Void(32)

“Gritt Boltright.”

Selik nodded. “Shifter Paragon. I’ve heard you’re quite powerful. Four animals, is it?”

Gritt just stared at him instead of answering, but my eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You can shift into four different animals?” I asked. That was completely unheard of. The most powerful shifters in our super world could only shift into two, three at the very most.

Gritt didn’t answer me either, and I wondered if he always kept that close to his vest. It was smart. The less other people knew about you, the more advantage you had. “I prefer to keep all four of my animals, if you don’t mind. Hopefully you can get this Void under control,” he replied in a gruff tone, his head tilting in my direction.

“That’s the plan, Mr. Boltright. I trust you have a secluded place in mind where I can help teach Miss Cainson?”

Gritt didn’t even have to stop to think about it. “I know where we can go.”

Selik nodded and turned back to the headmaster. “As always, it was a pleasure, Torne.” He bowed, but it was an overexaggerated move that lacked respect. It felt more theatrical than anything.

The headmaster turned and stalked back to his office, slamming the door behind him. As soon as we were alone, Selik looked down at me with a smirk. “The council offered me an absurd amount of money to teach you,” he admitted before leaning in closer to me. “But between you and me, I would’ve done it for free just to irritate that fucker.”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “He doesn’t like me much, either.”

Selik straightened. “Of course he doesn’t. You’re a threat to power, and that’s what he detests above all else. I should know. It’s why he hates me, too.”

My mouth dropped open, and my heart skipped a beat. “You...You’re a Void? I didn’t think any other Voids existed except for me.”

He shook his head. “No, I’m afraid you’re still alone on that front. I’m not a Void. But I am something that is nearly as threatening to people’s powers.”

I frowned, confused. “What?”

“I’m a neutralizer.”

My mind whirled, pieces clicking into place. “That’s why Judge Braxton brought you in to teach me. You can neutralize my power.”

Selik nodded. “Yes.”

Excitement spread through my chest. Around him, I wouldn’t have to feel so anxious and nervous about hurting someone. With Selik, I wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally letting my Void take over and run rampant. Maybe I’d even get a break from the awful hunger that always hounded me.

“Huh,” he said, looking at me curiously.

“What?”

He shook his head slowly. “Nothing. I’ve just never seen that look on a super’s face before when they realized what I was.”

“What look?”

“Hopeful.”

I swallowed heavily at his words, because I understood completely. When people looked at me, it was with fear and hate, never something good. I guess we had that in common.

Selik echoed my thoughts. “Usually, all I get is the look that says, get the hell away from me.” As if to prove his point, he cocked his head over to Gritt, who, sometime during our conversation, had backed away from us. “See that? I get that a lot,” he said with an amused chuckle.

Gritt scowled, obviously not pleased at having been caught inching away from the neutralizer.

Selik clapped his hands. “Let’s go and get started.”

Gritt led us down the hallway and back down the winding staircase to the front of the building. Classes had just switched, and supes were crowding the hallways, making my breath catch. I watched as they openly stared at me, and I tried not to notice the way my amulet was prickling my skin at the bombardment of powers all around me. When Selik’s hand suddenly came down and clasped mine, the gnawing hunger vanished.

Letting out an exhale, I turned to look up at him with a thankful grin.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much. Thank you.”

“I’m pretty sure teachers aren’t allowed to hold students’ hands,” Gritt snapped.

“Good thing I’m not a real teacher then,” Selik replied cheerfully, shooting me a wink that made my insides flutter.

Gritt scowled behind us like a grumpy fucker.

We passed a group of elementals in the hall, and when one of them spotted me, she smirked and lifted her hand up, a ball of fire in her grasp. She cocked her hand back, getting ready to launch it at me. I didn’t even have time to duck before Banner was snapping his fingers, making her power evaporate into a cloud of smoke. The girl screeched in surprise, and frenzied murmurs spread throughout the halls. Whispers of “the neutralizer” started spreading, and people looked at the pair of us like we were their worst nightmare. There was nothing supers feared more than feeling like a human.

“I never understood bullies,” he murmured as Gritt took us outside.

The Washington sunshine beat down on my back, and I let go of Banner’s hand to remove my blazer, forgetting how small the damn button up shirt was that they’d given me. The spaces between each button were gaping, showing off the pale pink lace bra I wore underneath. Oh well, maybe it would encourage the headmaster to send me something that actually fit, especially now that the skirt was ruined by the one-sided food fight I’d been in this morning at breakfast.