clears his throat.

" You will work in your preassigned teams to try to reach the peak. Better?"

"What peak?" Grant grunts, matching Vallie's stance with his arms folded over his chest. Who the fuck does this guy suddenly think he is? And are those muscles bulging beneath his tight, long-sleeved tee? Where did those come from?

A mage professor makes her way over to Tora, who nods at her, and that one wordless command has the ground shifting beneath our feet.

I startle, struggling to fucking breathe when a chill blows around me, and I look down at my feet to find snow.

Fucking snow. Again .

"What the fuck are we doing back here?" Raiden grunts, coming to stand in front of me a moment later.

"Are you okay?" Flora whispers, and I nod, despite the lump lodged in my throat.

I can rise above this. I can rise above this. I can rise above this.

"Make it to the top. The first team wins," Tora announces, ignoring Raiden's outburst, and Grant scoffs.

"But those that have wings or speed are obviously going to beat everyone else. What's the point in that?"

He does have a point, but life isn't fair, and the teams are blended so we're just going to have to deal with it. Maybe he's worried about the vampire's speed again. He was a little…green from it last time, and that's saying something coming from me.

"Ah, good reminder. Maybe you are useful in your whining," Tora states, nodding at the woman once again. Nothing noticeable happens as she chants under her breath, the words lost in the wind as I strain to listen. It takes me a moment to spot the carved wooden object in her hands.

"What is that?" I murmur, peering at Brody, who follows my line of sight.

"Ah, that's a…ah fuck."

"Everyone, thank Grant for the fact that you're saying goodbye to your abilities for the next few hours," he declares, sending a chill down my spine as I gape at him before joining everyone else in glaring beside the stupid fucking idiot that made the entire thing harder for everyone.

"It's an artifact that empowers the mage to gather the powers of those in the surrounding area. There's only one of them in existence that I'm aware of, and I'm slightly shocked they're using it so carelessly. It's called The Engraved Obliviosus."

"I'm going to kill that fucker," Cassian grunts, the snarl on his lips making me believe him.

He at least has the nerve to look a little sheepish as Tora chuckles under his breath.

"The quicker you make it to the top, the quicker you get them back."