A Class of Conjuring Read online

  “You know Cassandra’s parents were killed while on a mission for the guild?” he asked, and we nodded. “Well, my father’s missions were always more dangerous. He knew what he was getting into each time he left the house. There was always the possibility he wouldn’t be coming back. Because my mother was gone, and because Cassandra had two parents, my father allowed them to adopt me while he was still alive. It just made things easier.” He stopped and took a deep breath. “My father was killed on the mission with Cassandra’s parents. They were ambushed. Her father missed on one of his spells, leaving them vulnerable.”

  “Shit,” I said. Braeden swallowed hard, and I commended him for holding it together. I couldn’t open myself up like he was. People loved to use your own words against you.

  “I never held that against her or her parents. My father always knew he may never come back, and that time he didn’t. Luckily, Cassandra and I still had each other.” He blew out a long breath. “The guild opened their arms to her, and she worked hard at making friends, friends who still care about her despite what the guildmaster says. Those friends wouldn’t like hearing about Cassandra giving up. That’s why I think it’s up to us to make this right.”

  “That sucks, man,” Kyler said. “Sorry, we didn’t know any that stuff. I think we get it now.”

  “She’s had a rough childhood,” Braeden replied. “That’s why she lacks control of her magic. When she does find control, Challis and Edius better watch the fuck out.” He thought for a moment. “And I wouldn’t put it past them to having interfered in some of those screw ups she got blamed for. The things some people are afraid of may not even be her fault.”

  We all chuckled, knowing it was true. “The woman touches people’s hearts without even meaning to,” I said. “The connection we all have is undeniable.”

  “Damn straight,” Kyler said. “I wanted to kiss her that night on the couch. I really did. But something told me to wait. It wasn’t the right time. The thing about being with Cassandra, you want that moment, when it does happen, to be perfect.” Everyone except Oliver nodded, though I knew his crush on Cassandra was as strong as anyone’s.

  “You guys sound like a bunch of love-struck fools,” Oliver said. “Don’t forget we still have other potions to try. We need to get to work, or Challis’ curse is never going to go away.

  I tried to grab Braeden before he got to Oliver, but I missed wildly, slipping on glass and falling against the table.

  “You son-of-a-bitch,” Braeden yelled and shoved him toward the door. “You tell her. You go tell her how you feel. Tell her about the connection you have with her.”

  “Shit, Braeden, chill out,” Kyler said.

  “Stop,” I said. “This is exactly what Challis and Edius want. Us fighting and ignoring what we were brought here to do. We all know, including Cassandra, we are meant to be together. So let’s move on from that. Now we need to fix what we screwed up.

  “No,” Oliver said and twisted away from Braeden.

  I let out a loud sigh. “Now what, brainiac?”

  “Now isn’t the right time.” he said and glared at Braeden. “You assholes got to do it when the time was right. I’m going to do the same. I’ll talk to her when things are how they should be.”

  The room stayed silent for a long moment. I considered what Oliver had said about the curse never going away. But I knew this not to be true. It would go away. “Everyone sit down,” I said. Oliver was the only one to not do as he was told. “Sit, Oliver.” Reluctantly, he did. “The curse will go away on its own.”

  “What?!” Kyler said. “Why’re you just now telling us this?”

  “Because there’s been a lot of shit going on, okay,” I said. “I forgot.”

  “You forgot,” Oliver said and shook his head in disgust.

  “Watch your ass, my friend,” I said to him. “She may have already regained her powers and doesn’t know it.” I shrugged. “Challis had cast the same spell on me a few times. The last time she told me to quit whining like a baby, that I already had my powers back and it was just in my head.”

  “You’re certain?” Oliver asked. “But you’re not sure when?”

  “I’m not.” I stood and started pacing again. “I think I walked around for days with my powers back and didn’t even know it. I realized later she had been taunting me. Daring me to use them, but I didn’t think I could.”

  “Why didn’t you wipe her ass out?” Braeden asked. “I’d be pissed if that happened to me.”

