Page 47 of The Lost Elemental

Phoenix released me and ran for the edge of the building. I gasped, racing to the edge. But he landed with the grace of a ballet dancer. Then he looked up and gave me a wink.

Apparently, Phoenix also had an air gift, and it could be used for more things than I’d realized. I shook my head and moved to the door. I trudged down the stairs, hating that I could feel the loss of Phoenix’s presence already, loneliness settling in its place.

I halted in front of my door. An envelope was tacked to it with my name scrawled on the front. I pulled it loose and braced for another threat. Instead, there was a neatly typed letter.

Ms. Coleman,

Please report to the headmaster’s office at 4 P.M. for a meeting.

The Office of Headmaster Acker

I grimaced at the sheet of fancy stationery and had the sudden longing for one of the guys to go with me. Hell, I would’ve even taken Riven’s cold presence. Stupid, Aura. I needed to handle this on my own, because they weren’t going to always be around. I had to fight my own battles here.

Glancing at my watch, I tossed my bag in my dorm room and headed back to the main building. I let the stares wash over me, ignoring them. A figure stepped into my path. My head jerked up.

Drue’s eyes flashed. “Stay away from the royals.”

“You might want to be having this conversation with them, because I’m not the one seeking them out.” I tilted my head, studying her. “Oh wait, that didn’t go over too well for you last time, did it?”

She let out a low growl and leaned into my personal space. “They’re mine. As soon as my four affinities are revealed, everyone will know. I don’t want your tainted hands on them before then.”

“There is a little something called free will, Drue. They have to choose you back.”

She sneered at me. “Once my aether power is revealed, they’ll be so drawn to me, nothing else will matter.”

“Keep smoking the good stuff, Drue.” I sidestepped her and continued on the path, but I couldn’t ignore that flicker of fear rooted deep. There hadn’t been aethers for generations, but what if someone was somehow revealed here? What if the royals were destined for her?

There wouldn’t be any more teasing flirtation from Kai. Or kind caring from Atlas. My nights on the roof with Phoenix would be a thing of the past. It made me sick to think about.

I did my best to push the insidious thoughts to the back of my brain as I headed inside. I wound my way through the halls until I found the headmaster’s office. The woman behind the desk nodded at me. “You can go inside. They’re waiting for you.”

They. Crap. I wiped my hands on my skirt and opened the door. All conversation halted.

“You asked to see me?” I scanned the room, taking in Headmaster Acker, Dean Sinclair, Quincy, Professor Moss, and Professor Belthorn.

“Please, come in and have a seat,” Headmaster Acker said, motioning me forward.

That was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to bolt. Would’ve given anything to be back in Phoenix’s embrace. But I forced myself forward and into the chair closest to the door.

Acker leaned back in his chair. “I was just talking with Professors Belthorn and Moss. You had quite the show in their two classes.”

My hands wrapped around the arms of the chair, gripping tightly. “I didn’t mean to cause any issues.”

“We know, Aura,” Belthorn said with a gentle smile. “We just want to understand what’s going on so that we can best help you. That’s all.”

“And keep the rest of the students safe,” Dean Sinclair added.

Acker sent her a quelling look. “The students are all perfectly safe.”

Sinclair made a humming sound in the back of her throat as if she didn’t completely agree.

Acker turned his focus back to me. “We do need to understand what’s happening with your affinities, with your power. We wanted to talk with you more about your childhood, about any bursts of energy you might’ve had. And we wanted to discuss your father.”

“Did you find out anything about him?” Emotions warred within me. I wanted to know, but I was also terrified.

The door to the office swung open and a man I didn’t recognize swept in. “Yes, Acker, what have you learned about the girl’s father?”

The entire room moved as one, rising and then bowing their heads.