Academy of the Elites: Broken Magic Read online

  Broken Magic

  Academy of the Elites Book Two

  Alexis Calder

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters and events in this book are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Copyright © 2019 by Alexis Calder

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Artwork by Melody Simmons

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Thanks For Reading!

  About the Author

  1

  Raven

  Nobody even tried to mask their whispers as I slowly entered the cafeteria. The nurse in the school clinic had insisted on keeping me for observation until the end of the week. They had hoped my magic would return by Monday.

  Here we were, Monday morning.

  No magic.

  I've been dreading this since last night when I realized I'd have to return here to try to figure this out. The only thing that kept me going was seeing Makayla and finding out how Ben was doing. They'd kept me locked down in the hospital wing. And they didn't even have television. It was three days with textbooks as my only company.

  My whole body relaxed as I saw Makayla and I flagged her down, a smile on my face. At least she looked the same. Hopefully none of this impacted her. I could deal with the rumors, whatever they were, and the stares, if I had a few people in my corner.

  Makayla sprinted toward me, pulling me into an unexpected hug.

  "I was so worried about you, and they wouldn't let me in to visit. The rumors are crazy. Did you really break out of confinement and kill a school guard?"

  I broke away from the embrace and stared at her wide eyed. "Seriously? Kill a guard?"

  She shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."

  "I knew this place was dangerous, but students have killed guards?"

  "Once or twice," she said. "They said it was an accident."

  "Well, I didn't kill a guard," I said.

  "So, the other rumor is true?" She lowered her voice. "The one about the magic thief?" She shuddered. "I was hoping that wasn't the case. They creep me the fuck out."

  "Didn't Ben talk to you?" I asked.

  "He's kept to himself. He's not really talking to anyone, I mean, he's really being hard on himself about you getting hurt."

  "That wasn't his fault. If anything, he's the one who saved me from worse. I lost my magic, but I'm alive." My throat bobbed as I realized I wasn't sure how much worse it could be. I was stuck in a magic school without magic. Just the hope that it would return soon. Whatever that meant.

  "Hey, little mage," Remi said as he strode up to me. "I heard you took out a magic thief or a guard. Either way, you're more of a badass than I thought. Hope there's no hard feelings about the other day."

  "Um, sure, yeah," I said.

  He winked. "Looking forward to seeing you around."

  "Alright, enough of that," Makayla said. "Come on."

  She grabbed my upper arm and dragged me toward the food line. "I'm sure you need something to eat. Full day of classes ahead and all."

  I walked with her but looked over my shoulder at Remi. He was still smiling at me. It was an odd turn of events. A few weeks ago, he was threatening me. Now he was offering to be my friend. This really was a weird school. The fact that I'd beat someone up had gained me some positive attention. I guess it wasn't all that different from prison in that sense.

  The only difference was, it wasn't how I wanted to gain attention. And at this moment, I knew my magic wasn't responding. So, for now, I was a badass but as soon as I had to demonstrate something, everyone would know I was a fraud.

  I had to figure out a way to get my magic back.

  "Welcome back, little mage," one of the sirens called as I walked past their table. I could feel their eyes boring into me, but I kept my gaze on my tray of food.

  "Thanks," I said, without turning back to them.

  Makayla took us to the usual table but none of the others were here. Just us. "Where is everyone? I asked.

  "They already ate. I waited. Hoping you'd come," she said.

  She was a good friend. Possibly the best I'd ever had, which didn't say much for my life prior to this place.

  "Thank god you're back," a female voice called.

  I turned away from my eggs to see Violet walking toward me, another female vampire behind her. Both were dressed in matching black skirts and white shirts, their ties hanging loosely around their necks.

  Violet's nearly white hair was pulled into a ponytail high on her head. She'd lined her eyes with dark eyeliner and wore bright red lipstick. It made her pale skin look almost translucent. She had an ethereal kind of beauty I imagined was only possible for a vampire to achieve.

  The woman behind her had tan skin and wide, deep brown eyes. Her short black hair was in a perfect bob that looked like it belonged in a rendition of The Great Gatsby. Just like Violet, she was equally stunning.

  Everyone here was gorgeous. Was that another thing that magic did? I thought back to my own teenage years. I'd literally never had a single pimple. Had to be the magic. And, honestly, as superficial as it was, it was another good reason to get it back.

  "Gym class has been the absolute worst without you," Violet said.

