I wanted all four of us together in the same space.
I definitely wanted us all falling asleep together in one another’s arms, wrapped up tightly in one another.
I was grateful we had been able to communicate with him via the IC Watch. At least it was something.
But even when Orpheus returned from the DFR, he still wouldn’t be here at Electi Academy with us because he was no longer enrolled.
Although I’d come into my power and I’d learned a great deal—a lot through awful means and the things that had been done to me, unfortunately—I’d come back here because it was the first place that had felt like home.
That was because of my men, though.
Because I was loved and accepted by them.
But with Orpheus missing from the Academy now, it just wasn’t the same.
It didn’t feel like it had.
It didn’t feel right.
I didn’t want to leave Xavier and Talon, though.
It was just a difficult situation with us currently split up.
Maybe once he returned from the DFR we could figure something better out.
No, scratch that, we had to.
I stepped out of the shower, heading back into my bedroom to get dressed for my first class of the day,Illusions and Coercion Ethics.It was usually taught by Dante Wilhelm, but they had a sub teaching the class now because Wilhelm had been called intoExemplarfull-time with everything that was going on. It wasn’t a class I was looking forward to, especially because rumors had been going around that it was going to be used to warn about using illusions the way that Orpheus had concerning keeping his army a secret and whatnot. If that was really the case, I’d walk the hell out. I wasn’t going to sit and listen to him being admonished. If it hadn’t been for him, the whole Academy would have fallen and none of them would have lived to be able to talk shit about him anyway.
I shook my head to myself as I dressed and dried myself with my magic, too agitated to waste time doing it the mundane way.
I checked myself in the mirror, taking in my white lace off-the shoulder top and my blue flare jeans that gave way to a pair of jeweled silver pumps. They were new ones I’d conjured that matched the multicolored crystal necklace the guys had gifted me. I levitated that from the top of my dresser and put it on manually, savoring it and smiling to myself as I ran my fingers over it, taking in all its beauty and how much it meant to me that I had something from them that I could carry with me everywhere. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail and tied it in place with a silver hair tie that had little beads hanging off it.Done.
Then I snatched up my messenger bag and started for the door to my chambers.
I didn’t even make it to the knob when a bolt of red magic ripped right through the door, blasting it open and blowing me back.
My bag fell from my shoulder and I only just managed to catch my balance when another bolt slammed into my gut, the impact ripping me right off my feet.
I cursed as I landed hard on my back with a bone-jarring thud that had me choking.
A crimson robe came into view as the attacker stalked toward me.
He was unfamiliar. Long, black hair swept around him.
But it was his glowing red eyes that took most of my attention.
Not to mention, his magic.
Just like Constantine’s.
He sneered as he obviously saw me make the connection.
“Yes, we’re infused with his power. It provides an extra kick.”
How the hell had he donethat?My mom had severely weakened him when she’d siphoned out the insane level of black magic he’d been operating with.
“What do you want?” I rasped, scrambling back and ending up right by the window as he continued to advance on me.