Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(49)

I didn’t want to dwell on the fact that they hadn’t brought anyone else here before, because I knew this was not a “you’re special” sort of situation. This was a “some crazy shit went down and we need to deal with it in private” situation.

Asher waved me toward the couch and I dropped—more like sank—onto a plush three seater. He stood before me, staring down with an unreadable expression. It should have felt uncomfortable, but … it didn’t. We just stared at each other, whatever the connection was between us continuing to pulse slowly.

“There is a lot about us that you don’t know,” he said softly.

I nodded, needing to hear this story.

Asher sat beside me, and energy licked across my skin again. I had to hold back a groan because it felt so good, and so scary, to have him this close. We weren’t touching, he was very careful not to do that, but I could still feel him.

The others, minus Rone, sat in various chairs and couches around us, and Asher continued, “A lot of our history we’ve pieced together from books and legend. There are none left who remember the original days, and the stories have been passed down so many times that it’s almost impossible now to know what’s true. But we’ll tell you what we know … or think we know.”

My breath caught in my chest, and I couldn’t quite figure out why this felt so important.

“Atlantis was thought to be the first instance of supernaturals crossing from Faerie to Earth,” Asher started. “Somewhere around 10,000 B.C., if you want to use the Christian way of measuring time.”

I appreciated human references. It gave me a better level of understanding.

“The original Atlantean supes were not like any of the races today,” Axl said. “If I had to classify them, it would be magic user crossed with fey, but not in a way of our mixed race. This was literally their own classification, and they were strong with an affinity for water magic.”

“They were very ambitious,” Asher added. “In a world that was still relatively primitive, they pushed themselves to be gods among humans.”

Calen snorted. “Arrogant bastard runs in our genes.”

Asher ignored him. “There were three royal families on Atlantis. Sons and daughters of Sonaris, blessed of god. Sons and daughters of Corpinicus, blessed of water. And the final royal family was Jervania, blessed of earth.”

Corpinicus … that was Asher.

Two royals.

The Arterians had definitely believed me to be a descendent of Atlantis. From their royal bloodline.

“These royal families ruled peacefully together,” Jesse said, picking up the story, “and there was prosperity and power for hundreds of years. Until the Sonaris line, who always thought they were slightly superior because they were blessed by the gods, decided to take their power a step too far.”

Of course I’d be possibly descended from the very assholes who sank Atlantis.

Asher caught my eye and I braced myself for what was to come next. “They created something so powerful it caused wars. The three royal bloodlines turned on each other, each trying to possess and control the weapon.”

Rone’s deep voice came from the doorway. “Sonaris sank them into the ocean, and only a few hundred survived. It is those that we are descended from.”

“What was the weapon?” I asked.

There was the briefest of pauses, and I wondered if they were going to tell me. Maybe they didn’t know. “We think it was the elixir of life,” Rone added. “The secret to unlimited power and immortality.”

Well, fuck.





20





“Supernaturals live for hundreds of years anyway, right?” I asked, looking between them all. “Why was that such a big deal?”

“It wasn’t just about living forever, it was about power,” Axl said, back in scientist mode. “The energy in our center has limits, and unless a magic user can connect to a ley line, they will exhaust their own power quite quickly. The rumors—and I really hate relying on hearsay, but it’s the best we have—spoke of a weapon that might give the Atlanteans eternal life and limitless power. But there was a price to pay. What that price was, we haven’t found any details.”

I thought this over. “I’m not surprised Sonaris was upset,” I said with a shrug. “They were basically attempting to turn themselves into gods.”

“Exactly,” Asher said. “And whoever controlled the weapon would most likely rule the entire world.”

Definitely a weapon worth killing for.

I stretched my legs out in front of me. “I love learning of your history, I really do, but does anyone know why they’re after me? Why they would think, when none of you sense me as Atlantean, that I’m a royal descendent? I mean, even if I was, why do they care?”

“That’s a question we’d all like answered,” Jesse said, leaning closer. “The Arterians are a group, formed thousands of years ago, who continue to try and bring about the rise of Atlantis. They’re trained from birth to detect any that might be connected.”

I looked between all of them. “Can Atlantis rise again? Like … is there a legend about what might bring that about?”

All eyes went to Asher again, and he shrugged. “Nothing concrete enough to repeat. It’s actually part of the reason we’re all at this particular supernatural academy. It was founded by my family, and I believe they hid a secret Atlantis library here somewhere. It has unseen and priceless information about our history contained within it. We haven’t found it yet, but we continue to search.”