  I groaned. I forgot that I had to go to gym today. I'd been so fixated on not having any magic and wondering what everyone else was doing while I was stuck in the hospital that I didn't think about it. I guess it was better that way. All my time was focused on other things besides the new ways Coach Miller would try to kill me.

  How was he going to react to me returning after he's the one who sent me to confinement in the first place? Was that going to make it even worse?

  "I really don't want to go back to that class," I said.

  "Eh, I don't even think he noticed you we're missing. He's had us running laps every day since then while he lifts in the corner. I think he's bulking up for some Mr. Universe or something."

  "They have that here?" I asked.

  "Oh yeah, you should see some of the shifters and other creatures bulked up," Violet said. "It's bizarre and hard to look away."

  "And incredibly unattractive," Scarlett added. "Can we not discuss this before we've had our blood?"

  "Fine," Violet said. "Bae gets cranky when she's hungry."

  "Ugh," Scarlett rolled her eyes, "I hate it when you call me that."

  "You're cute
when you're mad, though," Violet said.

  "Alright, the rest of us are trying to eat without having a healthy relationship thrown in our faces," Makayla said.

  "See you later, Raven," Violet said.

  I waved as the two vampires wandered away. "They're adorable in a terrifying way."

  "Yes, they are," Makayla agreed. "You going to eat your bacon?"

  "Hell yes, I am," I said, grabbing it off my plate. "Do you know what they fed me in the hospital? Oatmeal. Three days of oatmeal for breakfast and broth for dinner."

  Makayla laughed. "I remember that. I was in there once when I broke my arm. Doesn't seem to matter why you're in there, it's all treated the same. Do some magic to heal you, give you oatmeal for breakfast."

  "Hopefully, I'll stay out of there from now on," I said.

  "Don't count on it," Makayla said. "Come finals at the end of the semester, most of us will spend at least one night there."

  "How come?" I knew it was generally dangerous at this school, but what exactly did I have to look forward to for finals?

  "Mock trials," she said. "Every year before the Yule Ball they set up a practice trial and we all test it out. If you fail, you're probably not ready for the real deal. If you pass, they expect you to sign up for the trial in the spring. When you fail, usually it's because something is broken. That's how I snapped my arm last year."

  My stomach flipped as a wave of queasiness rolled through my gut. Snapped. That wasn't a word one used lightly. "What happened to snap your arm?"

  "Climbing over a pit full of jagged rocks. You'd think the rocks were the real issue, but I made it over those. Got a little cocky and took the downhill too fast. Tumbled and fell all the way to the soft grass on the other side." She shook her head. "I basically celebrated that I finished too early and got cocky. Not going to happen this year, though. I should pass it. And when I do, I'm signing up for the spring trials. I'll be out of here by June if I play my cards right."

  "Then what? Where will you go next?" I realized I didn't know anything about what life for a supernatural was like beyond these walls. Dr. Green had mentioned that my file would help me find jobs but what the hell did that mean?

  "My parents own a gem supplier. We own some mines and import and sell diamonds and precious stones to some of the most prestigious jewelers in the world. It's not the most exciting, but I'll probably step in line and join the family business." She shrugged.

  "Diamonds?" My jaw dropped. I knew the students here were loaded but if her family owned mines and sold gems, they were probably the wealthiest people I had ever met. I'd never even touched an actual diamond aside from my mom's engagement ring. Of course, it never made it to me. My aunt hawked it at a pawn shop within a few years of me moving in with her.

  I shook my head, not wanting to think about my past. My parents were gone, my aunt was gone. I didn't have to deal with that part of my life anymore.

  "It sounds glamorous, but I promise you, it's not," she said. "Hey, if you need a job after school, I'm sure I can hook you up. We employ several mages. They help us know which land to buy and where to dig."

  "Wow," I said, a flicker of hope filling my chest. It was dashed quickly, and I frowned. "Though, I have to get my magic back first."

  "It'll come back," Makayla said. "Have faith."

  2

  Ben

  I wanted nothing more than to know that Raven was safe, but I was dreading seeing her in class today. My wolf wasn't responding and I was worried about what the thief had done to her.

  They sent me to the hospital after the incident but kicked me out after a few hours. No matter what I did, I couldn't get in to see Raven. The last several days had been non-stop research into what to do about a shifter who can't shift.

  It was terrifying not feeling my inner wolf. It was as if it was completely gone. The emptiness was awful. Like part of me died and yet I had to stay living with both the guilt and emptiness of that vacancy.

  Raven had to be going through the same thing if her magic was also missing. But I didn't know yet. Nobody would tell me. So here I was, sitting and waiting in Magical Theory, hoping for some sign that she was okay.

