Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(79)

He stood straighter, like his time had finally come. This was a story he’d clearly been sitting on for years. “You were in a magical stasis where you did not age or change. We expect the rest of the Atlanteans are in this same condition. Together we can bring about the rebirth of our civilization.”

Loud shouts outside of the room cut off further conversation. Connor spun to face the door, his arms spread out on either side of him. I felt the pull of magic and watched half in fascination and half in fear as blue orbs of light appeared in each hand.

“Stay behind me,” he said softly, “I will protect you.”

I snorted. “And who will protect me from you, you crazy asshole?”

He shot me a confused look. “I will protect you from everyone.”

I lifted one eyebrow, but before I could point out the complete lack of logic in that statement, the door burst open. Literally. It smashed into countless pieces, scattering across the room. I ducked my head, but still got some scrapes from the debris.

A furious Asher stood in the doorway. His broad shoulders heaved as he looked around the room. When his gaze landed on me, I choked back a sob, and fought my desperation to run to him. I didn’t want to distract him from the very dangerous man still standing between us.

“You need to move away from her, Con,” Asher said slowly, his voice low and gravelly. “This is not like when we were kids. I will end you.”

Con? Like … they were old friends or something.

Connor shook his head, his lips pulling down. “I’m sorry, Asher. I really am. But you know why I need this to happen. You know why I need Atlantis to rise again. I’ve spent years tracking down every possible lead, and she is it. She’s the one.”

He released both orbs, and I screamed, but Asher dodged them with ease, releasing his own powerful spell in almost the same instant. They both spoke fey words, attack words that were far beyond anything I’d learned, sending energy and light back and forth across the room.

It appeared they were almost equally matched, until Asher broke from the magic fight, taking two steps forward to slam his fist into Connor’s face.

Connor flew back across the room.

I rushed toward Asher, only to be hauled back by an invisible force. My back hit the wall behind us and I groaned. Asher’s gaze locked on me, and there was lethality in that one look. I barely recognized him as the same supe who had been sexily flirting with me at the party. This Asher was scary.

“I’ve got you, Maddi,” he rumbled. “I won’t let him touch you again.”

Asher’s scent, sun and light and fresh air, increased as his power started to fill the courtyard room. It was both palpable and visible. Blue and white wisps sent my hair flying as wind whipped around us. Connor was back on his feet, standing in front of me, his power still holding me to the wall. The immobility wasn’t freaking me out like it should have been though, because I was focused on Asher.

“Enough!”

The voice was female and unfamiliar. Straining to see who it was, I could barely move an inch, which had my fear finally kicking in. The heat in the center of my body expanded in response, and for once I pushed harder at it, needing to be at full strength.

“How is this possible?” Asher said, his voice dead of emotion. Which made me look closer at the woman. No emotion was usually when Asher was feeling things the strongest.

She stepped out of the shadows. The first thing I noticed was her black hair with a silvery sheen, and then when she turned her green eyes on me, I gasped.

The woman looked just like Asher. Did he have a sister?

“Nice to see you again, son,” she said, as emotionless as him.

Son? What in…? How in the fuck?

“There’s a lot you don’t understand,” she said. “I promise to tell you everything soon. But first we need to take Maddison to the Greek Islands. We need her help to bring our Atlantis back.”

Asher’s power increased, and the woman looked pained as she tried to push forward. “Son, you know this is the right thing,” she shouted. “We have no other option.”

“You’re not my mother.” Asher snarled, his voice lashing out like lightning, striking each of us in the room. “She died a long time ago. I don’t know how you’re mimicking her face, but you do not have me fooled.” His chest rumbled. “If you don’t want me to destroy this building and everyone in it, then Maddison will be returned, unharmed, to the Academy, and you will never involve her in any of your or the Arterians’ schemes again.”

His fake mother gasped, long and dramatic, and I could tell by her expression that she really was shocked. “How … how can you say that? You would damn us all to save her?”

I wanted to sob as Asher’s eyes caught mine. “I would,” he said. “You and everyone else.”

Connor, who was fighting his way through Asher’s power, reached the woman’s side. “Is there another way?” he asked.

She paused, a thoughtful look crossing her cold features. She was as beautiful as Asher, there was no denying it, but the fire that lived inside of him was missing from her.

She was cold and broken.

Could it be an imposter wearing her skin? That was kind of horrific to consider.

“There’s one other way, which Asher knows about.” She waved a hand at him. “I left him the letter, which he chose to ignore. He has ignored his destiny.”