Braving the Elements (Darkness #2)(9)

Blasting red when no one else could surpass measly purple, hanging out with a hunk Watch Captain, and working magic in a way no one had ever heard, inspired jealousy. Jealousy inspired snide comments and the term pet to be thrown around constantly. The better Sasha got, the worse the comments became.

By the time the class was over, Sasha’s body was rigid and her only response to her mood was fine.

“You don’t seem fine,” Charles remarked as they broke for mid-meal.

With the new schedule, they got a short break before weapons.

Sasha’s shrug was tense and robotic. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m fine.”

“Those kids are just jealous. They’re being dicks on purpose.”

This shrug looked more like a weird dance. “I know. It’s fine. Seriously Charles, don’t worry about it—I’m fine.”

“Sasha—“

“Stop staring at my boobs.”

Charles yanked his gaze upwards. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Her smirk vanished as the familiar forlorn expression resettled on her face. The knot in her forehead winked back into existence. Charles had realized it was her thinking cap. “I just have to get really good at this.” She sighed. “Stefan is gold, and that’s great. Do you want to eat outside? I don’t feel like being overheard when I’m trying to remember stuff.”

Charles loaded a plate with meat from the house buffet and followed her out. “The Boss is deep, burnished gold. It’s the highest level before you rocket into white.”

She nodded and sat, putting her plate off to the side and pulling out her notes. Charles’ eyes monitored her lips as she chewed on the end of her pencil. He really wanted those lips wrapped around the head of his— “Ow!” He rubbed his nose where she’d just snapped him with her pencil.

“Get laid, already. Focus for two seconds. So pale gold is…” Her clear hazel eyes stared at him.

“Not as strong as the Boss.”

She nodded again. “The order is purple, as the lowest, blue, green, red, orange, gold, white, black.”

“Explain to me why this is so hard for you to remember?”

Sasha threw him a scowl. “I’ve never heard any of this stuff before.

You’ve heard it since you were a kid. Give me a break. Okay, I should be extra awesome, since I’m supposed to be black, but instead, when I do things, they seem to have the opposite effect. Like I’m doing it wrong. Or something. I can’t understand Bert half the time when he tells me things.”

“Wait…you’re supposed to be black? Who said?”

Sasha waved it away. “I shoot black stuff in dire situations. Stefan thinks this is good news.”

Huh. Yeah, that would explain a great many things with the Boss. But he’d never even heard of a black power level…

Back on track, he said, “Maybe you’re not doing it wrong, but it’s just because you pack such a wallop?”

“I use red all the time. That should be middle tier. How is that a wallop?”

“I don’t know. Maybe use your normal power level and it gets easier?”

She shook her head in frustration. “That’s what I mean. It doesn’t seem to work like that for me. You guys struggle to pull magic when it gets closer to your power level. For me, when I get higher up there, all of a sudden it is like trying to hold back a flood. Like I am wrestling with a bear, or something.

It’s not the same. Why am I not the same, Charles? Why am I always different?”

Charles had one terrified moment of panic when he thought she would cry. Her eyes glistened and her body bowed in on itself, fragile and vulnerable. Dealing with a lifetime of insecurities and loneliness. He’d asked some questions during her high after those car rides—she couldn’t remember actually losing her parents, but she constantly felt their absence; the hole where unconditional love was supposed to reside. Her foster family hadn’t fully taken her in; they’d merely been a place to live. Her boyfriend, as her chosen family, hadn’t ever really understood her. She’d always been the square peg trying to smash itself into the round hole.

Kind of like her set up right now.

Charles couldn’t help his heart going out to her, but it didn’t change his terror at what to do if she freaking cried! Should he pat her back, or give her a hug? Last time he tried to console a female, she got pissed off that he thought she was weak and kicked him in the face. Human women weren’t as violent, though. Right? The movies always had the guys being supportive— but he’d tried going the romance movie route and that had ended horribly.

I really hope she doesn’t punch me in the balls.

As the water wobbling in her eyes threatened to overflow, he scanned his plate for a place to put down his ribs. He had to do something.

Thankfully, though, a second later she shook out her shoulders and scrunched up her face, thinking again. Charles let out a sigh. She held it together this time, but the woman was a hair’s breath away from losing it. He kind of hoped he wasn’t around when she did. She was unpredictable.

“I can do this,” she muttered.

“Okay, excellent. Let’s practice the fire element one more time before we head to James for weapons. You’re best at that element.”