  When she walked through the door, her scent hit me like a slap on the face. I didn't even have to look up to see her. I knew it was her. My heart leaped and breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe, at least that I knew.

  I still wanted her, with everything I was, but I couldn't have her.

  I knew I had to resist. I wasn't good for her. I wasn't good for anyone. The visit from my father the night after the Thief attacked was reminder enough of why I needed to stay away from her.

  My family was rich and powerful, that was true. But I was the first student in my family to gain entry to this school. Partially because they didn't used to allow shifters but mostly because the work my family did wasn't legal. None of it. Even the legit businesses were fronts for shady things.

  But somehow, my dad had managed to pull strings. And he was deadly serious about me being the upstanding representative of the family he needed. With me gaining a diploma from the Academy of the Elites, it raised our status. Gave him entry to things he was previously barred from.

  Plus, it was my only shot at getting away from the family and following my own path. Me going full legit made my dad look better so he was on board. But for that to happen, I couldn't afford to get kicked out. I had to pass the trials and I had to graduate.

  If I didn't, well, my dad had a way of making things that hurt his business disappear and I wasn't so sure being his only son was protection enough for me.

  I couldn't add that to Raven's plate. I couldn't drag her into all of this. Especially if I went down. My dad was already blaming her enough as it was. I'd chased after some girl and it cost me the ability to shift.

  The only way I got him to stop threatening her was to agree to avoid her. There was no way I was going to tell him she was my mate. And mate or no, I couldn't be with her.

  Raven's eyes locked on mine and a smile formed on her lips. My heart pounded against my ribs. It would have been easier if she was mad at me. Easier if she yelled at me and told me to stay away. Instead, she was walking right toward me.

  "Ben, I was so worried," she said.

  I waved my hand. "Nothing to worry about here."

  Her brow furrowed, clearly reading my attempt at nonchalance. I wasn't doing the best job of not letting her get to me. Her honeydew scent made my temperature rise and my pulse raced. I shouldn't be feeling this kind of a reaction to her with my wolf dormant. How was she getting to me this much?

  "Thank you for what you did in there," she said. "I'm so glad you weren't hurt."

  "I was in the right place at the right time," I said, the words killing me. I wanted to touch her, pull her against me, check her body for any damage done by the Thief's lightning. I could feel my desire clawing against my chest, begging for release.

  "You came for me," she said. "I know you did, and I don't know how I can repay you."

  "No need," I said. "Class is going to start."

  She frowned, a look of heartbreak in her eyes. It made my chest tighten. It took all of my willpower not to take it all back. I'd dismissed her heartlessly. She'd never forgive me for this. But it was better than her life being in danger. It was the only way.

  3

  Raven

  I blinked back the stinging tears as I turned away from Ben. He had to be facing the loss of his shifter magic. There was no way he'd act this way toward me if not for that. He must hate me. If not for me, he'd be whole. Complete. I'd caused too much damage. I wasn't worth it.

  I sat in the desk a few seats away from him and tugged my notebook out of my backpack. Going through the motions of taking notes and focusing on the lecture might help. At least it would get my mind off the heartache that weighed on my chest.

  Somehow, I had to make it up to him but right now, I didn't know how to do that. I'd give him space, and in time, maybe he'd forgive me. There was n
o other option. I couldn't imagine a life without him in it. He had to forgive me. Without him, it felt like there was an empty place inside of me that I couldn't explain.

  Guilt. It had to be, right? Because we hardly knew each other and yet, he'd risked his life for me. And now he wasn't talking to me. I wiped a stray tear and opened my notebook.

  "Hey, Raven, how was confinement? Did they do things to you down there?" someone called.

  I looked up, brow furrowed, trying to find the offender.

  "Hey, leave the girl alone. She's not worth your time. We all know any mage worth her salt wouldn't be slumming it with the shifters," a male voice called.

  I spun around to find a guy I didn't know, feet up on his desk, a lazy smile on his lips.

  "Any of those shifters are worth more than you any day," I said.

  "We all know you're staying in the shifter dorm," A girl nearby said. "We've heard all about their weird orgies. I'm sure you're tainted by now."

  "Um, what?" My brow furrowed. "You can't be serious."

  "Shifter whore," someone called.

  Rage simmered inside, the pulsing fiery kind of rage that previously would have resulted in me risking my magic. But nothing came. I reached for it, wanting nothing more than to throw a ball of fire. I wanted to shut them up. But my magic wasn't there.