AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’ll talk about everything later,” he murmurs distractedly, his eyes betraying his own lustful thoughts. I watch the slow pull of his eyes up to mine, and he draws nearer, the sexual tension buzzing like electricity between us.
“Liv?” a male voice questions excitedly behind me, bursting the bubble around us.
Reluctantly I turn to Domenic, who’s now standing behind me, his foot raised in midair. It clomps down a moment before he changes his trajectory in our direction.
“I’ll see you later,” Kyros whispers next to my ear and surprises me with a swift kiss on the cheek. By the time I swing my head back toward him, he’s already gone, the tease leaving me in much the same way I’d left him this morning. Motherfu—
“I can’t believe you’re back,” Domenic exclaims, and I turn just in time for his lean arms to wrap around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. “You’ve missed some crazy shit, but I’m sure the fun has only just begun now that you’re here.” He chuckles, pulling back from me.
He wraps an arm around my shoulders, guiding me towards the classroom. I can’t help but grin at his antics. His acceptance helps put my mind at ease a fraction.
The bell sounds just as he pushes the door open, revealing the full classroom just on the other side. Why couldn’t I have come early? I hesitate just at the threshold. Domenic gives me a reassuring smile, and I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever is waiting for me on the other side of that door.
I take a step forward, wincing as my foot breaches the barrier, as though expecting something to jump out and attack me. When nothing does, I breathe out a sigh of relief, and move further into the classroom.
“Welcome,” professor Gabris offers with a hesitant smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. She shuffles nervously on her feet, eyes glancing out the door as though she too expects some malevolent force to enter. I blink in surprise, not expecting to see her here. My gaze darts around the classroom before landing on Kali. She waves me over, motioning to the empty seat beside her.
I shuffle through the aisle, trying not to notice the uneasy expressions around me. Some students even cower in their seats as I move past them. No Liv, it’s not you, it’s because of the guys. I tell myself, yet the words sound false, even in my mind.
I slide into the seat and shoot Kali a grateful glance. Lucas and Zina sit just on Kali’s other side. I give them a small wave, not wanting to disrupt the class any further. They both respond excitedly, my four friends, the only ones acting normally towards me. All the others refuse to meet my gaze, eyes trained solidly on the front of the class. Domenic moves his seat closer to mine before sliding in.
“Students.” Gabris clears her throat weakly. She doesn’t need much to get their attention since the room already went eerily quiet at my entrance.
“I know I’ve been absent the past few weeks, but Kyros, God of Healing, has filled me in on your progress so far.” She turns to write on the board and reveals two words I’m not sure I’m ready to hear more about. ‘The Council.’
“I know you’ve had a brief introduction to the council, but in this lesson, we will explore the gods who form it.”
“We will start off with Agathon, the god of choice. His power varies, but his major strength is to allow others to see the many paths laid out before them. There is never just one answer, there may be different directions one can take that lead to changing outcomes. His power allows someone to see the path to their highest good, their highest power, and allows them to realize the fullest potential.”
I blink at her words, attempting to reconcile that depiction with the god I saw yesterday. His unwillingness to offer me any other choice seems strange compared to the way Gabris just described him.
“The next god is Anastasia, the god of nature. As one might assume, her power revolves around the creation of plants, animals, and their ecosystems. Ensuring they all live harmoniously together. Unfortunately, in places like the mortal realm, humans have interfered with her work, and despite her attempts, some plants and animals can never recover.”
I slump in my seat, not wanting to hear about the other two gods but knowing that I have no choice.
“The third member is Victor, the god of fire.” My eyes immediately go to Veronica, who straightens in her seat at the front, and a beaming smile crosses her lips. Her amber eyes glow with pride. I lean my head back, unsure how I could have missed the resemblance before. Their egotistical nature exudes the same energy.
“His powers come from both light and dark magic, but he has stayed loyal to the light gods since the split. His fire power is one of the most deadly, able to level city blocks in its inferno.”
I swallow dryly at her words, trying to force back the bile that creeps up my throat. I used that power. I wielded it against the shadow demons and Titus, with the guys and my friends in the same room. Not completely understanding the devastating force that energy could unleash. I look down, only just realizing I’ve been clenching my hands. I loosen my grip to dry the clammy sweat forming accumulating on them.
Thoughts race around my head, so I glance around the room, trying to find something to distract me.
My gaze snags on Zina, who sits engrossed in the professor’s words, her hand flying over her page. Soaking in every detail. I chew my lip nervously and assess her warily, unsure how she will react to the last member of the council.
She blinks over to me in surprise, feeling my gaze on her. I give her a small apologetic smile before focusing back on Gabris.
“The last god that makes up the council is Helene, the god of the sea.”
I see Zina’s face blanch out of my peripheral. Her brows knit together, and she darts a confused glance my way, but I keep my gaze trained ahead. Refusing to make eye contact, I school my face into a look of impassivity, not wanting to give anything else away when I can’t fully explain.
“Helene’s powers, like Victor’s, are both light and dark. The sea’s deadly power makes her a force to be reckoned with. Yet, its calm nature is deceptive and fast changing.”
I swallow thickly at that. Remembering the intensity of her cunning, calculating calm was just as threatening as her biting tone.
“The four members of the council act as a figurehead in most respects, as most of the power truly lies with the majors. They can approve certain decisions but cannot wield any true power. One of the few places they can dictate matters is the academy,” Gabris explains, reiterating what we learned before finals.
She goes to continue but is interrupted by the shrill ringing; I cover my ears, the sound different from what it usually is. Many students do the same, dropping their heads down at the ear-piercing noise.
