"Now that you have all been paired off with your appropriate sparring partner, I will go through the list and number each pair off. You'll come to the front of the room when I call your number and spar for the class. As this is practice for the midterm, I will allow magic during today's sparring events." Miles gave me a worried glance, and I gave him what I hoped was a don't worry, babe, I've got this look in return. I wasn't worried about sparring with Hilda; I had been looking forward to it until Herja stated magic was allowed. I'm supposed to be keeping a low profile, and with my magic having a mind of its own, who knows what will happen today. "Are we allowed to use the full force of our magic?" Hilda asked, smiling over at me, her eyes dancing with mischief. "As this is a defense class, if a war were to break out, I see no reason you should hold back with anything," Herja replied."Herja," Miles shouted, "I don't think..." "Miles." Herja spoke sharply, "You're not in this cla
I should’ve tried harder. I should’ve fought against Hijra. Who the fuck cares if she’s a professor? I’m the heir to the Earth Kingdom; Divine Academy is in my Kingdom, meaning that stupid, jealous, no-good rotten Valkyrie has no final say. I gave in too quickly. I didn’t want to cause a scene with Katrina’s impending council review, and I didn’t want her to have to meet my father under that kind of circumstance. When I introduce my mate to my parents, I want it to be on our terms, not forced by some underpaid washed-out Valkyrie. And yes, I might be being a bit harsh on Hijra, but it’s no less than what she currently deserves. Because of her, my mate faces a very angry, aggressive dimi-goddess who’s called upon her forefathers to gift her with their powers behind an impenetrable shield. I’ve used every divine power I have been blessed with to break through the protective barrier, but it still stands in my way. So, here I am, being forced to watch in slow motion as Katrina stands the
"Marriage?" I ask, raising a brow, "That's your solution?" Simmins shrugged, a smirk on his face as he wallowed in the fact he was able to break me of my stoic expression. "If she's married, she'll no longer be unaffiliated. She'll become part of the Earth, Sky, Underworld, or Sea Kingdom." "She isn't supposed to be part of one of the four kingdoms. Our mate is meant to unite the kingdoms as one. My cousins won't agree with Katrina, only marrying one of us." "Too bad there isn't a fifth mate," Simmins replies, far too wise for the old geyser headmaster he pretends to be. "Yeah, that's too bad," I mumble under my breath, wondering how I will broach this marriage subject with the guys. "I can keep the BOUA away from the academy for the next two months at least. No one is allowed to interrupt midterms, not even the remaining original gods, but after midterms end, it's up to you to figure out how best to protect your mate from Brahma." "We have a meeting with the council immediately
"What do you mean by I'm a first-year?" I ask Beckett as we walk down the hall toward Luka's class. "Ah. I guess we really haven't had time to talk about school and what not." Beckett replies sheepishly. "I'm the oldest at twenty-six, I should have graduated last year, but as you know, I took a year off of school to recuperate after the events in the sea kingdom. So Miles and I are both in our senior years this year. We only have to attend our major and then one minor magical class. Miles's major is Sparring since he's the son of the God and Goddess of war. His minor, like mine, is magical studies since he has an earth affinity. I'm taking a Hydrology enhancement class that isn't available your first year for my major. That time I took you with me to practice your water skills; it was one of the weekly tutoring sessions I help with. Which, yes, is voluntary, but I'm not the saint most people think I am. I tutor water skills because I want only the strongest water wielders in my kingd
Concentrating in class was proving to be rough. While I should have been focusing on the students' ability to perform a basic shield, my mind and eyes kept wandering to the back room, wondering what Katrina was doing and how she was getting on. I chucked a ball of harmless sludge at Kayla, one of my remedial students who just barely made the cut-off for divine academy due to her divine blood being so washed out. I could tell when I through the sludge that Kayla's shield wasn't up to par, but I was surprised when it started absorbing the sludge and making it grow around her, wrapping her in a sticky mess. I pursed my lips and tried not to let out a sigh. Kayla was already in her second year at DA. If she didn't learn how to make a proper shield this year, the school would kick her out, and she would lose what little bit of divine power she had. As I told Katrina earlier, I haven't had a student fail my course yet, and I'm not about to start. "Kayla, I'll see you at 8 am sharp on Sat
As I let my divine power flow from my body, sending it toward Katrina, I watch in amazement as her shield begins to shift, her body calling upon her divine power to protect it. My magic evaporates before it can even come close to touching her shield. Captivated by what just occurred, I send another ball of magic toward Katrina, this power coming directly from the earth, and once again, her shield shifts, calling on her water affinity to protect her. The powers blessed with the earth's magic wash away, not coming close to striking her. "Katrina, your shield work is impressive. I've never come across anyone who can morph the magic their shield uses after putting it up." "Perhaps it is because I am the true fated mate of the heirs to the four heavenly kingdoms," Katrina speaks up, staring me in my eyes, the unspoken words clear in them, 'and mated to the heir of the Kingdom of Darkness.' There are murmurs around the classroom as her fellow students stare down at us, watching our inter
The situation in the Underworld was worse than I thought. I should have returned immediately after finding out Beckett would survive. The Etir had grown and spread throughout the entirety of the Acheron River Village and all of the city of Lethe and was continuing to spread through the Cocytus and Phlegethon rivers, but the spreading of the Etir wasn't the worst part. It was the destruction throughout the Acheron. Boat houses along the rivers and dams created to help tunnel water into the village were destroyed; the only remnants remaining were pieces of wood laced with metal floating along the river banks. The Etir had transformed, leaving behind a monster of mass destruction. A Kraken. As I flew over the village, my heart ached at what lay below. The once boisterous village of Acheron, the city of lost souls, was now a literal ghost town. The remaining souls were frozen in place mid-scream. Was it the sight of the Kraken that had scared them, or was it something else? Could a Medus
SamaelOnce I'm positive Medusa's destroyed, I lower my wings and turn toward the children I'm protecting. They stare at me in silence, some of their expressions filled with awe and others terrified. "Is everyone okay?" I ask, getting down on one knee so I can look them all in the eye and see if Medusa's song still had any of them under its spell. The littlest one in the group breaks the silence as she flings herself onto me. She couldn't have been older than two before she died, but from her eyes, I could tell she was much older now. "Thank you." She whispers, her voice sounding closer to someone in their eighties, as she clings to me. "Of course. You are my people." I reply, "I'll always protect you." "You'll make a great king someday, Prince Samael." The baby replies, "I'm only sad that I won't be able to see it." When she pulls away, it's only then that I notice the bright light surrounding her little body. She's ready to move on. "I've lived life to the fullest now." She r