Page 18 of Angel Lost (Fates Academy #3)

Chapter Eighteen: Lorelei

“No, Aether Lorelei,” the professor says. “Your hands are too far apart. It’s not like you want to hide the entire desk in the ley lines, now is it?”

I readjust my fingers. Professor Hardman—or Hardass, as I’ve taken to calling him—is exacting. If I thought the professors here would go easy on me for the first few weeks, then satyr shit I was wrong. They didn’t even take it easy on me on day one. My head aches with that dull kind of tired you just can’t shake. I still have the day to get through before I can leave for Fates.

I tilt my head back, staring at the ceiling. These heated stone loungers might actually put me to sleep. It seems dangerous having them in class…

“Let go of physical constructs. Let go of this reality. Just feel the energy flowing through the room. See the energy as lines flowing around you. Now…move those lines. Fractionally.”

As the diminutive professor talks, his tiny, creepy hands draw waves in the air. My eyelids droop and suddenly I see it. Somewhere between eyes open and eyes shut, with my vision blurred, I see the ley lines. I finally, finally see them. Shimmering currents of power—a delicate network of glowing lines crisscrossing the room like a web of molten gold. Some thin, whisper-like, others thick and vibrating with violent raw energy. Each thread hums in my veins, tugging at my aether like a magnet. So beautiful, so intoxicating…and infinitely dangerous.

Concentrate, Lorelei. The lesson . Centering my energy, I roll my fingers the way the professor taught me .

I open my eyes wide, but my textbook sits resolutely on the floor beside me. I was so sure. So, so, sure I had it right this time. I scowl down at my hands, only looking up when the background chattering reaches fever pitch.

“Aether Lorelei,” Professor Hardass-Hardman says with a growl, “perhaps you would care to untuck my classroom from the ley lines now?”

Mouth half-open, I drop back into the ley dimension. It’s easier this time to see the energy. I trace the lines around us, feeling for the edges of the room. Shit. I did this? Somehow, rather than fold the energy around my book, I’ve folded it around the whole classroom.

“Quickly, aether, before you drain yourself.”

I pull on a strand. It won’t budge. I try another. Nothing. Tiredness washes over me. Finally, I spot a line straining toward me, willing me to touch it. With the slightest of tugs, it slides free, releasing the other tangled threads. The ley lines flow through the room, and I let out a sigh of relief.

The professor steeples his hands together, peering at me over the top of them. “Yes, very good. More precision with those fingers next time.” He pauses. “And, aether? Try not to exert yourself the rest of the day.”

“How did you do that?” Reye asks as I slink out of the classroom. “You went from the skills of a toddler to ascension-ready in the space of five minutes.”

“It just…made sense. I wish I could work out the whole healing thing as easily.”

“You’ll get there,” she says softly, glancing away.

I’m still injured from the trial. And the medicine professor won’t let me do any practice until I’m healed. Nothing. I’m stuck in the corner reading a stupid book while they all stab each other and then practice healing. I scowl at Reye. The idea of stabbing is way too attractive. She’s so good at everything. And nice; she’s far too nicey nice.

Reye leans forward, patting me on the arm as we wander down the greenery-filled paths between classes. “You’re far more capable than you realize. I have every confidence that you’ll handle it beautifully.”

I force myself to smile, to thank her. She’s trained to be like this. She doesn’t see it as false. But she’s not even nineteen, for Hades’ sake. This place has quashed all the personality out of her.

Only during lunch do I get a minute to slip back to the blissful solitude of my room. Having a small number of students at the academy seems to mean someone is in your business all the time.

I shut my door firmly, leaning my back against the pale ash and pause, basking in the blessed aloneness. Sighing, I heave myself upright and hunt out my phone. I upend my pillowcase, and it drops onto the duvet.

Here goes. Shaking out my limbs, I ease back into that semi-lucid state. The air crackles. Ley lines zip away from me, vanishing into the distance. Very, very gently I pick up my phone and cautiously manipulate the energy around my hands. The phone vanishes. Or it sort of vanishes. If I squint, I can still see the ley line version of it, tucked away between strands of energy. Shit. I can’t see the screen like this. What if I…Carefully I extend the pocket around myself, squeezing between the ley lines. Now I can’t see the rest of the room, except as if it were energy. But…I can see my phone.

