“Class is adjourned,” Zak announced to the students before fixing his concerned gaze on me, lightning wheeling in his silver eyes.
The aloof Demigod of Sky had disappeared since he’d met me, replaced by this warm, considerate, and levelheaded demigod.
“Let’s get Rosebud out of here,” he ordered.
“Wait!” I cried.
I shoved them before they grabbed me and teleported me. “I said I need to see my friends. It won’t take long.”
“Let her,” Paxton said. “We need to stop imposing our wills on her, thinking we know better. Let her do her things and treat her as our equal. It takes some getting used to, but if we don’t adapt quickly, we’ll just turn her off and drive her away.”
“You’re the last man on Earth who should give advice on relationships,” Axel snorted, but he let go of me.
All the demigods stepped back to give me space and let me do my shit, as suggested by Paxton.
“Make it quick, lamb,” Héctor called after me. “We need to take you to the safe house.”
I sighed. It would take a long time for them to lose some of their overprotective and possessive traits and habits.
I sprang to Nat’s and Yelena’s side. They were shuddering, like the other students. Two healers used magic to heal the students who’d been hurt the most. A first-year who shared the dorm with Yelena and me wasn’t moving, and one of Demetra’s clique members was weeping.
Crying was considered a fatal weakness within the ranks of the Dominions. They might kick the girl out of the Academy after this episode, despite that it was the god’s fault. I didn’t know if I should envy or pity her.
I embraced Nat and Yelena. They weren’t wounded. Somehow my sentient orb had thickened the section around my friends when the Glory hit. But still, a few streaks of their hair had turned gray. Yelena loved her hair.
My friends clung to me.
“We’re good,” Nat said. “Are you all right?”
I looked at Marie over Yelena’s shoulder, and the soldier nodded. She was okay. She was tough.
Murphy tried to get up from his sitting position. He stared hard at me, the muscle under his hazel eyes twitching.
“You’re right about that girl,” he told Marie ruefully. “I accepted the teaching position under the assumption that it’d bring me some peace.”
Zak called. “Marie.”
Marie stood tall. “Yes, sir.”
“Get all the manpower you need,” the sky demigod ordered. “You’ll supervise the students’ healing with Murphy.”
“Yes, sir,” Marie said.
I looked up at Zak. “What can I do to help?”
I’d been a hunter, a killer, and a warrior. I wasn’t of much use in healing, though I could regenerate. The demigods were the same as me in this regard.
“We need to get you back to the house,” Axel chimed in.
I was torn. I didn’t want to leave Nat and Yelena behind after the war god had nearly liquefied them.
“Bring your friends with you,” Héctor said.
My eyes brightened. Héctor wouldn’t let anyone into his house except for the demigods and me, but he was making an exception for me.
“Thank you,” I said.
Axel smiled at me as if he was the one who’d done me the favor. “They’re important to you.”