Page 51 of Firestorm
Or maybe it was because I’d finally found evidence of Wyatt at this academy…and he was Aiden’s fucking counselor. That fact freaked me out a bit. Did Aiden talk about me in his counseling sessions? Did Wyatt realize I was sort ofwithAiden, now? Would he be jealous? That idea excited me. Two men fighting over the same woman was so toxic but…it excited me.
“Skyes? What do you think?”
“Wait, what?”
Aiden rolled his eyes at me like I was trying to be funny. “The party this weekend. Out in the woods, there’s this clearing and we have a bonfire. People bring drinks, snacks,other things.” He shot me a grin and I frowned.Other thingssounded like drugs.
“What do you say? It’ll be fun.”
I blew out a breath.
“I don’t know, Aiden. I’m not exactly a party girl.” I winced. What an understatement.
“Come on, Skye. I’ll stay with you the whole time. I swear.” Aiden’s warm brown eyes pleaded with me and I almost groaned. He was impossible to resist.
“Alright,” Coach called out, clapping his hands. “We’re sparring today.”
Sparring?Good Lord. Was I not allowed to have an easy day anymore? Coach shot me a look like he’d somehow heard my thoughts, and I scowled at him. He knew I’d gone particularly hard in the gym this morning before Aiden had joined me.
“Just think about it, Skyes.” Aiden murmured close to my ear. “We could have fun.”
“We have fun anyway,” I argued.
Aiden grinned, opening his mouth to reply, then a grating voice called out from behind us, “I’ll start with Brandt.”
Aiden didn’t cower. He spun around to face Landon, throwing him a scowl. “Not fair,” he replied.
“You scared?” Landon asked.
Something ignited inside me. Watching Landon sneer at Aiden, his muscles coiled and ready to fight…something inside me snapped.
“Are you?” I fired back. I slipped in front of Aiden. “Fight someone on your level.”
Aiden went silent behind me, and for a moment I worried that I’d offended him, but then I felt him relax as Coach began speaking.
“She’s got a point, Landon. Put your money where your mouth is and fight a double affinate,” Coach said.
Landon fumed. “You can’t be serious.”
“Deathly. I’m sick of your attitude, Iykos, I hope she wipes the floor with you.”
“Good one, Coach.” Landon growled, then turned back to face me and shot me a glare that would have had anyone else pissing themself.
I held his glare with my own, ignoring the urge to fist my hands as they trembled. I wasn’t trembling out of fear, exactly…it was more like my affinity flared inside me, ready to squeeze Landon’s organs until they popped.
And that was a terrifying fucking thought.
Regardless, my affinity was going to freak the fuck out if Landon managed to burn me. And Iwouldhave to let him burn me to avoid suspicion. Not to mention, I’d have to try very,veryhard only to use air or water. Air was easiest. It was invisible. I just had to be strategic.
My hands prickled as I made my way onto the mat, and I almost groaned. I’d figured that learning to use my affinity with only my mind would have this itching sensation leave my hands, but–
Oh, fuck.If I didn’t need my hands for my affinity anymore…this was about to be very interesting.Maybe I should have let Aiden do this.
Landon prowled back and forth on the opposite side of the mat like a tiger ready to pounce on his prey.
Idiot.
“Skye,” Aiden murmured from behind me. I glanced at him over my shoulder. “You don’t have to do this. I can take him.”
