Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(43)

Fuck it. I was here to learn about my magic, not worry about my figure. Stepping forward with more confidence, I focused on the ocean and those tingles in my blood. Water completely soaked me as I pushed closer to him, and sent my hair flying around in pink waves. Stopping a few inches away, I shivered, and not from the cold. There was so much energy around Asher right now—even as a clueless person, I could feel it.

“Is the heat rising in your body, the heat of power?” he asked. “I know you’re learning about it in your beginner magic classes, that foreign heat that swirls and changes as you manipulate the energy.”

I nodded, because I did feel it. It was much less than that night I’d shoved a full-grown man across the room, but it was definitely there. “I feel it,” I said softly.

Asher held his hand out to me, and with only a brief hesitation I moved forward and took it. Almost immediately my body locked up and a cry burst from my lips before I could stop it. I tried to jerk my hand away, but we seem to have been fused together.

“What is happening?” I screamed.

Asher looked fierce, visible power flowing around him.

He didn’t release me. “Your power is fighting mine,” he bit out through gritted teeth. “The battle … you’re strong.”

I tried to free myself again. “Let me go!” I demanded.

Asher shook his head and blinked, like he was breaking free from a trance, and then he severed our connection in one swift movement. This sent me flying back and I landed way out in the deep water. As I sank into the darkness, I struggled to get my brain back online; everything was out of order, and my thoughts were all confused.

A shadow zipped across the front of my vision, and for a moment I panicked. I was out in a magic ocean with magic creatures, and while Asher had said that nothing in here would hurt us, fear isn’t always rational. The shadow zipped around me again, and the heat that was still in my center burned hotter. Then the world became crystal clear. Like I was wearing goggles … only I wasn’t.

What in the…?

That had never happened before.

The shadow, which was no longer a shadow in my new vision, came closer. It was a dolphin, only different to any that I’d seen in pictures—light pink in color, with a longer snout and large, intelligent eyes.

Kinda looked like a Pokemon character, but … you know, not cartoon.

It pushed closer to me, and I found myself reaching out toward it. I had no fear now. That had faded the moment my power turned this dark and murky world into a bright and clear wonderland.

The dolphin was soft and hard at the same time … rubbery. I stroked one finger along its side. Movement from nearby drew my attention, and I almost sucked in a lungful of water as Asher lazily drifted toward us. He arched a brow at the dolphin, and I noticed that it was now situated right by my side, almost under my arm. My lungs were starting to protest, so I leaned down and pressed my lips to its nose before kicking my legs to rise up through the crystal-clear waters. Light steadily grew around us until I broke the surface.

Asher joined me not even a split second later.

“So,” I said, casually, both of us bobbing in the swell. “That got weird fast.”

Asher let out a low laugh, and I tried not to watch the water sliding down his face. He looked good wet.

“It was interesting. But the most interesting part is how your power and mine appear to be enemies. I’d really like to know why.”

“Maybe it’s the lock on my power yours didn’t like?” I said, thinking about it. “I’m feeling a little different now. You cracked the cage for sure … I can finally feel that heat.”

Asher regarded me for a beat. “I didn’t crack it enough. Most of your power is still locked down. But one thing is clear: you’re strong. Eventually your power would have shredded its prison.”

That was basically what Ilia had told me, that each year my power surges increased and eventually I would explode and hurt humans.

“I think we’ve pushed you enough for tonight,” Asher said.

Exhaustion hit me so hard that I almost went under the water. Asher reached for me, then hesitated, and a horrible thought occurred to me. “Will that happen every time we touch for an extended period of time?” I asked, trying to hide my disappointment.

Not being able to touch Asher shouldn’t be a huge deal. I mean, he was virtually a stranger to me, but I’d never liked restrictions. Or unfair rules.

“We’ve touched before,” I reminded both of us. I’d literally crashed into his arms the first time I met him.

“I remember,” he said, “and I felt a reaction both times, but it was mostly through clothing, or brief contact. This was different.”

“Is that why you singled me out in class?” I asked. “Because there’s some sort of power reaction between us? You’re not the level of asshole I expected, which makes me think you’re being nice for a reason…?”

The accusation spilled out, and I wanted to slowly sink under the water, because what the hell was wrong with me?

Asher threw his head back and laughed. “I think that’s the first time someone has called me an asshole to my face. Surprisingly amusing.”

Thank the supernatural gods he hadn’t been offended. “Sorry, I sometimes talk before I think. It’s a problem I’m not working on.”