Zodiac Academy: The Awakening(117)

“I was worried I was going to miss the show. I’ve just finished destroying the other one!” he called as he ran to join the other Heirs.

A hard stone dropped into the pit of my stomach at his words. Had he done something to Darcy? Had he hurt her? I wanted to scream at him and demand he tell me but the crowd of onlookers were chanting again and I could barely hear myself think let alone try and be heard from all the way up here.

Darius and Max moved towards the water’s edge and raised their hands as they turned the smooth surface of the pool into a simmering vortex of movement.

I stared down at the deep water in horror. If I’d thought I had no chance of swimming in it before, now I was doubly sure that I was done for. Swimming lessons weren’t exactly something that foster kids were offered regularly and aside from a few trips to the local pool, I’d never really learned how. I could get by, but I’d never attempt to hold my own in deep water, especially since the accident.

“Are you ready, little Vega?” Max called and the crowd of students started chanting louder, demanding the show they were promised as my knees locked into place.

I knew what was coming next. I threw every ounce of my power into my mental shield, hoping that I could fight off the Coercion the next time it came. It was meant to be harder to force someone to do something that could cause them harm and as I knew that this could kill me, I had to hope that they wouldn’t be able to make me jump.

“Jump!” Max yelled and I felt his will smashing against my own.

I took a step forward but managed to fight off the desire to obey. I released a shuddering breath, wondering what would happen if I didn’t jump.

Before I could get too excited about the idea, Seth raised his arms, grinning up at me as he called on his power.

I felt the wind building behind me as he directed it to throw me into the water. Panic gripped me and I made a run for it. I might not have wanted to go in at all but I knew that jumping in myself would be much better than getting tossed in by him.

My heart almost exploded as I leapt from the edge and the crowd screamed for my blood as raucous laughter rang out.

I plummeted towards the pool feet first as the water writhed beneath me. I didn’t want to scream but I couldn’t help it, the terror ripped it from my lungs as I plunged towards the water and my dress was whipped up around me.

I hit the water and shot beneath the surface as a torrent of bubbles raced from my lips. Down, down, down, the weight of my sodden dress dragging me to the bottom as it tangled around my legs.

I struggled against it, ripping the straps down and forcing it off of me as I tried to escape the confines of the material.

The water was cold, way too cold for an indoor pool and I knew I had the Heirs to thank for that.

I managed to force the dress off of me and shoved it away as I was left in my underwear. I twisted around and kicked for the surface with everything I had.

My lungs were burning, aching, demanding me to take a breath that would drown me.

My head breached the surface and I gulped down air as the water swirled around me.

I caught sight of the four Heirs standing on the edge of the pool, looking down at me with cold eyes as Darius and Max forced the liquid to bend to their command.

A huge spout of water rose up like a tower beside me and I tried to kick away from it even though I knew it was pointless.

With a flick of Darius’s hand, the column bent and slammed down on top of me, submerging me again.

I was tossed beneath the churning water like a rag doll as I tried to figure out which way was up and the water pummelled me mercilessly.

My heart was trying to beat a path right out of my chest and I kicked for the surface again with a desperate need to escape.

As I swam, the water fell unnaturally still and the temperature seemed to plummet further, wrapping me in an icy embrace.

The light above me showed me which way to go and I started kicking again, wondering how many times I would have to endure this before they’d let me out.

I scrambled through the water, aiming for the surface as my panic and the freezing temperature slowed my progress and my lungs screamed their protest.

The light was just above me and yet it still looked impossibly far away. I kicked towards it again and my hands met with a solid surface instead of breaching it.

My eyes widened as I beat my fist against the slab of ice that had been constructed to keep me caught inside this nightmare.

I was drowning again. Back at the bottom of that river with the seatbelt cutting into me and no way to get free. Except this time I was free to swim but caught beneath the ice. The air I so desperately craved was mere inches away but it might as well have been miles.

I screamed as the panic swallowed me whole and the last of my air shot from my lips in a torrent of bubbles. I could feel my tears being swept away into the freezing water as if they were nothing and my heart was thumping a rhythm which could only lead to its own demise.

My magic warred beneath my flesh, desperate to save me and I drew on it, summoning fire to my hands.

The force of my power slammed through the ice and I managed the smallest gulp of air before Darius and Max strengthened the wall of ice to combat me.

I didn’t know what to do. I had barely even begun to harness my powers and I had no idea how to shape my magic in a way that could help me. I was a blunt instrument hammering away at a wall of steel.

My magic flared again and this time a spiderweb of cracks shot out over the ice but it didn’t break.