Deity (Covenant #3)(32)

As if he knew what I was thinking, Deacon sighed. “Aiden doesn’t like to stay at the house. Reminds him too much of our parents, and he hates the whole lavish lifestyle thing.”

“Oh,” I whispered, glancing at the front of the classroom. Our teacher was always late.

“Anyway, back to my story. I overheard them talking.” Deacon’s chair and desk made a terrible scratching noise as he scooted closer to me. “Want to know?”

Luke, who had been sitting on Elena’s desk, faced us. His brows rose when he saw us. “Sure. Spill it,” I said.

“There’s something going on with the Council—that has to do with the half-bloods.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Don’t know exactly. But I know it has something to do with the New York Council.” Deacon looked away, focusing on the front of the class. “I figured you might know, since you were just up there.”

I shook my head. There was always something going on with the Council, and it probably had to do with the elixir. Then I realized Deacon was still staring at the front of the classroom. I followed his gaze. He was staring at Luke.

And Luke was staring back at him.

Like in the really intense way I sometimes stared at… Aiden.

My eyes darted back to Deacon. I couldn’t see his eyes, but the tips of his ears were pink. After several moments, like too long for one dude to be looking at another dude casually, Deacon leaned back. I thought about the phantom voice I’d heard with Luke in the sensory room. It had sounded familiar… but no way.

“Anyway,” Deacon cleared his throat. “I think I might throw a party for those left behind during winter break. You think Aiden will be game?’

“Uh, probably not.”

Deacon sighed. “It’s worth a try.”

I glanced at Luke again. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“It’s not working.”

Seth made an impatient sound in his throat. “Try concentrating.”

“I am,” I snapped, pushing the windblown hair out of my face.

“Try harder, Alex. You can do it.”

I hugged myself, shivering. It was freezing out by the marshes. The cold, damp wind beat against me and the heavy sweater was no help. We’d been at this for the better part of Saturday. When Seth had suggested I try to blow something up, I’d assumed he’d been joking.

I’d been wrong.

Closing my eyes, I pictured the thick boulder in my mind. I already knew the texture, the sandy color, and its irregular shape. I’d been staring at the damn thing for hours.

Seth moved behind me, taking my hand and placing it against the spot the latest mark had appeared. “Feel it in here. Do you?”

Feel the cord? Check. I also liked the fact that he was now blocking the worst of the wind.

“Okay. Picture the cord unraveling, feel it coming alive.”

I had a feeling Seth was enjoying this way too much, considering how he was pressed against me.

“Alex?”

“Yeah, I feel the cord.” I did feel it opening up, slithering through my veins.

“Good. The cord is not just us,” he said softly. “It’s akasha—the fifth and final element. You should feel akasha now. Tap into it. Picture what you want in your mind.”

I wanted a taco, but I doubted akasha could serve me up some Taco Bell. Gods, I’d do some terrible things for Taco Bell right about now.

“Alex, are you paying attention?”

“Of course.” I smirked.

“Then do it. Blow up the rock.”

Seth made it sound so easy. Like a toddler could do this. I wanted to elbow him in the stomach, but I pictured the rock and then pictured my cord shooting from my hand. I did this over and over again.

Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes. “Sorry, this isn’t working.”

Seth moved away, brushing back the shorter stands of hair that fell out of his ponytail. He popped his hands on his hips and stared at me.

“What?” Another gust of biting wind had me shuffling to stay warm. “I don’t know what you want me to do. I’m cold. I’m hungry. And I saw that National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is on TV for some odd reason and I must watch it since you soaked up all the time it was on TV during Christmas.”

His brows inched up. “Watch what?”

“Oh, my gods! You do not know of the trials and tribulations of the Griswold family?”

“Huh?”

“Wow. That’s kind of sad, Seth.”

He waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter. Something must trigger your ability to tap into akasha. If only…” A thoughtful look crept over his expression and then he clasped his hands. “The first time you did it, you were pissed. And then when you went all crazy ninja on the furies, you were angry and scared. You have to be pushed.”

“Oh, no no no.” I started backing up. “I know where you are going with this and I’m not doing this with you. I mean it, Seth. Don’t you—”

Seth raised his hand and the air element smacked me in the chest, knocking me flat on my back. Fighting the use of the elements was something I had gotten a bit better with. I did tap into the power then and I felt the cord tense, then snap. I buckled, breaking through what felt like hurricane-force winds. Rising up, my hair blew straight back.