Nuzzling her hair, I sighed. She felt so incredibly right in my arms. I never wanted to let her go, or wake from this strange, warm cocoon. But something nagged at me. The reason I woke up.
I squinted into the darkness, her shutters closed for the night.
Everything seemed all right. So what caused me to stir? Had she moved? Was it a strange dream? I glanced around, searching for the culprit of our disturbance.
Then I heard it.
Water.
Had I left the faucet running in the kitchen? Damn. That was exactly what it sounded like.
Easing away from Claire, I made my way into the living room and frowned at the quiet sink. Where is that noise com—
The front door began to bow, trickles of water flowing in through the cracks.
“What the fuck?” I breathed, inching closer. Then my eyes widened at the crashing sound just outside. “Oh, shit!” I ran back toward the bedroom, only to have the door slam into my back as a tidal wave swept into the room, throwing me to the ground and then up into a tornado of water.
Claire!
The room filled quickly, my access to air gone before I could utter a word or a warning. I swam toward her, my dress pants and shirt weighing me down. Kicking off my socks as I moved, I managed to meet her halfway, her eyes wild beneath the water.
I gestured at the window and blew a bubble.
She frowned.
Air, I mouthed. Use your air!
Because if she didn’t burst the glass, we were both going to drown.
Unless I forced her… My spirit drove to the surface, my fight-or-flight responses kicking in, ready to dive into her and take hold of her powers. I hated doing this, the darkness of manipulating others not something that appealed to me, but this was life or—
Claire grabbed my hand and sent an explosion of air at the glass, shattering it. The water pushed us through the opening, sending us sprawling out across the charred ground outside with her on my chest, sputtering.
Several other students were already outside, soaking wet, most in little to no clothing due to the midnight hour. Many were crying. Others gulping in air, terror rendering them speechless.
Fire and water did not mingle well together given their opposite properties.
“Wh-what happened?” Claire asked, her soaked dress clinging to her curves.
“I don’t know.” I pushed her damp hair away from her face and pressed my lips to her forehead before guiding us both upright. The water seemed to have evaporated, several of the Fire Fae using their gifts against the tidal waves. But the damage was already done.
And from what I could sense, we’d lost at least one life inside. Perhaps two.
“You!” A shriek came from across the yard, the bitchy female from earlier pointing her manicured nail at Claire. “You did this!”
Everyone turned to stare at us, several jaws dropping at the realization of just who had appeared outside.
“I… I didn’t,” Claire said, her voice soft, barely audible.
“First you try to fry me with my own essence, and now drown me?” the bitch continued, stalking toward us in a tiny pair of shorts and a completely translucent tank top, her fiery hair a mess over her shoulders. “If you want to duel, bitch, let’s do it. Right now. Right here.”
Gasps fluttered through the air, the challenge a lethal one.
“Sit down and shut the fuck up,” I said, pushing to my feet to stand between her and Claire.
“No!” This girl—Ignis—clearly had an issue with authority, because she popped her hands on her hips and stared me down. “I’m not standing for this bullshit. That bitch tried to kill me today. Twice.”
“It’s true,” her blue-haired friend said, coming to stand at her side. “I recognize water when I feel it, and that essence came from her.” She pointed a finger at a now-standing Claire, her gaze oozing malevolence.