  “Same reason you’ve stuck by Cassandra for all these years even after her screw ups,” I said. “I loved her. I forgave all the shit until I couldn’t forgive anymore. Why the hell do you think I’ve been so guarded with Cassandra? I don’t want to experience that shit again.”

  “I get it,” Braeden said, and the conversation about Challis ended.

  Oliver opened Aurelius’ book again. “Then we need to keep searching. Nobody goes to their next class.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Cassandra

  I sat with everyone around the picnic table in the middle of the park, waiting for the professor to return. The cultural festival was a week away, so he thought it might be helpful if we visited the city and get a feel for our surroundings. He said sometimes magic was as much about atmosphere as it was about power. I enjoyed being away from the academy for a bit and getting fresh air. I needed for the semester to come to an end and count it as a success.

  The last few weeks had been a roller coaster ride of emotions and struggling with classroom work since not all of my power had returned. Though two-thirds was better than nothing. The witch-goblin potion wore off a few days after I was splattered. I stayed in my room for those few days and only saw Ruby who spent all her free time consoling me. That was also when my powers started returning, so maybe it helped a little. If she hadn’t been around, I would have left the academy. The guys tried their best, but they didn’t understand women enough to know what I was going through. I suggested to Kyler maybe he should shapeshift into a woman for a week and then he could come back and advise me on all things female. He politely declined.

  I watched Braeden and Dash talk with the others. Every now and again they would look at me with a flirty smile or a wink. I slept with Braeden a couple more times, each time more amazing than the last. We were still friends which made things a little weird when we talked about the other guys. The five of us just considered ourselves friends with each other and whatever else happened, well, that was okay. Four guys all to myself seemed like something that only happened in dreams, though I was still plutonic friends with both Oliver and Kyler. I knew my time with them was coming. It was a matter of when and not if.

  Ruby never said one negative word about me to the guys. Her relationship with her long-distance lover was strong. There were nights when I heard her talking on the phone to him and then I would hear buzzing and moans. Occasionally he would fly in, and I would listen to her bed hitting the wall. She told me all the things they did and then about the things they wanted to try. The academy was teaching me more than just magic.

  Sex with Dash was always an adventure. He liked things rough one minute and then soft and sensual another. We enjoyed ropes and blindfolds and spankings. He took me down some sexual paths that made me think twice, but things always turned out with just the right amount of awesomeness. Neither he nor Braeden asked how well the other was in bed, something I was grateful for. Truth be told, they were equals, each offering me a blissful, often times carnal, experience.

  As a group, we were adjusting quite well to our new arrangements. There was no jealousy among the guys, and I learned to treat them all as equals, knowing that each had a special talent. I kind of guessed what it might be like with Oliver and Kyler. The anticipation made me both giddy and wet.

  “Okay, everyone,” the professor said. He’d opted for regular clothes instead of his robe. He said the robe drew too much attention when out in public. “We’re going to head into the m
iddle of the city where there’s a battle mage waiting for our arrival.” He smiled when he saw our reaction. “Good, that’s what I was hoping for. He’ll be teaching you about specialty weapons, wands, and higher-level spells. The man trained in all four magical elements when he was a student at the academy. He is one of the best in the world. I wouldn’t cross him on the tour if I were you.”

  We followed the professor into the city beneath the guise of darkness. I thought he did this solely for the fact someone might recognize me as the witch of destruction. I didn’t mind because I'd learned to let go of the past. I couldn’t change a damned thing about the things I’d done.

  “Hey,” I said to Braeden as we walked. “You’re awfully quiet lately.”

  “It’s nothing,” he said, and quickened his pace. I caught up with him.

  “It is something, Brae. What did I do wrong now?”

  “I’m afraid you’ll give up, Cassandra,” he said. “I’ve done everything I can to make you not, and now I’m not sure what you’ll do. If you give up, I'm not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive you. There's just too much riding on all of us.”

