His tone… it’s off. One of my eyebrows lifts as I turn to face him. “Are you?”
“I’m always worried about you,” he says with a wave of his hand. “I’m asking how you’re feeling.”
“I’m fine,” I assure him, but admittedly… “Okay, I’m a little nervous.”
“You should be,” he says, coming to put his hands on my shoulders. “It’s going to be mentally and physically taxing. You’re going to get hurt, but we can heal you. It’s going to be like nothing you’ve ever faced before.”
“Okay,” I drawl, feeling my palms go sweaty. “I’m really nervous now.”
Carrick dips his head. “But you can do it. You’re as qualified as any Initiate running this course. Just keep a level head and remember your brain is your best weapon once you’re inside.”
“Got it,” I say with a nod. “Any other advice?”
Carrick smiles. The kind that’s devilish and makes my belly flutter low. “Don’t get too hurt. That bed looks pretty unbreakable.”
I laugh and he kisses me hard, then he’s turning me toward the door. “Let’s get this done.”
We meet up with Priya, Titus, and Zora, who are all waiting on the front lawn where we first arrived from Seattle. Both Priya and Titus have changed into workout gear.
“Are we going to bend distance to the Academy?” I ask because that obviously seems the quickest way to travel on the island. I have no clue where the Academy actually is, but even the closest buildings I see down by the bay are quite the hike.
“Since you and Carrick have never been, yes, we’ll bend distance and I’ll take you,” Titus says, but then shifts his attention to Zora. “I understand you can fly, though.”
Zora seems shocked he knows this, but not in a betrayed way. She knows I shared her abilities, but she looks nervous anyway as she nods.
Priya steps up beside her. “That’s how we travel in Semper Terra… flight. The residents here are all imbued with the island’s magic that lets us fly. So I thought perhaps you’d like to join me in flight there?”
I never thought in a million years I’d ever be jealous of Zora, but I am in this moment.
But in a happy way since she gets to take the aerial view of Semper Terra.
A smile breaks out on her face, such that I have never seen before. I didn’t know Zora was able to feel that level of joy. That obliterates any jealousy, and I’m insanely happy on her behalf.
“I’d love to fly there with you,” she exclaims.
Carrick and I share mutual smiles over her enthusiasm.
“Let’s do it then,” Priya exclaims. The next thing I know, she’s leaping into the air where she floats about thirty feet above us.
There’s a rustle as Zora’s wings unfurl from behind her back. She’s dressed the same as me in workout pants and a tank, but her white curls cover her back and in between her wings so I can’t see how they are attached.
Magically, of course, but I also assume they are attached to muscle and bone.
Regardless, she doesn’t hesitate before giving them a huge flap to lift her off the ground.
Another flap and she shoots up five feet, and the third flap has enough power to put her equal to Priya where she slowly moves her wings to keep her hovering.
Zora looks down at me and I’m grinning like a loon. I flash her the double thumbs-up sign, and then I laugh when she does the same back to me.
Titus, Carrick, and I are silent as we watch the women fly off over the top of the house and up and over the other side of the mountain.
When they’re out of view, Titus grabs my hand and I grab Carrick’s.
After he bends distance, we step out onto the Academy grounds.
CHAPTER 13
Finley
After we step out onto a grassy field, I glance around. It looks like we might be on the other side of the mountain where Titus lives as the bay down below is smaller and there aren’t as many buildings going down the forward slope.
Where we are, there isn’t a building in sight but there is a man walking toward us.
And um… what a man. He’s as tall as Carrick, packed with muscle, and has the dreamiest face surrounded by midnight-black hair. As he gets closer, I see his eyes are a light green surrounded by long, thick lashes. His face is covered in dark stubble and he’s dressed casually like Carrick is—shorts, tee, and flip-flops.
“Caiden,” Titus rumbles, stepping forward and holding his fist out. “Thanks for coming to help.”
The men bump fists and then Titus introduces Carrick and me, and it’s clear that Caiden has been fully apprised as to who we are and that we have a big role to play in an upcoming prophecy in the Earth realm.