Of Life and Death: [A Dark Academia Paranormal Romance]

Chapter 26

RYLAN

Using my boot, I kick off excess gravel and sit. "Ourprofessor says the first step to welding is getting pretty f*ckingpissed."

She blinks. "Pissed, as in drunk? Or, like,angry?"

"Furious. Foaming at the mouth."

She lifts a brow. "Well, since I don't have rabies, doI still qualify?"

"Tough, but we'll see."

I cross my legs, putting my palms face down on either of myknee in what is known as a thinking pose. Trees sway to the chilly night air,the sound of crickets and crinkling leaves breaking the silence from time totime. Emma mirrors my actions. "So what now?"

"Take a deep breath."

Wrong idea. When she inhales, her breasts jut forward and Ifeel my mouth dry. "I didn't say suck in all the air," I snap.

She trains a glare on me. "I was just following yourinstructions."

"Well, follow them without trying to be a vacuum.Watch."

She watches snidely as I inhale. "There," I sayquietly. "One small breath in, another one out."

She copies my actions for a few minutes then just stops."Is breathing all we're going to be doing?"

"Be patient."

"Ha."

"I wasn't telling a joke."

"You might have as well been." In the silence ofthe night, the sound of her scrambling to her feet is suddenly loud.

"Where are you going?"

"For a stretch. You can breathe all you want."

She starts to head farther into the forest.

"Emmaline," I call, fighting the urge to grind myteeth.

An eternity seems to pass before she yells back, "And Iwant to see how you'll feel when faced with destroying a race of dangerousimmortals and all you're doing is breathing!" Her voice is a distant echo.My stomach falls.

Rushing to my feet, I march through the woods, angrilytailing her fading voice.

"... yeah, didn't think you'll like that very much.Maybe I should just attend practice room. I'm sphinxe, right? Practically Icontrol fire and water..."

In the distance her blonde hair gleams around her head likea halo, highlighted by the moon. Quick, I draw level with her, grabbing herhand before she can get any further. "Stop. You're getting close to theschool's borders."