Hidden Magic

Chapter Thirty-Three

I don't know if it was arrogance or that I was so sure they felt the same as me, but I expected them to be there, right at the entrance to Sira Branch after my classes were over, or at least not long after but they didn't show. I thought that one if not all of them would come at least later, but no one showed, and I wasted my time waiting for them for nothing. Seth consoled me appropriately, at least that was what I took it as, he took it as me being solely his for a little while longer.

I wasn't sure if I thought I was just so great these men couldn't help but love me, or something else, like how two people just love each other at the same time, but my relationship with Kaiden or rather lack there of, wasn't going so well either. He was stiffer with me than before, more formal and serious, he didn't even touch me now, just told me how to adjust myself, not caring how many times I got it wrong or didn't understand him, he would demonstrate for me again and that was it, evidently, I had crossed a line Kaiden wasn't ready for me to cross.

But the three men I was truly waiting for never came that day either, or the next, or even the day after that, we were almost done our classes for the week and I hadn't spoken to them once since I spoke to them on Monday, it was Friday and I had heard no word. Had I truly misjudged their feelings for me that much? But if they didn't want to be with me, then why not come to me and say so, why leave me in suspense. I groan and slouch against Seth, it was lunch, the men I worried over no where in sight, I was beginning to lose all hope, if they didn't come to me today then I should just give up on them, obviously I didn't mean that much to them. "Hey, now. Maybe they are just taking the time they need to truly think about it, it isn't a light decision to make after all." I raise an eyebrow at him, not at all convinced by his words, it hadn't taken him long to decide at all. "I know what is at stake, which made me decide faster, they don't know, just be patient, if they decide they don't want to be a part of your life, then your better for it, they obviously don't deserve to be in it then." I shrug and finish off my plate of food, there was no point whining about something I couldn't change.

I had told them to take time to think about it, granted I didn't think it would take this long but at least they weren't recklessly accepting or denying me right away. Now I just had to have the patience to give them time. "I'll put these away." I stand up and pick up both of our plates, many of the other legacy students just left their plates on the table for staff to pick up, but there was a dirty dishes bin for a reason. I turn around and blink in shock, the pain radiating on my cheek after just being bitch slapped the moment I turned around, I blink in shock as Abigail Glentree stands before me, her face red in anger and her hand lifting up like she was going to slap me again, except fat chance I was going to let that happen again.

I catch her wrist this time, not letting the second blow land. "You caught me off guard the first time, but don't think I'll let you hit me a second time, what do you want from me now Abigail?" My voice was deceptively calm, but on the inside, I was livid and I knew as much as I tried to restrain them, my anger was making the shadows lash out, the room was darkening as lights above us and on the walls that were pixie fire were quickly smothered out in quick succession, she shifted uneasily, her eyes flickering around in a slight panic as the room slowly descended into a slight darkness, light still came in through the windows, but not for long as my shadows slowly crawled across the glass, blocking the light from coming in.

Her panic and fear were shoved under the surface as she glared at me with anger and hate, her skin glowing softly as she accessed her chosen element of light. "You bitch!" Her rage was much less contained than mine was, because this was very much contained because I hadn't injured her yet, the hand in my grasp began to heat up, glowing with a burning light, likely intended to burn me, if only she could reach me, and she tried, boy did she try, even going so far as to try to maim my face with her other hand, but I caught that one too. I could feel the light on her skin, burning hot, singing the skin on my hands, if not for the shadows partially coating my skin I would imagine I would have third degree burns by now, but my shadows were much stronger than her light, I knew it because as I tightened my grip on her wrists and the light flooding her skin flickered, dimming beneath the weight of my shadows.

"I didn't ask what you like to call me, I asked what do you want, and this time, Abigail you will answer me, or I will show you exactly what I can do when I'm mad." I felt vines curl around my ankles, a stupid person from Dagda branch trying to save Abigail from my wrath, but I didn't flinch when they tightened, I didn't make a sound when they grew thorns that dug into my skin and made me bleed.

After having dreams day after day of being killed, burned alive, this little amount of pain was nothing to me. I tilted my head, looking past Abigail to stare at the softly lit up face of my once friend Amalia. It didn't matter to me that she could only see because of Abigail's little glow stick routine, even in complete darkness, I would never be blind to my surroundings, because the shadows never concealed my vision, unlike how it did for every other person not chosen for Sira branch. A quick twist of a finger wrapped around one of Abigail's wrists and a tendril of shadow lashed out and wrapped around Amalia's throat, the vines wrapped tightly around loosened in died with her panic, as she lost focus and stopped funneling magic into them.

"You know we were friends once, but now you try to attack me in favor of saving this pathetic little girl who is so weak in her magic that she can only glow in the dark, I hate to burst your bubble Abigail, but so can glow sticks and they don't have any magic at all, yet you attack me? When I have done nothing to provoke you?" She squrims in my grasp, desperately trying to break free, her light struggles to shines any brighter, and all it does is singe my fingers a little bit, nothing I couldn't handle.

"You took him from me! He was mine! And then you came along and stole him! I told you to stay away from him! That Ezekiel was mine! But now he is writing not only his parents but mine, that the engagement will never happen? He is mine! Not yours!" She seems to use all her energy on screaming as she goes slack and her light dims, almost going out, I should have suspected something because as I begin to think I've one, she lunges for me, her hands shooting out twins beams of light, aimed for me.

I deflect them with bursts of shadow on instinct alone, directing them up to the ceiling where they are less likely to harm anyone else, Amalia is dropped to the ground coughing as gasping for air as I lose control of the tendril holding her up, it dissipates back to being intangible shadow instead of the solid object I could make it. "You are such a silly little girl, spoiled and led to believe you are someone special. You are not special, and he was never yours, yet you attack me? Someone who is so far above you in terms of magic, you try to burn me? Well how about I burn you?" My words are quiet, almost whispered but they ring loudly around the silent room as my shadows rush forward and cover the room in darkness, I was usually quite good at handling my temper, one I knew I definitely had, magic didn't make my outbursts any better, they likely made them worse, and this one was going to be bad.

I hated being slapped, but being slapped for something I did was one thing, being slapped because a woman refused to hold a man accountable for his actions and instead held another woman accountable, oh I despised those woman, and Abigail had done both, my patience had already been thin because I had been waiting to hear from my men, but Abigail's actions had snapped the string and now she would have to deal with the consequences.

I wasn't sure it was possible, but in terms of magic, I was so much stronger than Abigail, so in my rage, while shadows completely surrounded us in darkness, I summoned light, my skin took on a blinding light, much brighter than Abigail's had, and it didn't hurt my shadows, because they were both of my magic, instead I turned that rage I felt into my magic, making it burn brighter and hotter, and I burned her, her screams echoed in my ears along with the sizzling of skin and the smell of burned flesh, I burned manacles on her wrists, because she was a slave to her own delusions, and I would not allow her to try to blame them on me.

The room was quiet when I dropped her, Seth was a comforting presence at my back, but I knew I wasn't out of trouble yet, now that my rage had calmed at least some, I drew the shadows back inside me and stood there calmly, ignoring the shocked and horrified looks sent my way, as I waited to find out what the consequences were for my actions.