I was in too fucking deep to stop now.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After that day, I stopped asking Professor Howes questions, and she seemed to avoid me at all cost. My classes continued, and despite her warning not to excel, I noticed that my strength and powers seemed to be increasing.
With my magic becoming stronger than I’d ever thought it would, coupled with half the teachers seeming to encourage students to be more fucking average, I began to worry about standing out. I decided maybe it was best to start doing what Professor Howes suggested, hiding my powers even as they grew.
It was hard to do. Magic was practically bursting out of me these days. But I managed to focus well enough to inte
ntionally do poorly on several of the practical assignments as well as holding back my magic when I was asked to perform a spell in front of the class. Deliberately doing shitty work went against everything I was, but I couldn’t let my pride get in the way of my mission.
Besides, one of the things I’d learned as a fighter was that it was easier to take out an opponent when they thought you were weak.
Near the end of the semester, several weeks after we’d gotten back from the challenge, Eden bounced up next to me as I headed toward my last class. Finals week had everyone on edge, and she seemed to manifest nervousness by being more peppy than usual.
“How did you do in there?” she asked, then groaned. “I hate finals, and this is like the worst of them.”
I chuckled. “Mediocre, at best.” On purpose. “It’s pretty tough. If I were you though, I wouldn’t worry about it if you don’t do the greatest. I think around here, it’s better to be right in the middle where nobody notices you than to be the best or the worst. You’re definitely not the worst.”
Eden smiled at me, perking up again. “Maybe you’re right. I never did like attention anyway.”
“Only one more to go. You ready for Defense Class?” I lifted my brows at her.
Eden rolled her eyes. “I will have absolutely no problem being mediocre in that class. Good luck though, I know that’s your thing.”
She patted me on the shoulder and smiled as we walked into the classroom. My gaze immediately moved to where the three men stood off to one side of the large room, as if a tether joined me to them. I moved toward them, nestling between the three of them and feeling their strength, support, and warmth surround me.
“You ready for this shite, sweetheart?” Lachlan asked, leaning in to brush his lips against the shell of my ear. The rumble of his voice made goosebumps break out over my skin, but his words were like a bucket of cold ice water over my head.
“I sure as fuck hope so.”
“You’ll do great, Ari,” Merrick promised soothingly.
“No, she’ll do terrible.” Trace chuckled, nudging his friend. “Get it right, dude.”
They were both right, in a way. I had to do badly to do well. I would consider this final a success if I got a meager, passing grade.
Easier said than done.
It was hard for me to not put everything I had behind every spell. Not only was it just part of who I was, but my magic was so powerful that it almost took on a mind of its own. And this final in particular was going to be hard for me. Fighting had always been my specialty, even back when I’d been an ordinary, non-magical human.
We all stood around the perimeter of the room as each person went, battling the same apparition but with different tactics. Each of the guys went, all doing okay, but intentionally not fantastic. That gave me relief, knowing it kept them off the radar.
When it was my turn, I held down my nerves and stepped into the middle of the room. I managed to do just okay with defense, taking a couple shocks from the apparition, and finally ending it with a simple gesture. The men all nodded approvingly as I finished, and I smiled, fighting back a burst of semi-hysterical laughter.
I was proud of myself, but it was a strangely odd achievement.
“Good. Good. Well done, everyone.” Professor Howes scanned the classroom, her gaze skimming lightly over me. “You’re all dismissed. Grades will be posted shortly.”
Students began to file out, a palpable sense of relief surrounding them as they celebrated being done with finals. The men and I headed into the hallway, but I stopped abruptly as Wesley stepped in front of me.
He smirked, one side of his mouth lifting in a lazy, arrogant smile. “It looks like you’re not such a prized student anymore, are you?”
Godsdamn this fucking asshole. I gritted my teeth.
I had pulled my punches, and he’d given it everything he had, so he’d done better than me. I knew that, but it still irritated the shit out of me that he thought he was a better mage than I was. Especially after the shit he’d pulled in the godly realm.
He tilted his chin up, cockiness seeping from his damn pores. “All that shit talk, and then not only did I beat you in the trials, but I outdid you in this class too. Maybe they’ll have a remedial class you can take next semester.”