Fallen University: Year One

We sparred a few more rounds and pretty much remained tied. Her magic was more about brute force and mine was more subtle—like kickboxing versus Judo, maybe—but both had pros and cons. I always had fun fighting Hannah; I knew she wouldn’t take it easy on me just because we were best friends. But despite the distraction of keeping up with her kicks, punches, and energy balls, I kept having to drag my focus away from the tantalizing scents across the room.

“It isn’t love,” I said after a while.

“What?” she panted.

“You said ‘isn’t love supposed to drive you crazy’. This isn’t love though. It’s magic or something. It’s crazy, is what it is.” I scrubbed a hand down my face, momentarily letting my guard down. “And I’m crazy, and they’re crazy, and the whole thing is stupid.”

“Is this about Kai?”

“And Kingston, and Xero. I know I can’t force them to be with me in any kind of way that matters.”

She chewed her lip for a second and lobbed a lazy energy ball at me. I dodged it easily and tossed an equally lackluster punch in her direction.

“I mean… you could,” she said hesitantly.

“You mean persuade them?” I shook my head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thought about it. I think about it all the time, actually. Mostly at night when I’m trying to sleep but I’ve got this hunger just gnawing at my soul, and I know food won’t help and water won’t help and even Jayce won’t help. They aren’t my partners. Some of them aren’t even my friends, but they’re all parts of me anyway, and it’s pissing me off.”

I got distracted by my thoughts, and she used the opening to blast me flat on my back.

“Never lose focus,” she said as she helped me up again.

“Thanks for the advice,” I gasped. “But seriously, how am I supposed to concentrate on literally anything with all of this shit junking up my brain?”

“I don’t know.” She glanced across the room, her gaze tracking mine. “I wish I did. All I can think is to go to one of the healers or master mages and see if they have any way to break the bonds. Either that or persuade the guys that you’re their one true love and what you say goes.”

“There is a third option,” I said with a tight smile. “I could just keep suffering. I’ve got stamina for suffering.”

She gave me a disapproving look and I caught her on the jaw with a light jab.

“Ow!”

“Don’t lose focus,” I teased. “Still tied.”

“Tied for what? Last place?” Sonja’s voice made me bristle even before her words registered.

I held up a hand to Hannah in a silent tim

e-out and turned around. Sonja and her minions—two of them, anyway, the morose girl was missing—stood behind me. They were all smirking as if Sonja’s comment was the funniest thing they’d heard all day.

“Get bent, Sonja.”

“Oh, stunning comeback, Piper. My feelings are so hurt I think I’m going to faint.”

The three of them all made swooning noises simultaneously. I rolled my eyes.

“You want to get out of our circle? Wouldn’t want one of you to get hit with a stray energy ball.”

“You can’t even use energy balls,” Sonja sniffed. “You’re a filthy succubus. You know what I’ve never seen? A succubus Custodian. Wonder why that is?”

“Probably because they’re liabilities,” the tall girl said. Olivia was her name. “Driven to fuck and manipulate and nothing else. Can’t control a succubus.”

“Well… maybe the current Custodians can’t, but I can. Heel, bitch.” Sonja pointed at the floor by her side and the other two tittered behind their hands.

I coughed a little laugh. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, bitch. Heel.”

I looked over at Hannah, stunned. “Are you hearing this?”