Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(14)

I rub my lips together, tiptoeing forward as my mind battles with my body and heart. As much as I

may not want it to be, this seems like it’s my only option. A reminder of the little I’ve left behind has

me snapping my head up high as I take a few more confident steps until I’m right in front of the smoke.

This is it.

This is my future.

“Thank you,” I mumble to Noreen, but I don’t turn, the portal holding my attention as I release one

last breath and step forward with my suitcases.

This one feels different. Almost like I’m suspended in time, the portal deciding where I should go,

running over every inch of my skin and leaving goosebumps in its wake, yet when my feet touch the

floor, I don’t think a second even passed by.

Blinking at the change in lighting, I try to adjust to my new surroundings, but the boom of a deep

voice interrupts me.

“Who the fuck are you?”





Chapter 5

Rhea

“W ho the fuck are you?”

I blink, and blink again, snapping out of my haze as the angry guy standing before me

remains firmly in place.

He could almost be a figment of my imagination. He's that beautiful.

It should be illegal for someone to look like him.

Jet-black hair falls messily over his head, past his eyebrows and almost touching his piercing

green eyes that hold me captive. He’s easily over six feet tall, with broad shoulders and a cold,

detached air around him.

My gaze slowly rakes over him from head to toe, from his fitted black sweatpants, to his long

sleeve white t-shirt, he looks mesmerizing. When my eyes finally meet his again, I find him staring at

me expectantly, with a quirked eyebrow, making me audibly gulp as I scramble to remember what he

actually said to me.

“I said, who the fuck are you?” His tone is even colder than earlier, a chill running down my spine

as I continue to gawk at him like he’s asking me if I want to sell my soul to the devil. When I still

don’t respond, he shakes his head dismissively at me as he glances at his watch. “I don’t have time

for this,” he grouches, placing one hand on his hip as his emerald green eyes bore into my simple blue

ones. “Look, whoever you are, you know you can’t be in here, right?” He waves his hand in

dismissal.

“I, uh, didn’t know that. I just stepped through the portal like Noreen said. I—”

“Noreen?” he interjects, frowning as he drags his eyes over me like he’s finally seeing me for the

first time, and I watch as he acknowledges both suitcases, before sighing. “I get you wanting to rank in

one of the higher halls, I mean who doesn’t? But if your name isn’t on the board then you can’t be

here. It's clear you must be a little dense, but it really is that simple.”

The pretentious motherfucker. How fucking dare he speak to me that way.

With an exasperated roll of his eyes, the sinful dickhead takes a step to my right, and points to the

wall. For the first time I see something else here that isn’t him. A wooden plaque is fixed to the wall.

AGION is written in large gold letters on the dark mahogany wood, followed by a listing of rooms

from one to six. All of them have a name written next to them, except number four, but as I scan the

board, looking for what clue he’s trying to give me, a gasp falls from my lips as gold writing suddenly

begins to carve into the wood.

I can sense the stranger glaring at me, still waiting for me to talk, but again, words seem to fail me

and my gasp must’ve drawn his attention to the board. More specifically, the name being etched into

the wood beside the number four. My name.

There, before my very eyes, Rhea Harrington.

Mic drop, motherfucker.

Glancing back at the dark and mysterious guy, I clear my throat, finally finding a hint of my

attitude as I push my shoulders back and cock an eyebrow at him. I can feel a smirk grace my lips too

because I won. “It would appear that I am on the board after all,” I purr, pleased with myself as he

glances between me and the plaque once more.

“Rhea Harrington,” he mutters, almost to himself, rolling my name across his tongue in a caress as

I shudder.

Sensing sudden movement from behind me breaks the stare off between us, followed swiftly by

the sound of a girl's voice. “Hey, asshat, have you seen a new girl anywhere? I’m supposed to… oh,

you’re new,” she babbles, coming to a stop beside me, searching my face, before widening her smile.

“Rhea?”

“That’s me,” I respond with a tight smile, swiping the loose hair back off my face as I look her

over. Her hair is pure white, right down to her hips, and her eyes are a stunning shade of pink. Almost

a baby pink shade, but a little darker, and it leaves me completely surprised. We’re about the same

height, but instead of jeans and a shirt like me, she’s in a cute mint green summer dress.

“Perfect, my name is Harmonia. I’m assuming he’s being an asshole like always,” she states, not