Academy of the Elites: Unbound Magic Read online

  Unbound Magic

  Academy of the Elites Book Four

  Alexis Calder

  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

  Thanks For Reading!

  About the Author

  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 © 2020 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

  1

  Raven

  The clock ticked ominously in the background. The black, dead branches of the tree showed no signs of life today. Even the yellow eyes of the carved owl were missing. It was as if the clock didn’t want to be here.

  I knew I didn’t want to be here.

  At least this time while sitting in Dr. Green’s office I wasn’t alone. Ben was leaning against a cabinet while Luka paced the office. Matt was in the chair next to me and Zach was looking at all the books on the shelf against the wall.

  None of us said it, but we were nervous. We’d gone to bed after the trials, giddy with anticipation of what it could look like after graduation.

  I was still terrified, but there was something amazing in knowing that I had their support. We’d discussed the possibility of me joining any of their family businesses, but none of the options had resulted in us staying together. I didn’t have an answer for that part of our problem.

  The door opened and I stopped bouncing my knees as tension spiked through me. Dr. Green’s heavy footfalls sounded behind me and I caught myself holding my breath.

  He cleared his throat and settled into the chair behind his desk. Luca, Zach, and Ben walked toward the seats and stood behind me. I could feel the heat of them there and it calmed me.

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news,” he said.

  I stared at his pink face. His fangs hung over his lower lip and his jaw was set. He looked tense. That wasn’t a good sign.

  “What is it?” Luka asked.

  “I submitted the results of the trials to the board and they rejected my recommendation to allow you all to graduate,” he said.

  “What?” Ben asked with a growl in his voice.

  “What does that mean, exactly?” I asked.

  “It means you’ll have to finish the semester,” he said. “They declared the trials a farce and won’t certify them as official. They say to consider it a practice.”

  His upper lip is curled enough to show more of his fangs than usual. I can tell he’s annoyed by the decision, but it seems his hands are tied.

  “So all we have to do is take the actual trials in the spring and we’re good to graduate?” I asked.

  He nods.

  I was surprised how relieved I felt. I had no idea what I’d do when I left here and this gave me a little more time to figure it out. It was actually comforting. I had more time with my mates and with my friends. I had more time to figure out this world and where I fit.

  And I had more time to try to figure out how to keep all my mates together when we left this place.

  “It’s not so bad,” Zach said. “We didn’t really get a chance to show what we have anyway, right?”

  Matt blew out a breath. “I was looking forward to getting out of here, but I suppose it could be worse. What’s a few more months?”

  “It’s more time for someone to find Raven in here and attack her,” Ben said.

  My stomach knotted. He was right, so far, I really hadn’t been safe here.

  “But also, more time for her to learn her magic so she can actually defend herself,” Luka said.

  “That’s true,” I agreed. “I’m just tapping into what my magic means. When I got here, it was untamed, but I still don’t feel like I have a handle on it. Especially now that I know I’m half fae. I do need to learn how to control it.”

  “She’s safe here,” Dr. Green said.

  “That’s what you said before,” Ben said.

  “Ben, the thief is gone,” I said.

  “And Professor Halifax is locked up,” Matt said.

  I hear a low growl and I know Ben isn’t happy with what they’re saying. I turned and set my hand on his arm. “I’m going to be fine. Besides, I have all four of you with me. Who else can say that?”

  He cracked a tiny smile. “Fine, but I’m keeping your spare room key.”

  “Hey, shouldn’t we all get them?” Matt asks. “Just in case she needs us?”

  “Nobody should have a spare room key,” Dr. Green cuts in. “And we should consider moving Raven to the mage dorm.”

  “She can move into our room,” Zach said, “we have more than enough room.”

  “Yeah, she’ll love sharing that suite when your mom’s in town visiting,” Ben said.

  I try to hide my smile. Ben’s right. As long as it’s possible for Ms. Obscura to pop in and make herself comfortable in their room, I was never going to stay there.

  “Still, the mage dorm might be a better fit for her,” Dr. Green said.

  “I don’t understand why she was in the shifter dorm to begin with,” Zach said.

  “It’s underground,” Dr. Green said.

  “So?” Zach said.

  “If her magic flared,” Ben said. “The shifters might get hurt, but the rest of you would be safe.”

  “I’m not proud of it,” Dr. Green said. “But I had to think of the best solution.”

