King Hall (38 page)

After giving counsel to Pearl, hers only took thirty seconds, even when she messed up at first too, the sensation one that had to be manipulated and learned.

With our words of wisdom given to Jack, his took a mere fifteen seconds with only a minimal scream out of the Elemental I was partial to. Although, I didn’t like her so much after she about blew us back against the bleachers — an air Elemental — when her power flared from her outstretched hands, the normal pose for an Elemental Awakening.

The Kings’ lips twitched at that. Another lesson they had wanted us to learn.

Lesson: bare down at an air Elemental’s Awakening.

I was afraid to ask about a fire Elemental. What were we supposed to do? Wear flameproof robes? Or just duck? It was something I would have to ask Jack later, since he had seen it before at his Awakening. Or, even simpler, I could put in the request they raise their palms up, instead of directly at us, the idea having merit. Better than being soaked, burned, buried, or blown away.

The Kings allowed us leave after that, nodding approvingly and high-fiving each other for “teaching” us so well. Whatever.

School wasn’t out yet, and because it was the last day with finals still occurring, the hallways were quiet as we left early, bodyguards following. I stretched as we exited King Hall, and then raced to my Hummer, ready to be able to have a real conversation. My friends chuckled behind me, jogging to catch up.

As soon as we were driving outside the front gates, I gripped the steering wheel tight, squealing, “I did it! I did it!” I sucked air, groaning deep, “
I did it!”

From the backseat, Jack moaned in good humor, “God, she faints like a girl. She squeals like a girl. What’s next? Does she want praise like a girl?”

Peering at him in my rear-view mirror, I saw his grin. “Yes. I do.” I mock scowled, but whispered seriously, “Do you know how hard it was for me to go in there and even try?”

“Hard enough you forgot to eat,” Ezra grumbled, but a second later he placed his hand on my thigh, chuckling softly. “Sweetheart, you were very brave.” A gentle squeeze, his words soft. “I don’t know anyone else who would have gone in front of four Kings and tried to do an Awakening if they were in your shoes.” Another squeeze. “You did good.”

Pearl’s hand landed on my elbow — below window level — and she whispered breathlessly, “That was so amazing! I was so scared there for a second, but you did it! You walked,” she paused, and amended, “you were pushed right into that gym and had the balls to go for it! That bloody rocks.”

Jack’s hand landed right above hers. “Seriously, Lily, what you did today was kickass.”

I smiled, feeling truly content. The way I always did around them. “Thank you, guys.” I paused, and then my tone was soft. “And, thank you for protecting me when you thought I’d fainted for other reasons.” A quick glance at each of them. “Seriously, you guys are the best.”

Jack chuckled, rubbing my arm before releasing me. “You would have done the exact thing if the roles were reversed.”

I nodded. “Duh. I love your ass.”

He groaned again, but I saw him smiling in the rear-view.

Pearl patted my arm again before sitting back. “We need to celebrate. We’re done with King Hall. No more classes. No more teachers.”

Ezra rubbed his thumb over my leg and pointed with his free hand across me, his arm obscuring my line of sight for a second. “There. Let’s grab some grub and head to the beach for a few hours.”

My stomach growled on command. Sounded like a plan.

Now, if we went to the beach, we did so on private property. We had promised the Kings we would do so, and since none of us wanted to be caught on national television killing Coms again, we actually obeyed the rule. Plus, this was one of the few privileges afford us during our extensive “grounding” and we didn’t want it taken away.

We picked up food and our swimsuits, and went to the assigned older Mage’s beachfront house. I really liked the old man, Richard. He always had tons of junk food in his cabinets when we dropped by. Also, I think he enjoyed our company too, since his mate had died many years ago. He was a recluse, and definitely off, his scent even corked, but that didn’t mean he didn’t chatter up a storm whenever we were there, and his magic felt mighty powerful. Sweet and innocent gramps look-a-like or not, his power was astounding.

After filling our bellies in his kitchen, he herded us out back, babbling merrily, “Shadows aren’t always innocent, vegetarians aren’t always sweet, not everyone enjoys killing, opposites inevitably attract, emotions can be destructive and deadly, never ask a favor from someone you don’t know, the dead stink, kill any bastard with silver skin, children are a true gift, with dark comes light, Commoners can advance, dragons from children’s fairy tales are my favorite creature, time keeps moving, innocence doesn’t mean innocent, the mighty fall head over heels, and remember you’re young.” A shooing gesture. “Go act like it while you can.”

