Descendants Academy: Young Adult Urban Fantasy Belle Malory (highly recommended books .txt) đ
- Author: Belle Malory
Book online «Descendants Academy: Young Adult Urban Fantasy Belle Malory (highly recommended books .txt) đ». Author Belle Malory
âAh, I see. Thank you.â
He nodded, refilling my pot with fresh water. âHow have you been feeling? I mean, now that youâve ditched the lethara bracelet?â
I glanced down at my naked wrist, still bruised from where the chain used to be. For some strange reason, I didnât have the heart to toss it into the ocean. Some of those charms were from my dad. Instead, I locked it inside the wooden chest in the back of my dorm room closet.
âBetter,â I said, releasing a breath. âLessâŠheavy. If that makes sense.â
âIt does. Lethara can make its subject feel very weighed down. Your energy looks better overall.â
âGood to know.â
Peter stirred in the rose powder concoction and turned up the heat. After a few moments, he displayed a perfect set of pearly whites. âThere we go. The tea is coming to life.â
I smiled back. âYou make it seem so easy.â
He shrugged a shoulder and handed me the wooden spoon. âYouâll get the hang of it. Just takes time.â
I slowly stirred, wishing that was true. âSo people keep telling me.â
He glanced up, a knowing look in his gaze. âWhat are you having trouble with? Lilyworthâs class?â
I shook my head, staring down into the pot. âThe mirrors.â
âAh, the mirrors. They wouldnât let me through my first four, maybe five months.â
âReally?â That made me feel less sad about my own situation.
Peter nodded. âWant to know the secret trick?â
I was skeptical of any trick since the realmâs entrance was based on the mageâs so-called worthiness. In the previous weeks, I had tried all sorts of suggestions. Spinning around three times first, unlocking spells, dousing myself in sage, and the list went on and on. Still. At this point, I was willing to try anything. âLetâs hear it then.â
He moved to the other side of the table, dusting his hands off. âStaring.â
I arched a brow. âStaring?â
âYep. Keep staring into them until you figure it out. Before they let me through, I had all these preconceived ideas about the realmâs purpose. But if you stare into the mirrors long enough, theyâll show you what you need to know.â
Huh. Well, that sounded simple enough.
âThanks, Iâll give it a shot.â
That night after dinner, I headed to the library to try out Peterâs suggestion. There was nothing better to do anyway. I had already finished my homework, and studying for written tests was no longer a necessity.
Also, I needed to mix things up for a change.
I noticed on the way back from dinner each night there was always a very distinctive magic present. A certain gladiator hanging around the route back to my dorm, lurking in the shadows.
It was beyond frustrating.
Xander was worried about monsters, especially since we hadnât caught the mage responsible for chimera, and in his deluded mind, this was his way of protecting me. He made me feel safe, and it kind of pissed me off that I felt safe. I didnât want to rely on XanderâI had to learn to take care of myself. Not only that, but I thought we both made it clear that we were going to stay away from each other, that it was for the best.
He was ignoring his own rule, giving me no say in this little one-sided arrangement. By not sticking to my normal schedule, I would show him he couldnât control everything.
On the way down to the gateways, I started to freak out. It was super dark, and the usual lanterns had been put out for the night. Even Themus, who usually stayed well past dark, had left for his apartment.
I held up my hand and whispered, âIncendium.â A flame ignited, hovering over my palm and lighting the way. Out of the basics, fire magic came easily enough. Controlling it was the hard part, but over the last few weeks, Iâd gotten better.
Once I was in front of the mirrors, I dropped my messenger bag and sat down; I may as well get comfy. If staring was what it took, I was prepared to do it all night. I even brought a blanket with me in case it got cold.
The mirror showed me my subjects againâor cafĂ© girl and the hunky jock, as I referred to them. After a while, I learned their names were Mia and Ben. Watching their lives unfold presented an interesting escape. Instead of worrying about my own complicated world, it was refreshing to look inside someone elseâs for a change.
Mia was the daughter of a single parent. She worked hard, studied, and played the flute.
Ben was one of three boys. He was funny and amazing at football. And shockingly, he already had a crush on Mia. In all the times Iâd been here, I never noticed that. And much like myself, Mia was so preoccupied, she hadnât noticed either.
They each had their own little quirks and habits, different in so many ways, but similar in oneâthey both desperately needed to be loved.
Miaâs mom was gone all the time. Benâs parents were focused on his autistic brother. Mia had no time for friends. And Benâs, in my opinion, were a bunch of douchebags.
No wonder the mirrors wouldnât let me through. I would have wasted an arrow on Ben, and the poor guy was already having a hard time getting her attention. Mia was the one who was constantly busy with work and school, and she was the one who needed that arrow.
My mind had officially changed. The two of them didnât need detention. It wasnât enough time. I noticed the Dâ on the Calculus test that had fallen out of Benâs notebook. Thatâs exactly how he could win her over, by convincing Mia to tutor him. I knew if she spent enough time with Ben, sparks would fly.
At some point, my eyelids grew heavy while watching the two of them. I fell asleep there on the floor, curled up with my blanket. When I woke again, I wasnât sure what time it was, but both Ben and Mia were fast asleep in their part
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