Void(22)

I took the first step, my whole body feeling heavy and sore. It might as well have been a damn mountain I was scaling.

Render sighed. “Do I have to do everything?” he moaned before flashing beside me and picking me up. I didn’t even argue. Just clutched his broad shoulders like a damn damsel in distress and let him carry me up. I could go back to thinking he was a scary asshole tomorrow after I had the chance to recover. For now, I was just grateful that I didn’t have to take the stairs myself, even if flashing did make me want to vomit all over Render’s polished dress shoes.

Much to my chagrin, Render flashed me in front of a door clearly marked “Headmaster” on a plaque to the side. It was quieter up here, and there was a carpeted runner that trailed along the long hallway in the school colors of red and gold.

I just wanted a fucking nap first, was that too much to ask?

My body swayed slightly when he set me down, and my stomach coiled inside of me like it wanted to strike out and spray me with venom. I hated flashing, but right now, I was pretty sure I would’ve hated those stairs more. “I’m not sure if you made things better or worse,” I gasped while we waited for Quade to catch up.

Render rolled his eyes. “I’m not trying to make things better, Void. I’m just impatient for how damn slow you were moving.”

I made sure I was steady on my feet before reaching up to wipe away the sweat that had gathered on the back of my neck. I was nervous, sick, and exhausted. And now I had to meet the headmaster of the most prestigious school for supernaturals in the entire country. Quade jogged up to us and gave me a quick once over, lifting his flaming fingers up to inspect my pale face.

“You look like hell, Void,” he said with a dark chuckle.

“Right back at you, asswipe,” I replied. Lie. He looked so good I was tempted to puke on his shoes instead, just to lower him a notch.

“You and I both know that’s not true,” Quade retorted.

Ignoring him, I took a deep breath and tried to settle my nerves for my meeting with the headmaster. But before I was ready, Render raised his knuckles and rapped against the door. I shot him a look. “I wasn’t ready,” I said between my teeth.

He shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Don’t care. I have things to do.”

Before I could open my mouth to tell him off, the door swung open and Headmaster Torne stood there in all his imposing stature. Sleek gray hair, dark eyes, and dressed in an all-black suit, he radiated so much power that my amulet started to buzz again. I sucked in a surprised breath, nervous about seeing one of my idols in the flesh. Some girls had posters of boy bands tacked to their wall, but I’d had a portrait of Headmaster Torne framed on my nightstand. He was a legend. One of the strongest elementals in existence. He would’ve easily been voted on as the council judge since he was so well liked in the community, but he preferred to run the school.

“Miss Cainson, come in and have a seat,” he said while looking down his pointed nose at me. The distaste on his face was immediate and thorough.

Another supe that hated me. Surprise, surprise. It hurt a hundred times worse since I’d always idolized him.

“Thank you,” I said before walking inside his office and slumping down in a red, plush accent chair. Quade and Render flanked me on either side, standing in a wide stance with their hands folded in front of them like some kind of antagonistic bodyguards.

Headmaster Torne settled behind his desk and entwined his fingers together, looking across at me with displeasure. “I’ve been informed of the new development regarding your power.” He leveled me with a look. “I’ll be honest with you, Miss Cainson. I don’t want you here. You’re dangerous. You have no idea how to use your power. The last thing we need is an incompetent Void unleashed in a school full of our top young prodigies. But it seems I’ve been overruled.” I swallowed hard at his harsh words, and he got back to his feet and walked over to his bar, which was set up with all sorts of different vials and jars of potions.

I watched as he grabbed a cup and started mixing liquids together. He threw in some sort of moss to top it off, and then conjured some ice in his palm, plopping it into the drink before walking back over. “Here. This should help restore some of your strength.”

I took the offered drink, surprised.

Sensing my confusion, he went on. “I’ve studied the Void phenomenon. The weaker you are, the more the Void tries to replenish you. I don’t want that in my school. You’re already volatile enough as it is.”

I looked down at the cold, black liquid, hesitating.

“If I wanted to poison you, I wouldn’t have wasted flame moss on you. It costs a hefty price, you know.”

Call me crazy, but his words didn’t exactly fill me with comfort.

Lifting the glass to my lips, I took a tentative sip and then moaned when the cool, earthy liquid touched my tongue. It smelled like death, but it tasted like heaven. The more I drank, the more it bolstered me. By the time I finished the last drop, my eyes no longer burned with exhaustion. My limbs no longer felt weighed down. Even the dizziness had lessened. “Thanks,” I said gratefully, setting the cup back down on his desk.

“Miss Cainson, I think we both know that your presence here won’t be readily welcomed.”

I shifted in my seat. “No one has to know,” I offered quietly. “People know of me, but I’ve been living in the human communities for so long that I’m not recognizable. You could just say I’m a transfer student, or—”