We stared. Yeah, definitely off.

More hand shooing in our direction.

So, we did.

Pearl and I sunbathed lying on beach towels over warm sand.

Ezra swam so far out he looked like a tiny dot in the ocean, and then zoomed back to the beach in ten seconds flat, only to repeat this multiple times, the equivalent of a Vampire doing laps.

And, what does a water Elemental do around the ocean?

Cause trouble, that’s what.

Jack enjoyed making a wave swell up over Pearl and me when we were almost asleep, and then, fall down on us. He also delighted in making Ezra shoot up from the ocean in a spray of water. Moreover, he found it extremely entertaining, immediately following this, constructing a grand throne of water a few feet into the ocean that he sat on high above us so we couldn’t reach him when we tried to pummel him.

All in all, it was a perfect afternoon.

Other than the seaweed I had to pull out of my hair.

That evening, the Kings, my friends, their mates, and I sat inside King Fergus’s house for an early dinner. Graduation was planned for the next morning. Very early, so we were all going home directly after our meal to get a good night’s rest. The Kings had switched it up this year, not having graduation for the seniors the same night as the last day of school with the Awakenings directly afterward. Because of the four of us. For this year, the change was worldwide, every scheduled Awakening happening tomorrow to coincide with our schedule.

Instead of the normal short evening graduations and Awakenings, it was going to be a full-day event, starting early because an influx of Mysticals was coming to our big day. Mysticals from all over the United States of America, and even several from other countries, would be in attendance, endeavoring to see the Prodigies’ “first” Awakenings and, generally, there to ogle us. Since there were going to be so many attending, the Kings decided it would be advantageous for us to be introduced to those in attendance with a small celebration between our graduation and the Awakenings. Even though I couldn’t be happier with what I had pulled off today, tomorrow’s event wasn’t entirely a pleasant thought.

King Kincaid couldn’t be more cheerful about it, though, which he expressed for, like, the third time before the salads were even placed in front of us. Somehow, he knew it hadn’t worked out between Broderick and me, the wolf drifter having been booted from the mansion that night, so he was hopeful I would meet someone tomorrow. I couldn’t say I disagreed with his eager thought, but I was hopeful for a different reason than him. He thought I was having lots of no-no sex with a Vampire, when — in the land of reality — my reason was I wasn’t having any sex, and hadn’t for way too long for my needs.

Pearl and Jack found King Kincaid’s behavior entirely entertaining as he said, “It’s truly delightful so many Shifters will be there tomorrow.” For the fourth time. Fi gave him an odd look, but he didn’t seem to notice, taking a sip of his wine and peering at me, smiling grandly. “Don’t you think so, Lily? Imagine all the Shifter alphas you’ll meet.”

Since he had actually brought me into this, I deadpanned, “It’ll be a real marathon.”

Jack, Pearl, and Ezra choked on their drinks.

King Kincaid merely patted my hand, his grin widening, even as he muttered under his breath, “
Let’s hope so
.”

King Venclaire coughed hard — Vamp hearing — while glancing at Ezra, who was studiously wiping his mouth with his napkin (when he hadn’t eaten anything yet), his eyes crinkled with mirth as he hid his grin. King Venclaire quickly raised his glass as everyone eyed King Kincaid strangely, saying, “Let’s have a toast.” Everyone obediently raised their own glasses. “To our Prodigies. Even though they only broke one of our records,” he smirked as the other three Kings high-fived each other over the table, “they did fantastic.” His grin widened. “Let’s have each King say their favorite part of the Prodigies’ training.” A nod toward King Fergus. “Feel free to go first.”

King Fergus rubbed his chin, and then sniggered. “My favorite would have to be watching them fly through the air for the first time. Their expressions were incomparable.”

The Kings nodded, all smiles.

Lowering my glass, I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. Kings and their pleasures.

My friends followed suit, glaring or looking bored or picking at their nails.

King Nelson said, “I think the high point was seeing Pearl tackle Jack after their first attempt at linking in preparation for funneling.” He chuckled, bowing his head to Jack. “You can really take a hit.”

