Page 79 of Shattered & Returned

Why wasn’t he with Morrigan? Why was he even fucking here? Or had they finished their tryst, so he came looking for trouble?

His presence made me ache and seethe at once. The professor ignored everyone else, staring at me with a look of pure betrayal.

I glared back, icy as a blade.The feeling is mutual, asshole.

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Bloom

Four Immortals

“Aha, Professor,” Sebastian drawled in a taunting voice that broke the spell, his arm tightening around my waist. “Fancy seeing you here. Didn’t know this was your new haunt.”

Without warning, Ravencrux attacked.

Shadows erupted from his fingertips, hurtling toward Sebastian. The room sank into complete darkness. I yelped in surprise, jumping back. The shadows didn’t harm me, but their force tore me from Sebastian’s grasp, sending me stumbling sideways. My shoulder hit the wall as bottles shattered nearby.

Sebastian hissed a command. Sunlight—actualsunlight—blazed from his palms, piercing Ravencrux’s shadows like a golden spear, blinding everyone momentarily. Students criedout, shielding their eyes, their silhouettes stark black against the golden radiance.

Panicked shouts, desperate whimpers, and piercing screams filled the air as students surged toward the exits, crushing abandoned glasses, overturned chairs, and forgotten coins beneath their frantic footsteps.

“What’s your fucking problem, Ravencrux?” Sebastian growled.

“You.” Ravencrux’s snarl sent chills down my spine. “Corrupting the innocent when you should mind your own damn business.”

Their powers crashed again—darkness against dawn. The collision sent a shockwave across the room. Tables splintered. Bottles shattered. The ceiling cracked, raining dust down on us. I pressed against the wall, trembling.

Shit,Sebastian wieldedsunlight. Was he a descendant of Apollo, the sun god? He seemed too powerful to be a distant offspring. He had to be at least a demigod.

Were all three immortals at Forsaken Academy demigods? No, four now: Ravencrux, Kingsley, Stardust, and Sebastian. How many more lurked in the academy? The murderer of the redheads was an immortal.

“Corrupting the innocent?” Sebastian retorted. “Listen to yourself. What fucking era do you think this is? No one’s innocent at this age. If anything,theycorruptme!”

Their powers collided again, obliterating the makeshift bars. Glass exploded, alcohol catching fire. The fighting ring’s platform groaned and collapsed.

Ravencrux’s face twisted in pain with every strike. Fighting another immortal was taking its toll, as if it were forbidden.

“Enough!” a cold, harsh male voice boomed, and I swirled my head toward the newcomer.

Professor Kingsley strode through the chaos, untouched by flying debris. With a snap of his wrist, a torrent of water blasted between the combatants, crashing into me. I gasped as the icy deluge drenched my clothes, droplets sliding down my neck.

“Stop!” Ravencrux snarled, his gaze shifting to me. Almost everyone had fled, but I refused to run.

Though fury still darkening his winter-green eyes, he reeled in his shadows. Sebastian leapt back, his sunlight sputtering out with a hiss of steam, a curse on his lips.

“I want to know what the hell is going on!” Kingsley’s voice could cut glass as he glanced sharply between Ravencrux and Sebastian.

Sebastian flashed a careless smirk. “Just dancing with Bloom, sir. A bit of harmless fun, until Ravencrux barged in like a caveman.”

Kingsley’s silver eyes darkened to gunmetal. “This isn’t your territory, Ravencrux. Do you ever respect anyone or anything?”

“Oh, I respect you plenty,” Ravencrux said. “Allow me to properly demonstrate.” Shadows coiled around his raised middle finger as he flipped Kingsley off.

I gasped.

“How dare you?” Professor Kingsley pulled his thin lips back in a snarl, the water around him rippling with his fury. “This is my joint. You have no right to come here. If you want a war?—”

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