  “Seriously?” I said. “This whole shifter hatred thing has to stop.”

  “I have nothing against shifters,” Dr. Green said. “It was a matter of safety. There’s less students down there and your magic probably would have been muted by the stone walls.”

  “Why didn’t you just lock her up?” Ben asked.

  “I’m not the monster, here,” Dr. Green said. “Do you know the strings I had to pull to get her here? To keep her here?”

  “Our mom did that,” Zach said.

  “There are so many things you don’t know,” he said.

  “Then tell us,” I said.

  “I’m tired of being in the dark all the time. Don’t I deserve to know?” I asked.

  Dr. Green stood and took a few steps, turning away from us. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “Dr. Green, what could possibly be worse than the time thief trying to get to her?” Matt asks.

  “We took care of that,” Luka said. “And we can’t protect her if we don’t know what to p
repare for.”

  “It’s never been about protecting her from the outside world,” Dr. Green said. He turned and locked his eyes on me. “It’s been about protecting the outside world from her.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

  “While I figured you were a mage, I never could pinpoint the reason why your magic was so late in showing. Now that we know you’re fae, it makes more sense,” he said.

  “You were afraid of me?” The realization was almost amusing. When I first arrived here, I’d been terrified of him.

  “She’s not like Professor Halifax,” Zach said.

  “No, I’m not,” I said quickly.

  “Still, you have the ability to open portals to the fae realm and news of that is going to get out,” he said.

  “I’m not going to open any more portals,” I said. “And the extra time here is just going to help me learn how to use my magic better.”

  “There’s something else I want to tell you five. This doesn’t leave this room,” Dr. Green said. Then he looked at Matt and Zach. “Not even your mother can know this.”

  I was surprised to hear him say that considering how close he seemed to be with her.

  “We won’t say a word,” Matt said.

  “Our lips are sealed,” Zach added.

  “What is it, Dr. Green?” Luka asked.

  “We’ve got a new spellcasting instructor on her way. And like our old one, she’s fae. However, unlike Professor Halifax, she’s only recently crossed into our world from the fae realm. She’s going to be the best chance we have at helping Raven learn her magic,” he said.

  “Why are you telling us this?” Ben asked. “We never would have known this on our own.”

  “Raven would have figured it out eventually and I don’t want her worried that this is someone intent on hurting her. Or you four jumping in and trying to be the hero over nothing,” Dr. Green said.

  I shifted in my chair. He was right. I could see all of us jumping to conclusions after everything we’ve been through.

  “Does that mean more private lessons?” I asked.

  “Unfortunately, it does,” he said. “For all of you. After all, we now know your magic has bonded and we know Raven can channel it. I’ve read about it, but I never thought I’d see it happen.”

  “More magic bonding?” Luka asked. “I like the sound of that.”

  I squeezed my thighs together, my body already responding to the overwhelming feeling of being with all four of my mates. When our magic combined, it did something to us that had resulted in several very hot encounters.

  The bell rang, pulling me back to the present.

  “Go to class,” Dr. Green said. “You’ve still got a trials to pass.”

  2

  Raven

  We’d had two full glorious days off from classes, recovering from our ordeal and planning for what we thought was graduation. Instead, it was back to the grind. And of course, it was time for gym.

  I begrudgingly said goodbye to the twins and Ben and headed toward the gym with Luka.

  “You know, you don’t have to make any decisions yet,” he said.

  “Decisions?” I asked.

  “About what you’re going to do after the academy,” he said.

  I took a deep breath. This was picking up our conversation from earlier today when we’d had a few minutes alone. “I guess that’s the good part about being stuck here a few more months. More time to decide what I’m going to do.”

  “You know, you don’t have to only consider joining other people’s family businesses,” he said.

  “Says the prince of hell,” I said.

  He chuckled. “I’m serious. I don’t need to go back there. I could stay here with you if you’ll have me.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” I stopped walking and turned to face my handsome incubus. His messy blonde hair was covering one of his eyes.

  I reached up and pushed it aside and my heart skipped a beat when my eyes found his. Those baby blues were enough to stop me in my tracks every time. I didn’t think I could ever get tired of him.

  “You’d give up being a prince of hell and stay here in the mortal realm?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “What’s the point of eternity if you’re doing it alone?”

  The bell rang again.

  “We better hurry.” Luka grabbed my hand and practically dragged me the rest of the way down the hallway.

