“Damn it, Piper!”
“What? I didn’t set off a fucking earthquake!”
Three more aftershocks shook the walls in lessening degrees. When it was over, everybody pretty much stayed frozen where they lay. Then one girl started crying hysterically and ushered in pandemonium.
“I’m getting really fucking sick of hysteria,” Kingston growled between his teeth.
“Same.”
“Well?” He drew his head back a little to stare down at me expectantly.
“Well, what?”
“You gonna fix it?” He shoved off of me and got to his feet, glaring his demand.
“No can do, buddy. I got no juice.”
He pursed his lips and glowered. I shrugged as students fell to pieces around us. He huffed, rolled his eyes, and gave me the most chaste peck on the lips imaginable. I arched a brow at him. Making a sound halfway between a frustrated sigh and an infuriated groan, he grabbed me around the waist and kissed me hard. Power trickled, then rushed into me from his touch. My skin buzzed, my blood ran hot. When he released me, I could have sworn my eyes were glowing.
“There,” I panted, the smug tone of my voice somewhat ruined by the breathy need beneath it. “How hard was that?”
He glanced down at his hips furtively. I laughed, then shook my head.
Persuasion. Right. “Everyone, calm down! Take deep breaths!”
People began to hyperventilate, and I face-palmed.
“Good job, Piper.”
“Take deep, slow breaths! You’re safe! You’re fine!” God, it was hard to reach that many people at once. I could feel their minds with mine, as if little tendrils of energy were reaching out from my skull to caress theirs. It gave me a damn headache.
“Good,” Beedle growled. He had appeared just behind me and to my left. “Now get them out of here without trampling each other.”
“Shit. Kingston…” I reached out for him, and he held my hand. My headache receded just enough for me to push the instruction. “Form a single line. File out of the door. Go upstairs.”
They did as they were told, but as soon as they were out of range they started to panic again. Whispers turned to mutters and then to panicked shouts. I sagged against Kingston, leeching his energy through the simplest touch. It was like osmosis or something, but it got me standing upright again.
We followed as soon as the other students had cleared out of the lower main hall. Once upstairs, it beca
me clear everybody was congregating in the auditorium. I picked up the sound of Toland’s calm, deep voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying until we got into the room.
“I hear you,” he was saying. “But it was a simple earthquake. We are in the mountains, as you know.”
“Has there ever been an earthquake at the school before?” somebody demanded.
“I’m sure there has,” the headmaster said calmly.
“I don’t buy it,” someone else blurted. “First the sprites, then the lights, now this? It’s too much to be coincidence. We’re under attack, aren’t we?”
A chorus of shouted panic followed the question. Toland raised his hands, but the questions kept coming. Nobody was satisfied with his explanation.
“Enough. Enough!” he bellowed finally.
The room slowly quieted, but there was still a constant murmur fluttering around the room. “Coincidences happen. Everything is fine. Classes aren’t canceled, so I suggest you get back to yours.”
Angry shouts answered him. He slammed a hand on the podium, sending a sonic wave through the room. Everybody fell absolutely silent. His face went pale, as if that bit of magic had thoroughly tapped him.
“I said. Return. To. Class.” His voice was dangerously quiet. “No more of this hysteria.”