Page 33 of A Sky of Storms
Zane shrugged as I hopped out of my bunk. I grabbed my things and padded to the bathroom where I could feel his eyes glued to my ass as I went, then realised he had followed. He stood leaning against the door.
I chuckled. “Uh, a little privacy, Zane?”
“It’s just skin.” He grinned mischievously. “We all have a birthday suit and yours is really nice.”
I smirked, sashaying towards him and hooking a finger in the waistband of his sweats. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and damn, he looked edible today with his hair tied into a top knot and his tanned muscles on display.
“Yeah? You like what you see?” I teased, nipping his ear and running my hands around his neck.
“I’d like it better with those clothes off,” he replied softly, leaning in for a kiss.
I offered him my cheek at the last second, raking my nails gently down his stomach and lightly passing over his junk with a giggle.
He groaned, allowing me to push him away. “You’re such a tease, Starfish.”
I bit my lip, loving that sound coming from his lips. There was no denying the attraction between us, but it wouldn’t be as fun if I didn’t make him work for it. With a wink, I shut the door in his face and stripped out of my clothes. “I’m naked now,” I called lightly.
Another groan answered me. “You’re such a bad girl, you know that?”
“I know,” I called cheerfully, stepping under the shower. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see how bad I can be.”
“Oh, I have a pretty good idea,” he said through the door. “But it’s fine. I’ll play your game, Starfish. It’ll only be all the sweeter when I win.”
I smirked, stepping into the shower and turning the handle. “Maybe ‘sweet’ isn’t my style, Zane.”
There was a pause and for a moment I had to wonder what he was doing on the other side of that door. “I’m off to get breakfast, but don’t think I’m going to forget this.”
I laughed, feeling lighter since waking. Zane was just so refreshingly down to earth and upbeat all the time. He didn’t seem to have any worries in the world and didn’t give a shit what people thought of him—or of me, for that matter. He was just … fun.
And hot. So flipping hot.
I sighed, letting the hot water ease into my bones as I washed my hair and scrubbed my body. It was so pleasant that I just stood there for long minutes and soaked in the peace and quiet. Right up until dickwad Mark banged on the door.
“Hurry the fuck up,” he growled. “Some of us have things to do with our free time.”
Well, there goes that.“Like what? Finding your next victim to torment? Yeah, you can just wait your turn like a good little boy.” I turned off the tap, drying myself slowly and running a brush through my hair.
His snarl seemed to echo through the bathroom, and I rolled my eyes as I donned a pair of navy leggings and a white hoodie that had wide slits in the back to make room for my wings.
“I swear, if you don’t get your ass out of there, I’m going to knock this door down and drag you out by your hair.”
So dramatic. I turned towards the door and paused, a better idea coming to mind. With a grin, I slid the bathroom window open. It was wide enough for me to climb out, and I did so eagerly, launching myself into the air and unfurling my wings.
Little Marky could waste his time yelling at me for a little while longer. Suck on that, asshole.
I twirled through the air, enjoying the way the breeze caressed my feathers as the warm sun beamed down on my face. It was a gorgeous day, and I soared into the skies, flapping high enough to find myself sailing through fluffy clouds before tucking my wings in and letting myself fall.
My stomach dropped and I laughed giddily as I plummeted through the air before banking into a glide over the grounds.
It felt so good to stretch my wings and feel the sun soaking into my copper feathers. In the distance I saw another guy doing the same, but I wouldn’t encroach on his space. Most residents of Stormcrest City preferred to fly in solitude. I wondered if it was the same for the swimmers of Tritosa City.
Being able to summon gills at will, many Tritosians could comfortably swim underwater for as long as they wished, and if Zane and his beloved dolphins were any example to go by, I’m betting that meant Tritosians had a natural affinity with sea life too.
If I was being honest, swimming with dolphins and sea turtles sounded like a hell of a good time. No wonder Zane was so laid back. His power was persuasion, calming, and nullifying other magics, so it made sense, but just how far would that get him when pitted against magic like Ace’s or my own?
Ace could manipulate electrical currents, which was equally badass and terrifying. He could short circuit someone’s brain, break into high tech security—who knew what his limits were? I shuddered. He was not someone I wanted to be around when our chips were deactivated in the magic trial … if I made it that far.
I glided around the academy grounds, trying to leave these worries behind and clear my head. The grounds were beautiful from above. The lake shimmered in the sunlight, students laughing and messing around as they swam. Others lounged around the meadow, some reading books while others sat with friends.
