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Darius leans on the doorframe with his arms folded, staring at her. Everyone in the room watches him as his intimidating aura suffocates the room. He commands attention without even trying, and right now, whatever is going on with him, he appears to be angry with Aleera for ignoring his presence. But Aleera looks just as angry. Making me worry with the determined glint in her eyes.
ChapterTwenty
Aleera
Tobias asks me to step forward, and so I do. My bond becomes excited, and I force it down, refusing it control and ignoring it. I know they feel it, but when I feel Darius' presence moving closer, I don't want him to feel my reaction to our mates.
So it is no surprise when I feel him stop behind me.
“Hold your hands out,” Tobias whispers, then his eyes dart over my shoulder. I glance back at Darius. He leans against the door frame, watching us, but I turn my attention back to Tobias and focus on the casting demonstration.
Tobias holds his hands out above mine, and I watch the air between his hands ripple and thicken. A picture forms and my magic wants to latch on to him, and it does. He transfers the strange sphere into my hands, and it hovers above my palms. He pokes it with his finger, and it ripples, taking the form of the rainforest.
“Why are casts dangerous?” he asks, looking out at the class, yet he looks back at me for the answer. Vampiric-Fae primarily do casts because my kind are rare or nonexistent. It took compulsion and could temporarily blind an opponent, yet it also took a lot of concentration to maintain.
“They are dangerous because they act as virtual reality, and people can be trapped within them until the cast holder releases them,” I tell him, and he nods. One demon in the class raises their hand, and Tobias nods to him.
“Why are we learning this, though? Only Vampiric and Elemental can yield it,” the demon asks.
“You think a Vampiric will care if you can yield it if they are planning to use it against you?” Tobias asks, and the man drops his head. It was a stupid question to ask.
“So, how does one break out of the spell of a cast?” Tobias asks when the sphere is suddenly wrapped around my face, blinding me to the rest of the classroom. Forest scenery surrounds me suddenly, and I can vividly see and hear, even smell the pollen in the air.
The classroom has completely vanished, and I stumble forward. I can even hear the crickets chirping and the sound of the soft breeze. It all feels so real; the air is thick and moist, the ground damp. I can hear Tobias’ voice faintly like he’s standing very far away. All of the sudden, I jump, feeling like something just landed on me. It’s Tobias' hand on my shoulder. I reach across and touch his hand with my own.
“Focus on my voice, Aleera,” he says, yet my surroundings are absorbed by the cast, it all feels so real. I instinctively look up when birds take off out of the canopying trees above.
“You need to remember it's a cast. Remember your true surroundings, no matter how much fear or what is going on around you. It isn't real. You just need to focus on where you were before, paint that picture in your head, and implant it. This will force the fake reality away to bring you back to your true surroundings.”
I try, but I find myself stuck in the cast state as everything becomes overwhelming.
“Where are you, Aleera?” Tobias asks.
“Rainforest,” I murmur, turning when I hear leaves rustle behind me.
“Where were you before, Aleera? Focus,” his voice says, and I look for him but can't see anything but the forest. My pulse races when I see a giant tiger step out from the foliage.
I stagger, taking a step back, only to trip over my feet. The tiger charges at me, and I put my hands up to shield myself when the cast is dropped, and I find Tobias grabbing me and hauling me to my feet. Everyone in the class laughs. Even Darius chuckles at me as embarrassment blooms within me.
“This is why you should have been in my class instead of running away and hiding in an advanced defense class,” Darius says, making me glare at him as I catch my breath.
“You did well. Ignore them. It was your first go,” Tobias whispers. Yet as I turn to go back to my desk, everyone tries to stifle their giggles, and Darius clicks his tongue.
“Do it again,” I snap, gritting my teeth. I hadn't wielded magic like that before it was banned in the schools, yet I can feel how he did it and know I can mimic it if I could just touch it again.
“You don't have to,” Tobias says, his lips brushing my cheek. The demon hollers and whistles at his gesture, and I glare at them.
“Do it again,” I tell him, turning to face him. I refuse to let them think I don't belong here or that I can't do this.
Tobias' eyes search my face and he presses his lips in a line. Eventually, he sighs, looking past me to Darius. I look at him, too, and he waves arrogantly, thinking I will fail again. I can feel his amusement at my anger which only serves to anger me more.
When Tobias sets the cast in my hand this time, however, my magic locks onto his, but instead of letting him manipulate it when he flicks his fingers, I grasp onto it tightly. He raises an eyebrow at me.
“Aleera!” he hisses, wondering what I am doing. But I remain resolute, holding on firmly. I feel for his compulsion before crushing and stamping it out. His magic fizzles in my hands. I feel how it disintegrates his cast, dying out as I destroy it. The demons watching laugh.
“What's the matter, Aleera, scared? So you burned it out before entering it?” one chuckles.
“That was my intention,” I tell the demon. He scoffs, throwing his head back. Lycus snarls at him, and he jumps when my mate stands behind him.
