AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The ocean?” I asked. What an interesting phrase. “Did you grow up by the beach or something?”
“I—,” Cordelia began, clearing her throat. “I love the sea. There’s nowhere else I feel I belong.”
“Interesting.” Why didn’t she answer the question? “So, you want to be a siren, then?”
“More than I’ve ever wanted anything.” Her eyes glistened so fast I thought I might have imagined it. “I used to despise them, but lately, my options have been limited…” Her gaze fell slightly before gesturing to the front of the room.
“Hey, check out Lukas,” Cordelia said. He’d fallen completely asleep in the front of the class. Xavier was sitting next to him, trying to sneak a picture of him with his phone.
Cordelia eyed them instead of the professor until a student plopped down next to me.
Aubrey, dressed in a matching workout set, waved. “Hey, girl!”
“Hey!” I said, moving my stuff aside for her. “Aubrey, this is Cordelia,” I told Aubrey, gesturing to my friend.
“Are you like a hometown friend or something?” Aubrey asked Cordelia.
“No, we met on the first day of school,” Cordelia answered.
“Oh, very nice,” Aubrey nodded.
“Hey, where were you during the first exam?” I asked Aubrey.
“I got attacked by a demon, so I was in the infirmary.” She held up her arm, where gauze covered her from shoulder to wrist. “I’m lucky I survived. Luckier still that I survived the interrogation chambers.”
“Ouch,” I said in solidarity. “Guess we have that in common.”
I didn’t question her further. I was sure the campus leaders had done that already. I did, however, sneak her consolation candy during class. She smiled at me before throwing it in her backpack.
The professor resumed talking, and we quit chatting to write notes frantically. The pace had increased every day, and it was a pain to keep up.
“What’s the number one rule of Aether?”
“Don’t use dark magic!” a raucous member of the terrible three answered.
“Good!” Dr. Ansi said. “Rule two?”
“Don’t date it!” the same voice said. The class laughed.
“Absolutely right, Brayden,” Dr. Ansi replied. “The reason we ban dark magic at this university is because it is often practiced by demons, who commonly use it for seduction, and it destroys the user or the surrounding environment as fuel. It strips the surroundings of energy, taking away what makes it unique.” She went on about the different ways demons could lock you into an unhealthy relationship.
Bargains were #1.
Unfortunately, I already had two.
“I bet he’s a gunner,” Aubrey said to me.
“A what?” I responded.
“A gunner! You don’t know what that is?” Aubrey questioned.
I shook my head.
“A gunner is someone who is always trying to outdo the competition,” Aubrey explained. “Gunners want to be at the top of the class and stop at nothing to get there. I suspect everyone in the terrible three is a gunner. They’re practically falling over themselves to answer questions before anyone else can. Ready to gun down the competition at any moment.”
“Aubrey!” I hushed.
“They do all this to get into a top house.” She sulked at me. “We have to be on the lookout.”
