Fallen Academy: Year Two (Fallen Academy #2)(24)

I craned my neck to see Mr. Rincor and Mr. Claymore standing there. Whoops.

Lincoln took a step back. “See you later,” he said and bailed.

I winced, turning to fully face my professors. “Sorry. I really did have a family thing. My brother….” I let the sentence hang in the air as a thought struck me.

Why is Mr. Claymore here?

Mr. Rincor nodded. “I’m aware of the sensitive situation. Mr. Claymore has made you something. Please join us in the classroom.” His voice was monotone, but his words spoke volumes.

What the hell would the head Light Mage have for me? Was I in trouble?

The two tall men simply led the way inside as I shuffled behind them, a jumble of nerves.

Once we entered the small classroom, I set my bag down and stared at my palms. This class was so defeating. Every time Mr. Rincor tried to work with me, it either yielded super unimpressive twenty-watt lightbulb results, or some dark blob flew from my palms .

Mr. Claymore pulled up a chair and set an amulet on the table. It was a mixture of silver and gold, in a braided chain with a large two-inch clear pearlescent oval stone pendant.

My eyes widened. “Whoa, is that for me?”

He chuckled. “Normally it would be inappropriate for a teacher to give a student jewelry, but yes, it’s for you.”

I raised one eyebrow. “What is it?”

Clearly this wasn’t a normal pendant.

His lips quirked. “Brielle, you’re a Celestial blessed by four angels. There is no way you do not carry their light inside of you.”

His words shook me. After the Lucifer tattoo, the dark magic and all that, I hadn’t realized how much I needed to hear that. My eyes grew misty.

“But my light… it’s broken.” I gestured to my hands. When that Succubus had tried to attack me, light hadn’t shot out of my hands, darkness had.

He shook his head and picked up the necklace. “I think it’s hiding. I can’t remove the Dark Prince’s mark, but I can trap the dark powers within you.”

With that statement, he confirmed it. I had dark powers. I hadn’t even told him yet about the black whip I could produce. But his words about containing it gave me hope.

“So I wear this and no more dark blobs flying out?” I reached for the pendant.

He nodded. “That’s right. Unless you take it off.”

My heart pained then, Sera wasn’t here to experience this with me. She’d be so happy for me. I missed her. It’d been too long, but I couldn’t come up with a viable plan about how to get her back. Shea said she’d open a portal for me and I could try to call to her, but that was a huge risk and a shot in the dark. Especially after learning from my history class that our world directly overlaid Hell. Sera would be back in Inferno, unless someone in Hell moved her. That was a possibility I couldn’t even think about.

Mr. Claymore stood and took the necklace, attaching it around my neck. The moment the stone rested against the tattooed mark on my chest, I felt a tingle throughout my body as a weight seemingly lifted from me.

“Whoa,” I whispered. Taking in a deep breath, I felt lighter than ever before, as if the stress I’d been carrying, the self-doubt and worry just… disappeared.

“Feel something? That’s a good sign,” Mr. Claymore added.

Footsteps approached as Mr. Rincor made his way over to my desk.

“All right, Brielle. I have a feeling this has been our roadblock. Let’s give it a go now, what do you say?”

My light studies professor was so patient and sweet with me. We’d been through a lot on my journey, including months of him telling me just to not use my powers, and nearly giving up on me. There was a time when we’d both admitted I may not have light powers within me beyond my barely glowing palms. But now… now I had hope, which that was a good and dangerous thing. Hope could let you down, but it could also redeem you.

I nodded nervously as the two professors stepped behind me. They weren’t worried about getting blasted with light. No, they stepped behind me because when I usually tried this, dark magic flew out of me and tried to hurt whoever was in my way.

Holding my hands up, I pointed them in front of me at the vacant room.

“I’m nervous.” The confession flew from my lips.

“Whatever happens, or doesn’t happen, it’s okay, Brielle,” Mr. Rincor’s smooth voice assured from behind me.

Okay. Here goes nothing.

I wish Sera was here.

Taking a deep breath, I felt for my Celestial power, which was a bit like a buzzing electrical feeling. It was always there but only awakened when I focused on it. Shining my attention on it now, I felt the high-wire buzz run throughout my body, stronger than ever before.

Maybe this was going to work.

One more deep breath and I pushed, hard. A bright buttery yellow light shot from my hands and illuminated the room, forcing me to turn my head, and stumble backward to avoid blindness.

“Holy mother of Mary,” Mr. Rincor breathed.

I shook my hands, trying to dim my power, but there was still an immense glow. Turning to look at my palms, I saw the glow was no longer there, but in the middle of the room was a floating, glowing… orb.

“What the heck is that?” I asked.

Mr. Rincor stepped out from behind me, his jaw slack and his eyes wide. “That is an archangel power. A Celestial orb.”