Bingo.

There must be an easier way. I saw students do this like it was nothing. So much to learn. I groan and flip the hidden network on.

Ping.

Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping.

I hammer the silent button. Shit. Not subtle. I flick through the messages. The first few are just chitchat, but with each successive message I can sense the alarm rising as I don’t reply. Finally, the boys let me know Kai told them I probably couldn’t message. That he’d teach me how when I got back .

Several missed calls in the first twenty-four hours, but ten yesterday. When they already knew I couldn’t pick up. All from Chano.

Something’s wrong.

I hit dial, but it rings out. My heart sinks. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he just got lonely yesterday. I fire out a quick chirpy group message, but my gut’s churning.

Ali-G Chat

Lorelei: I worked it out guys! Don’t need Kai’s help. Chano, what’s up? You called?

Zephyr has added Kai to the chat.

Seriously? Is that necessary?

There’s a long pause before three little dots appear next to Zephyr’s name. Everyone else leaves me on read.

Zephyr: You need to talk to Chano.

Lorelei: No shit. He’s not answering, and you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?

Zephyr: He should tell you…

Lorelei: So help me, Z…

Zephyr: It’s his sister.

Hecate, I don’t get on with the little shit, but I wouldn’t wish her ill.

Lorelei: Lottie? What’s happened?

Zephyr: She’s gone.

Lorelei: Gone where?

Zephyr: No one knows. And a bunch of her friends are missing. Since sometime on Tuesday.

Two days ago.

Lorelei: I’m coming back.

Kai: The school won’t like that, Lorelei. What’re you going to do here anyway?

Lorelei: Fuck off, Kai. I’m going to be there for Chano, that’s what .

Swiping rapidly, I disconnect from the network. I’m so rattled it takes a few moments to untangle the energy around me and step out of the pocket. Exhaustion drags at me as I tug the last ley line back into its proper position. My head pounds. I could sleep for a week.

I stuff a couple of things into my bag, shoulder it, and head for the portal. Every extra second I take is a second I’m not at Chano’s side.

Tripping over snaking paths doesn’t seem nearly so endearing today. The place is trying to slow me down. Finally, I reach the portal. Except…it seems different. Ivy and roses wind up the arch. The stone underneath is dull. Inactive.

It’s inactive.

Panicking, I stumble into the reception, the calming music jarring to my ear.

“What’s wrong with the portal?”

The receptionist pulls her glasses down to the tip of her nose to peer at me. She shakes her head, the amulets around her neck chinking wildly.

“Perhaps I can help. But first, manners,” she chirps.

“Please,” I grit out. “I have to use the portal. Immediately.”

She pushes her glasses back up her nose. “Your lack of organization does not constitute an emergency on my part. You should have brought everything you need. You are only here for four days at a time. Go shopping on your own time.”

“It is an emergency .”

“You’d have to speak to the dean,” she says primly.

As if that would put me off. Chano needs me. I nod and she gestures down the corridor toward the dean’s office.

I haven’t even raised my hand to knock when her door opens. Dean Davina stands in front of me, head tilted in question.

“I need to use the portal. But it’s not working.”

“Classes have not ended yet, Aether Lorelei.”

“My allegiance needs me,” I snarl .

She taps a fingernail on the doorframe. “I don’t appreciate your tone, young lady.”

Damn all this stupid etiquette shit. I clasp my hands and drop my eyes. “Dean Davina, I apologize. I’m not trying to skip class. It’s an emergency.”

I cringe, waiting for her to ask how I know when we’re not supposed to communicate with the outside world.

“Very well.”

I jerk my head up.

“The large portal has been deactivated. Too many hellions abroad to leave such a large gateway into the school. The only active portal is in my office. You should, however, be aware that there is a minimum attendance to pass the year.”

That’s it? She’s not going to tell me off, insist I stay for the afternoon?

The dean steps back gracefully as she gestures toward a small portal in the corner of her room.

“This is a tricky time for you, Aether Lorelei. Settling in here…These hiccups normally happen to our younger students.”

“No, there really is—”

“I don’t need to know, aether. You are an adult. We support you here. We can only help you make the right choices.”

“This is the right choice!”

“Well, then, we’ll see you Monday.”