Page 47 of Of Bone and Ash

“We’ll see you at lunch,” Neva calls to me as she pulls a worried-looking Adam after her. I toss them a wave, too caught up in my thoughts to reply as I stalk down the path, glaring at anyone who gets in my way.

“Bella.”

I look up at the towering castle, the gray stone glimmering in the sunlight as I rush up the stairs. Students are pouring out of the double doors, most of them headed toward the cafeteria, though a large crowd is walking to the small shop Adam brought me to the other day. I cut through the crowd without an issue, letting the students weave out of my way as I make it to the stairs leading me to the castle's second story.

“Serafina!” Teos snarls, his fingers wrapping around my wrist and yanking me to a stop. This earns us some wide-eyed glances from a group of girls next to us. My magic springs from me in an unbidden wave, making the girls next to me scream and run down the stairs, one in tears while the other two are rubbing at their arms, whimpering in pain. The temperature around me plummets and I feel it in my bones, making me shiver as my fingers start to go numb.

I glare down at Teos' hands, counting to thirteen as I wrap my magic in my hands. Within seconds, I control it and bend it to my will, calming its deadly rage and soothing its bloodlust.

“Shit! Sorry! I’m sorry!” Teos rasps, immediately letting me go, eyeing the dark magic circling around my ankles, climbing up my heels, and wrapping protectively around my calves. My magic is still out, curiously scoping out the people around me, but it’s no longer looking for a victim to rip a soul from. I look up at Teos, noticing the regret in his eyes as he raises his hands. “I’m so sorry, Bella. I didn’t mean for that to happen. I won’t touch you again. Well… like at this moment,” he amends, and what little forgiveness I had started to feel toward his apology vanishes.

“Go. Away.” I grind out under my breath, spinning on my heels and rushing the rest of the way up the stairs, my magic following me, calmly drifting at my side. A sudden realization strikes me only a moment later, and I pull up short.

“What?” Teos asks as I look over my shoulder to where I was just standing and then back at my calm magic. It's calm, and it did what I asked without me having to cut myself to keep it under control.

Holy shit!

Lifting my hand in front of me, I call the void of black up, letting the deadly magic pool in my palm. It rests there, moving like water in a pond, the motion constant yet controlled. It didn’t press against my control; it simply came when I bid. Granted, it attacked three girls before that, but I’m still calling it a win.

“Nothing. I’ll talk to you later, Teos. I don’t have the time or energy to deal with you right now,” I call over my shoulder, dropping my magic and turning back around. I move to the door that leads up the tight spiral staircase to Atlas’ classroom, taking them two at a time, while trying not to roll my ankle in my shoes.

“How the hell are you doing that in heels?” Teos asks from behind me, making me roll my eyes in annoyance as I reach Atlas’ door and shove it open, finding my brother sitting behind his desk, clicking a pen and glaring at the phone he has clenched in his hand. When he hears me come in, his head darts up, angry brown eyes locked onto me like a predator with its prey. I almost laugh at how adorable he is when mad but hold my tongue, not wanting to piss him off more than I already have.

“Are you serious right now? Last night, you flew off with the Phoenix boy, and I let you because I knew you needed a moment since Ryland took you by surprise. But then you miss class and…” he stresses the word as I walk over to stand in front of his desk. “You don't answer your phone until I’m about to call Gabe and tell him you’re MIA!”

“Good morning, big bro,” I chirp with a large smile, knowing it’ll ruffle his feathers. Atlas glowers at me as I jump up and perch on the edge of his desk.

“It’s no longer morning, Serafina! And get off my desk. You picked up bad habits while living at Gabriel's house,” he grumbles, glaring at where I’m sitting on his pretty mahogany desk.

“Phoenix boy? Damn, that's not the best title, but I’ll deal with it,” Teos says, walking into the room, leaving the classroom door open behind him. Atlas’ glare moves from me to Teos before his eyes narrow, and he looks like he’s about to be sick.

“Jesus, Serafina. Is that why you’re late? I know you’re an adult, and you get to choose how to spend your free time, but skipping class to sleep in from last night's booty call is not very responsible,” my brother says, a grimace on his face. I feel my mouth drop open at Atlas implying Teos was a late night booty call just as Teos grins from ear to ear, walking over and tossing a heavy arm around my shoulders and squeezing me to him.

“I think I prefer booty call to Phoenix boy,” he admits, earning himself matching glares from Atlas and me.

“Are you serious right now?” I can’t help but ask, wondering how the hell this guy has the balls to say that right in front of my brother.

“Do you have a death wish?” Atlas growls, the gold rings on his fingers gleaming as his magic shifts around the room. Teos frowns, and I realize that in the short time we were friends in high school, Teos was never at my house when Atlas was there. Atlas was still firmly in hermit mode and we never saw him much.

“Teos?”

“Yes, Bella?” he asks sweetly as I struggle against his strong hold. I can feel my magic slowly filter from me, circling around us and making my heart skip a beat.

“Go jump off a roof or something,” I mutter under my breath.

“Aw, yes. Well I would, but then I wouldn't have the pleasure of meeting this particularly nice gentleman,” Teos says, keeping his arm wrapped around me as he leans forward, hand outstretched and a brilliant smile on his face. “Hey, man. My name is Teos, but you can call me Bella’s booty call if you want to,” he says with a chuckle, winking at my brother and making me close my eyes in mortification.

“God, just kill me now,” I mutter under my breath as Atlas slowly reaches out, taking Teos' hand in his and squeezing it. Hard.

“Atlas Hawkins,” he grinds out, his eyes flashing with an edge I haven't seen before. “Bella’s…” Altas looks at me, holding Teos’ hand captive in his crushing grip, making Teos wince as he tries to pull it out of his grip. “Big brother.” Teos’ smile immediately falls from his charming face as he stares at Atlas wide-eyed, then darts a glance at me. At my nod, Teos pales and clears his throat, letting his arm fall off my shoulders and standing up as straight as he can with his hand still held tight by Atlas.

“Brother? Shit. Umm,” Teos stammers looking like he’s ten seconds away from shitting himself. “Right. Would it help if I said there was no booty touching? I mean. No! Not booty! I didn’t touch that!” Atlas’ face darkens by the second while Teos digs himself into a deep hole. “I mean, no booty call. Dammit! Nothing of a sexual nature happened.” Teos continues, making me watch in amusement as Atlas only grows angrier.

“Teos?” I whisper, crossing my leg over my knee as I watch the spectacle play out in front of me. I lean forward as Teos darts a panicked look in my direction.

“Yes?” he asks, and I laugh at the pure dread I see on his face. Serves him right for following me up here when I told him not to. Karma and all that. She’s a bitch.

“It’s time to shut up now,” I instruct, and Teos nods so hard I think his head might roll off his shoulders. Swallowing hard, Teos looks down at his hand, which is currently being crushed and tugs, trying to get free. His fingers are turning purple, and I’m starting to worry Atlas may have broken something. My magic rolls inside me, and I take a deep breath to calm it.

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