Goody Magic Academy, Year Three

Chapter 19

Chapter

Nineteen

J axon looked up at me, still holding one hand over his jacket pocket. With the other, he held out my discarded shirt, jeans, and undergarments to me. He had thought of everything. I hadn’t even considered what I was going to do about clothes until now.

Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on shifting back to my human form. The transformation was quicker than ever, my bones and muscles rearranging themselves at a dizzying speed. As soon as I was back in human form, I grabbed my undergarments, hastily putting them on.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as I dressed. I could feel their eyes on me, anxious and expectant. It was like being on stage, about to perform, only to realize I’d forgotten my lines—not to mention my clothes.

As I pulled on my T-shirt and stepped into my jeans, Headmaster Tarus brushed past the others, his piercing gaze zeroing in on Jaxon. “Did you find the Dragon Nexus?” His voice was low, intense.

Jaxon nodded, reaching into his pocket. “Yes, we did.” He pulled out the Nexus, handing it over without hesitation.

Headmaster Tarus’ eyebrows arched as he took the artifact, his fingers curling around it possessively. “Any problems?” The question seemed casual enough, but there was an undercurrent of... I wasn’t sure. Concern? Irritation?

I stepped closer to Jaxon, fighting the urge to snatch the Nexus back. “Simon and Marsha promised retribution, but we managed to get away,” I said.

I had been expecting praise at that, but instead, Headmaster Tarus’ face darkened, his eyes narrowing. “So they know it was you two who stole it?”

My stomach dropped. The headmaster’s reaction was all wrong. Where were the congratulations? The relief that we had the Nexus in our possession? Suddenly, I felt like a student who had studied for an English test only to find that all the questions on the paper were about algebra.

I glanced at Jaxon, searching his face for any sign that he understood what was happening. The air was quivering with as much tension as when I had been first summoned to the high priestess’ office at Goody Magic.

Jaxon clasped my shaking hand. “Why does that matter?”

“It means they will be looking for you, boy. You need to be careful, both of you. Do not underestimate the dark forces in New Orleans. The mafia here is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Did Simon mention if anyone else was after the Dragon Nexus besides the mafia kings?”

My fingers drummed an anxious rhythm against my thigh, each tap echoing the rapid beating of my heart. “Just the kings and the high priestess. But since we have the Dragon Nexus, we can rescue my father now. Isn’t that what’s really important?”

“The battle isn’t over yet,” the headmaster said grimly as he rubbed his chin. “The high priestess won’t give up that easily. Anything else that we should know?”

I glanced away, not wanting to think about it too much. “Simon said that Maximo Barone wanted to buy me.”

The headmaster snorted with disdain. “That doesn’t surprise me. Barone is infamous for buying and selling human flesh. He’s an abomination, one that should have been snuffed out years ago.”

He placed the Nexus in his pocket. “I’ll keep this safe. In the meantime, I’ll get in touch with Headmaster Lange of Legacy Academy. He’ll contact Raven to let her know to stay well away from New Orleans.”

Hearing that sent a shiver of relief through me. From everything I’d heard, Raven Acosta was a force of nature, a hurricane in human form who would annihilate anyone who so much as thought about snuffing her out. But she was also a champion for all those of mixed bloodlines, a beacon of hope in a world that often looked down on those of us with diverse heritage. Almost all my friends, except for Jaxon, were of mixed blood like me.

My jaw clenched as determination welled up inside me. I’d be damned if I was going to be punished for not being a pureblood. Raven’s stance on mixed bloodlines wasn’t just admirable—it was an inspiration. In her, I saw the possibility of a future where I wouldn’t have to apologize for my existence, where my friends and I could stand tall. She could be more than just a powerful ally. She could be the key to changing the very system that had made us feel lesser for so long.

“I suggest we all go inside,” the headmaster said. His voice hinted that we were perhaps being watched.

I swept my gaze across the picturesque campus, drinking in the sight of blooming roses, stately antebellum buildings, and towering magnolia and oak trees. A dark sense of dread settled in my gut as I realized the enemy could be concealing themselves in the shadows.

Jaxon held my hand as we entered the headmaster’s quarters. An involuntary yawn escaped my lips, my body giving into exhaustion.

He put his arm around me. “Tired?”

I pressed my palm against my clammy forehead, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. “Yes. I think all that shifting is draining. I’m getting lightheaded, too.”

Without another word, Jaxon picked me up and cradled me in his arms. My body felt weightless against his strength, nestled securely against his broad chest. Even so, the sudden movement made my head spin again, a reminder of just how exhausted I truly was.

“Come on,” he murmured, his deep voice rumbling through his chest and into my body. “Let’s get you to bed.”

I snuggled in closer, turning my face into the crook of his neck. His scent enveloped me—a scent that had become synonymous with safety in my mind. My eyes fluttered closed as I listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, strong and unwavering, just like the man himself.

Finn blurted, “Don’t you think you should tell us what all happened?”

Jaxon scowled, his voice low and protective. “Later. Look at her, she’s exhausted.”

As Jaxon carried me to my room, I could feel the curious gazes of the others on us. Their whispers and judgments floated in the air around us, but they felt distant and unimportant. In this moment, wrapped in Jaxon’s arms, all that mattered in the world was the two of us.

He was my anchor in the storm, my rock. He was both comforting and possessive, and in my bone-deep weariness, that was exactly what I needed. I didn’t care what the others thought. Let them talk. I was exhausted, emotionally and physically drained, and all I wanted in the world was to be alone with him.