  He brought up something I hadn’t considered before. I kept thinking about how I was going to insert myself into the life of one of my mates. Or even take Makayla up on her job offer. I hadn’t thought about what I really wanted and asking them to follow me.

  It was an interesting thought and it brought up something I wasn’t prepared for. What was it that I wanted to do with my life? When I’d been living in the human world, it was survival. Just getting through to my next paycheck. The next day. The next shitty apartment. There wasn’t much of a future to consider.

  Now, I was nearing the end of a program of study on magic of all things. What exactly did people do when they graduated from here? They mostly all had family positions to fall into but I knew there had to be some actual jobs and industries that I could consider. I mean, there was a government system and prisons and a school board. If they had that kind of infrastructure, what else was out there?

  “See you in a few,” Luka called as he let go of my hand in front of the boys’ dorm.

  I had a minute or two before we had to be dressed and on the gym floor. Five minutes after the bell, class started. If I was late, I was going to have to deal with Coach Miller. As it was, I was expecting something from him since I’d missed the last two days.

  To be honest, if I knew there was a possibility of coming back here, I might have gone to his class just to keep him happy. Then again, I hated this class enough to possibly skip and deal with the consequences. It didn’t matter now. I was here and I was stuck with it till spring.

  I quickly opened my locker and pulled out my clothes and changed. Jogging to the gym, I managed to join the others just as Coach Miller slithered over to us.

  A shiver ran down my spine. No matter how many times I saw that man, I was going to feel totally creeped out just from looking at him.

  Half man, half serpent, Coach Miller was a thing of nightmares. Add in the fact that he made us run laps and other unpleasant things that I thought I’d left behind in my high school gym class days and it made it that much worse.

  “Isn’t this cute,” he said. “It looks like we’re all back where we belong. And none of us are special enough to get a free pass out of here.”

  His eyes are on me then they move away and I know he’s looking for Luka.

  “We had to close down the gym and go through the whole mess of bringing that monster in here. There was drool everywhere. For what? For some special little fae girl to open a portal and nearly let the bad guys win?”

  Someone snickers and I want to crawl into a hole and hide forever.

  “None of you are special,” he says. “You’re all a waste of oxygen until I decide otherwise.”

  He was looking at me again and I stared back, forcing myself not to break eye contact. I wish I was anywhere else right now, but I wasn’t. And Coach Miller was a bully. I couldn’t let him know how much he got to me.

  “Go run some laps, all of you,” he said. “You can spend the entire class running like the cowards you are.”

  My jaw tensed. Coach Miller was awful. He had no idea what we’d been through and I wouldn’t call myself or Luka a coward. But honestly, running laps for an hour is one of his lesser punishments so I jogged toward the track and considered myself lucky.

  It could be so much worse.

  “Hey, you okay?” Luka asked as he matched his pace to mine.

  “I’m fine,” I said. “I’ll be happier when I no longer have gym class.”

  He smirked.

  “Pick up the pace, incubus, or you’ll be doing laps aft
er dinner,” Coach Miller called.

  “Go,” I said. “I’ll see you later.”

  He blew a playful kiss and winked before taking off ahead of me.

  “Hey, girl,” Violet said, taking Luka’s place. “I was pissed when I heard you were going to leave. You didn’t even say goodbye.”

  “I wasn’t out yet,” I said. “And I never would have left without a goodbye. But lucky you, I’m here till the end of the term.”

  “I’m selfishly glad you’re sticking around,” she said. “Scarlett might not be as thrilled.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me,” I said with a laugh.

  Violet and I fell into a comfortable pace and a comfortable conversation. It made me feel a little better about everything I’d just been through. I mean, it was terrible, but at least I got some more time here to figure all this out with my friends before I was thrown into whatever the real world was for supernaturals.

  Suddenly, someone ran into me, nearly knocking me over. “Hey!”

  Delores was a few steps ahead of me now and she tossed her head back to look at me. “Watch where you’re going. Watch everything.”

  “Is that a threat?” I asked, heat filling my chest. I never got even with her after her last stunt that sent me to the hospital. I figured letting it go was the best plan, but now I wasn’t so sure.

  She smirked, then turned away from me and kept running. I shook my head. “I can’t stand her. What is her problem?”

  “Besides the fact that you scooped up four of the most eligible bachelors in the school? No idea,” Violet said.