Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(25)

“It’s exactly as you assume. It’s all about our strength, skills, abilities, and all things fighting if

I’m honest,” she explains, flicking her white hair over her shoulder with a grin.

Huh, I can actually get down with that. I’ve never had fighting lessons before, but growing up in

the orphanage definitely helped me steel my spine and learn to defend myself. There’s only one

problem. “I’m really not dressed to be fighting,” I murmur, glancing down at my uniform, and

Harmonia chuckles because she’s wearing the exact same outfit.

“This portal will take us back to Agion where we can change,” she states, before stepping through

the portal with me hot on her heels. I blink my eyes a few times as I slowly step into the hallway of

my dorm, and the people walking behind us have suddenly disappeared, going to their own halls

instead.

Weird. How does the portal know where we should go?

The feeling of stepping through the billowing smoke isn’t as bad as it first was, but it’s still not

my favorite mode of transport.

“Do we come back and change every time before Combat class?” I ask as we climb the stairs, and

just as we reach the top, I hear the sound of four deep masculine voices filter from down the hall,

making me pause a step, before I remember to keep walking.

“It’s for our first year mainly, because when our powers come to light at the end of the year, most

people can then change clothing with a snap of their fingers. So this is apparently one of their lessons,

to not get lazy before that happens,” she says casually, like she’s telling me the weather. I nod along,

acting like this is common knowledge, when she actually just blew my fucking mind with the ‘snap,

crackle and pop, I’ve got a new athletic uniform on’ knowledge drop. I mean, that’s convenient as

hell. “Meet you back here in two?” she offers, and I smile in response, still at a loss for words as I

lift my hand to my dorm door.

It unlocks under my touch, and I quickly shuffle inside, shutting the door behind me and dropping

my satchel on the bed.

I kick my shoes off, and open the closet doors to find the sneakers inside that I noticed yesterday,

but there’s no alternative clothes hung up that aren't the fancy uniform.

Stepping back out, I move over to the dresser and open the top drawer to find Saints Academy

branded t-shirts and shorts, and I quickly grab one of each before slamming the drawer shut and

shaking out of my blazer.

Unbuttoning my shirt, I let it slip down my arms, just as a voice behind me makes me freeze.

“I am really going to have to get used to you being on the other side of my bathroom now,” Adonis

practically purrs, my skin prickling under his attention, making a blush desperate to color my cheeks.

Looking back over my shoulder to meet his gaze, I find him trailing his eyes over every inch of me

like a soft caress, his tongue running slowly over his bottom lip as I remember I’m only in my skirt

and bra. If we all had our powers already, I’d say this must be his incubus vibes coming out to play

by taunting me and creating an atmosphere laced with sexual tension. But so far, we only have the

knowledge that magic lives within us, our powers aren’t activated yet, so this is all him.

“Get the fuck out, asshole,” I hiss, turning to glare at him with my hands on my hips.

A satisfied smirk forms on his lips as his eyes widen slightly, like he was expecting me to hide

myself, folding my arms over my chest like I assume most girls would. But I’m not most girls, and I’m

not embarrassed by my body.

When his eyes finally meet mine, I see the hint of a challenge burning beneath the surface, but I

hold my ground, glaring at the fucker until he reluctantly sighs. Checkmate, asshole. Anybody else and

I would be over there and shoving him back through the door he just walked in from, but I know I

might falter in closer proximity, so I keep my distance.

“I think you’re going to be a lot of fun, Rhea,” he breathes, but before I can question what he

means, he’s gone.

I gape for a moment or two, at the space he occupied before rushing over to the door that's still

slightly open and slamming it shut, turning the ironically standard lock in place to keep the asshole out

while I finish getting ready. It’s clear he thinks the jack and jill is convenient, and maybe in another

life I wouldn’t have rejected the idea entirely, but for now, I’m keeping my door locked.

Sighing, I look over to grab the athletic uniform. The shorts and t-shirt are navy, with gray stripes

down the side, and the sneakers are gray with Saints written on the side in navy. Quickly dressing, I

grab my satchel, and head back out to find Harmonia waiting for me.

“Are you ready to go?” she asks, and my eyes fall to the door I know Adonis is behind and I wet

my lips.

“Yeah, get me out of here,” I mumble, trying not to sound desperate for a reprieve from Adonis.

We don’t bump into anyone in the hall as we head to Combat, which requires going through the