As Jaxon’s footsteps carried us away from the prying eyes and toward the promise of rest, the tension began to seep out of my body. In his arms, I could finally relax. Whatever challenges tomorrow would bring, for now, I was safe.

He held me close as he carried me back to Twyla’s and my room. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat was a soothing lullaby in my ear.

As he gently lowered me down to the bed, memories of that stark, terrible room and the cold chains biting into my skin suddenly flooded my mind. Terror clawed at my chest, threatening to overwhelm me.

I placed my trembling hand over his heart, taking comfort in its strong, reassuring beat. “Will you stay with me? I don’t want to wake up and be… be…” The words stuck in my throat.

He climbed in next to me. “Of course. I’m not going anywhere.”

I cuddled into his embrace, his arms a fortress protecting me from the darkness. The warmth of his body and the steady rise and fall of his chest instantly banished the nightmarish memories of Ravenwood Estate. A wave of gratitude washed over me, tinged with sorrow for those less fortunate. I was one of the lucky ones who escaped: how many others remained trapped in that hellish place?

He rubbed my back. “I won’t ever let anyone hurt you.”

Exhaustion finally overcame me, and I drifted off to sleep, lulled by the gentle, rhythmic sound of Jaxon’s heartbeat…

I was back in that cold, stark room, my arms wrenched painfully over my head and with a bone-deep chill throughout my body. I tugged against my restraints, the chains biting into my raw wrists. Panic clawed up my throat, threatening to choke me.

The door creaked open and Simon and Marsha strode into the room, their footsteps echoing ominously on the floor.

Marsha peered down at me, pure hatred reflected in her eyes. “Time for you to pay the price for stealing the Dragon Nexus and disrupting our auction.”

She gripped the chains, the cold metal links pressing even more painfully into my flesh. She leaned over me, her sickly-sweet perfume invading my nostrils as her hot breath brushed over my face. Then she smiled cruelly. “These manacles will punish both you and your dragon within.”

My heart hammered against my ribs as she began to chant:

By iron’s grip and fire’s sear,

Let these bonds ignite with fear.

Burn the flesh, scorch the soul,

In this circle, I take control.”

Marsha’s cackle split the air, making my bones shiver. It reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz, but unfortunately there was nothing fictional about this woman.

As soon as she finished speaking, sizzling pain erupted in my wrists as if molten lava was being poured directly onto my skin. I thrashed about on the bed, agonized screams tearing from my throat. The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air, bile rising in my throat ? —

A strong, husky voice pierced the fog of agony. “Peyton, wake up. Wake up.”

My eyes slammed open, my chest heaving as I gulped for air. Sweat plastered my hair to my forehead, my clothes clinging uncomfortably to my skin.

Strong hands gripped my arms, and I twisted my head, disoriented. “Let go of me,” I croaked, my throat raw from screaming.

“Peyton, stop. It’s okay. It’s me.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to focus in the dim light. My gaze locked onto a pair of dark, familiar eyes. The soft moonlight streaming through the window framed his handsome face, bathing it half in shadow. “Jaxon?”

His tight grip on my arms loosened, one hand moving to cup my cheek. “Yes. I’m here. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The adrenaline slowly left my system, leaving me shaky and disoriented. But Jaxon was here, and I trusted him. I was safe in his arms. I relaxed a little, my eyes darting around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings—a different bed, antique furniture, wallpaper with a faded floral pattern. Confusion swirled in my mind as I tried to piece together what had happened. “Where am I?” I stammered.

He leaned in, his lips brushing softly against my forehead. The familiar scent of his cologne grounded me, anchoring me to reality. “You’re at Red Rose Academy, in the guest quarters at the headmaster’s residence.”

Phantom pain flared in my wrists, bringing the nightmare screaming back. “Jaxon...my wrists,” I gasped, jerking my hands up to examine them. In the pale moonlight, I could see only smooth, unmarked skin. Confusion and relief warred within me.

Jaxon and I were both still wearing what we had worn to Ravenwood Estate. I must have fallen asleep, and Jaxon had kept his promise to stay with me and keep me safe.

But the dream had been so real …

I looked up at him, my bottom lip trembling. “I dreamed that…Marsha...she burned... She burned my wrists. She said she would punish me and my dragon.”

Jaxon gently took one of my wrists in his hand. His thumb brushed over the sensitive skin, the gentle touch sending soothing tingles up my arm. He lifted my wrist to his lips, placing a soft kiss where the pain had been. “Your wrists are perfect,” he murmured, his voice low and comforting.

The last tendrils of the nightmare began to fade, replaced by the warmth of Jaxon’s presence and a growing feeling of safety. I leaned into his embrace, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, allowing it to calm me.

These last few days had been nothing but terror and anxiety and the unknown. As I settled into the warmth of Jaxon’s embrace, I felt a different kind of longing. I wanted a new kind of memory, one that would get me through the dark times ahead.

I glanced over at the bed next to us. “Where’s Twyla?”

“She took another room, so we could have some privacy.”

My face heated at his words. I wanted to make Jaxon mine.

I pulled back slightly, my heart racing as I stared up into his beautiful dark eyes. The tenderness in his gaze made me bold. “Jaxon,” I whispered. “Make me forget everything except you.”

He pulled back, surprise flashing in his eyes. “What?”

My cheeks burned, but I didn’t look away. Instead, I threaded my fingers through his hair, reveling in its softness. “You said I was yours,” I reminded him in a husky voice. “Why don’t you prove it?”