  I placed my hand on his arm and made him stop. The last thing I needed was my best friend doubting my commitment. “I give you my word, Braeden, I haven’t given up and never will. I can’t.” I wrapped my hand around the back of his head and pulled him to my lips. When I ended the kiss, I said, “I promise it won’t happen.” He smiled, and I knew he believed me.

  “If you two are done with lovey dovey, I’ll catch everyone up on what we’re about to learn,” Oliver said. He had a book in his hands and looked eager to open it.

  “Okay, brainiac,” I said, “fire away!”

  Oliver turned red, and his eyes seemed to twinkle when he looked at me. He opened the book he was carrying and began educating us.

  “Says here the museum was opened in the late seventeen-hundreds by a super-archmage named Santanna. He studied in the far east before heading to the states.” He flipped a page.

  Kyler peered over Oliver’s shoulder. “He was responsible for bringing over many of the artifacts,” Kyler said, and Oliver nudged him out of the way.

  “There’s something called a slate shield,” Oliver continued and brushed back Kyler again when he tried to read over his shoulder. “The shield supposedly will deflect a spell and send it back at the spell caster.”

  Kyler jabbed his finger at the page, and Oliver quickly closed the book. Kyler yelped and jerked his finger back, holding it with his other hands. Everyone laughed, and Kyler showed a different finger.

  “Lighten up, Oliver,” Dash said. “You don’t have to be studying all the time. Live a little.”

  We stopped at the front of the museum, an old building with grand archways made of stone and stained-glass windows. A man opened the front entrance.

  “This is battle mage Sheol,” the professor said. “He’s an expert in all the arts. Pay attention and the possibilities are endless.”

  “If you’ll follow me,” Sheol said brusquely. He definitely needed to work on his people skills. He stopped us inside the lobby. “It was not until the early sixteen hundreds that the battle mages became a decree. Magic was still a hidden art that most of the world knew nothing about.” He went on to tell us about the king’s decree and the rest of the battle mages history. All of which Oliver soaked in like a sponge.

  I was actually interested in the history because my mother had spent a good portion of my childhood teaching me the history of magic and why it wasn’t until recent times that magic became an accepted norm. She told me you hand to understand where we came from in order to know where we were going. That had been one of her favorite sayings. I missed her knowledge and the lessons she tried to teach me.

  “Unbeknownst to much of the world,” Sheol continued, “we work with many governments, guilds, and academies.” He led us to the first section of the room, and the guys acted as if they’d died and gone to heaven. “This is our weapons room.”

  Dash studied several robes, suits of armor, and other battle clothing, none of which compared to his black boots, black leather pants, and white long-sleeve shirt. The top for buttons of his shirt were undone. He caught me looking at him, and he winked.

  The first weapon we passed was the slate shield Oliver had read about. I heard him tell Kyler I told you so. Along with the weapons were some pretty cool outfits. Witches were no longer wearing black robes, pointy hats, and riding on brooms. Magic had evolved. It was possible to be both a witch and sexy as hell.

  Sheol opened a glass case and removed a two-foot metal rod. “It’s called a Barringer rod,” Sheol said. He masterfully spun it around his hands.

  “Named after Slade Barringer, a German warlock,” Oliver interjected.

  “Very good,” Sheol said, and everyone playfully nudged Oliver. “Barringer needed a way of casting spells in multiple directions at the same time.” Sheol pushed a button in the middle of the rod, and two sharp twelve-inch emerald blades shot from each end. “These emerald blades were carved from large stones found in volcanoes on the island of Iceland.” He looked at me. “The weapon is surprisingly light.” He pressed the button again, and the blades retracted. He then tossed the rod to me.

  The entire thing felt no heavier than a pound. I pushed the button, and the blades emerged. I twirled it like a baton, surprised at my ability to handle the new toy. “I can cast a spell from both ends?” I asked, and everyone immediately came at me to put the weapon down. “Not funny,” I said, and everyone laughed. Sheol tossed me the belt that sat in the case with the Barringer rod. I wrapped it around my waist and slipped the rod into the notch on my hip.