The Kings snickered.

King Kincaid cleared his throat, offering, “My much loved part was when Jack tackled her in return.” A head bow to Pearl. “You don’t scream at all like a girl.”

“More like a banshee,” King Fergus grumbled, rubbing his ear as if he still heard it.

In his defense, it had been…bad.

“Ah, that leaves me,” King Venclaire murmured, chortling. “I think the most entertaining incident was when Lily shoved Ezra into the deep end of the pond after that one monstrous attempt at linking.”

Instantly, my cheeks pinked. That hadn’t been my finest moment.

The Kings snorted merrily, probably remembering Ezra dragging himself out of the pond with a catfish stuck under the collar of his shirt, then moving so fast I didn’t see him coming and dropping the damn fish down my top, to which I had probably screamed like a girl.

Alright yeah, I had. It was all slimy and flipping and
gross
.

Fi sighed heavily, eyeing her mate from under her lashes.

King Kincaid stopped snickering, clearing his throat and holding his glass out straight. “In all seriousness, here’s to our Prodigies.” Warily, I held my glass up for a second time, but only after my friends did so first. “Even though all four of you are lollygagging with your individual choice of home base,” his eyebrows rose at our swift innocent expressions, “which I’m sure we’ll hear the reason for soon enough — even if we don’t want to. Besides that, all of you have done a tremendous job this year.

“The circumstances haven’t been easy with all that has passed, but you’ve prevailed and learned and worked hard, truly impressing us.” We blinked at him, and he nodded. “Yes, you’ve impressed us. I do believe when the four of you become the Kings and Queens that your reign will flourish as none have before. All four of you are utterly remarkable. It has been a pleasure knowing and teaching you.”

All occupants at the table, minus my friends and myself, began clinking glasses, shouting, “Hear, hear!”

I was stunned by his words, but they had been
truth to all
. I had scented the air halfway through to make sure. My friend’s demeanors showed the same shock I was in, but we quickly got with the program and toasted along with everyone else. Guess the Kings didn’t hate us so much, after all.

Halfway through dinner, King Kincaid received a call on his cell, and he left the room for a few minutes. When he came back, his eyebrows were lowered and his nostrils were flared. Pretty much, he looked pissed. He sat heavily on his chair, flicking his gaze to each of the Kings, and in return they quieted in whatever conversations they were having. King Kincaid closed his eyes for a few moments before turning to me, stating, “Your graduation present has vanished.”

I stared. I had no clue what he was talking about.

“When?” King Venclaire delicately placed his napkin on the table.

King Kincaid’s attention turned his way. “Yesterday. Just gone. His secretary got worried when he didn’t show for work today, and called his house. The housekeeper said he hadn’t been home since early yesterday morning. Elder Farrar knows he went to work that day, but after that his whereabouts are unknown. There’s even been a missing persons report filed.”

King Fergus glowered. “Well,” he rubbed his neck, pausing, “if he’s dead that’s more than what we were going to do.” Another rub. “This could be a blessing.”

Gradually, King Nelson nodded. “If he were dead, it would be blessing.”

King Kincaid’s eyebrows lowered. “I wanted that asshole behind bars. Not to have someone else kill him for me unknowingly.”

King Venclaire sat back on his chair, crossing his arms. “Missing doesn’t mean dead. Plus, he is a grown man. He could have had an emergency he needed to take care of and hasn’t had time to call his office.” He waved an agitated hand. “We could still get revenge.”

I blinked, finally understanding. “You’re talking about Philip Masterson.” His name came out on a wolf’s growl. After being assaulted by him…well, I hoped he was dead and not just missing or had an emergency. Dammit, the Kings had said they had something
special
planned for him.

“I’m sorry, honey,” King Kincaid crooned softly, placing his arm around me and pulling me in close. “We had it all arranged. Tomorrow, there’s a Com function in the city. We had a Com woman we know, and trust, who was set to be bait. In a recorded room. After he started trying the same abuse on her he did you — security was going to be close so she wouldn’t really be harmed — she was going to press charges, using the tape. Put him behind bars.” He sighed heavily. “It really was our graduation present. We know how much this meant to you.”