  “You look badass,” Dash said, checking me out. He leaned closer. “Maybe I should squeeze your behind.”

  “Maybe,” I said playfully.

  “Come on, lover boy,” Kyler said to Dash.

  Sheol stopped at another glass case at the end of the hall, me still wearing the Barringer rod. I would put it back as soon as Sheol ordered me to. Wearing the weapon made me feel powerful again.

  “This is a paradox box,” he said and retrieved the small box from the case. “It was used by the English to trap witches before they really understood we were not all bad. Once inside the box, a witch could only be set free by her captor. No other witch.”

  Oliver nodded at the box. “How does it work?” Sheol tossed him the box, and Oliver fumbled with it before securing it in his hand. He studied the six sides and scrunched up his face. “I don’t get it.”

  Sheol took the box and rubbed his thumb over a series of images on the box. One side of the box opened, and we all felt the box’s pull. Sheol closed the box, and the pull ceased. We glanced at each other, thinking the same thing. How could we get Challis in something like that?

  Sheol showed us other weapons in the room, Oliver and Dash showing the most interest. Braeden and Kyler seemed to be off in another world. The professor constantly checked the time on his phone. Only Oliver asked questions, though I listened to the answers intently.

  In mid-sentence, Sheol suddenly looked toward the opposite end of the room where Challis stood, a knowing smirk on her face. We turned on our heels and prepared for battle, but Sheol quickly moved in front of us. The professor dropped his phone and began moving us toward the exit. We stopped before leaving.

  Sheol charged Challis, screaming an ancient spell before going airborne. The two cast spells and at first, we thought Sheol was as good as the professor had said. But then things changed. Sheol cast another spell, lightning bolts shooting from his hands. Challis soaked in the power, and then the entire room seemed to lose its air as she sucked Sheol’s powers out of his body. He dropped lifelessly to the floor.

  Challis stood over Sheol, taunting the unconscious warrior. She had neutralized him with ease. She turned her attention on us. “A little far away from home, aren’t you?” There were a dozen students and the professor, a lot of power for her to steal. But she ignored all but four,
focusing her attention on Kyler, Oliver, Braeden, and Dash. It was obvious she wanted to take what belonged to me.

  “You can’t have them,” I said. “You know I won’t let you.”

  “You have no powers, little witch,” Challis said.

  I took another step forward and raised my hands. She looked a bit surprised but then cackled. “Make your move,” I said.

  Challis released a series of large icicles. I managed to melt each on their approach. I shot a fireball at her, and she skillfully caught it and swallowed the damn thing. I heard Braeden yell something to the others.

  Spells flew around the room, damaging walls. I screamed for everyone to stop casting spells and move the fight outside. We lured Challis outside the building where the battle raged. Fireballs, water, light and wind filled the battlefield. Challis defended well. She’d come with a plan. We had not. I glanced around at the beautiful buildings, streets, and greenery. A flashback to Wayfair City shot across my mind, and my anxiety increased. I couldn’t have a repeat.

  Kyler changed forms and raced through the small grouping of trees, trying to flank Challis as she fought Dash and Braeden. Kyler changed back to human form and cast a spell into the trees around the building. The trees came to life and began grabbing at Challis. She cackled and destroyed the trees with a series of fireballs, all the while repelling Braeden's bolts of light, actually swallowing the shards.

  From the corner of my eye I saw Oliver conjuring a spell toward the river running alongside the museum. A wall of water rose up, and Oliver thrust his hands toward the cackling Challis.

  Challis used a tornado of wind to send the massive wave back at Oliver. The wave crashed down on him and sent him sprawling across the ground, knocking him unconscious.

  I charged with everything I had, rapid firing fireballs at Challis, and she knocked them away with ease. She enjoyed the fight, especially since she was winning. This was personal to her, and I assumed it was because of Dash. That was her fault, not mine. Let a good one go and someone else would snatch them up.