Any other questions?"
The room was silent and we shook our heads. Ms. Arcadia smiled, nodding her head in approval.
"Excellent. Remember with midterms coming, anything can be a test. Aslan Academy is the top Hunter and Huntress school in all of the dimensions. We must ensure we keep our reputation. Always remember that, and be careful around campus. If attacked by a Forsaken and you're too weak to fight it, encase yourself in whatever element you’re strongest in using, but ensure it's not an element that drains a vast amount of energy. That will give you enough time for a council member to reach you. Class dismissed," she finished.
We rose to our feet, thanking Ms. Arcadia for another great lesson and made our way out of the classroom.
"I need a nap." Caio yawned.
"You've been yawning a lot today," Theo pointed out.
Caio frowned. "It's cloudy. You know I don't do well when there's not a lot of sun out. I hope it's not gonna be gloomy next week. That would be a pain in the ass," Caio complained.
"Don't worry, I'll lug you around campus," Cairus reassured him.
"I don't want you carrying me everywhere. Next week is written exams. Easy peasy. I'll crawl if I have to," Caio stated, yawning again.
I rubbed my eyes, allowing Orion to guide me as we walked down the hall. I'd sent Arielle to go home first, knowing she'd need the rest after her magnificent display of justice.
"You okay, Cutie Pie? You look beat," Finn asked.
"I'm fine. Maybe I'll have a nap during lunch," I admitted.
"Hey, Orion. Why don't you take Celestia home? We'll catch up. We gotta get a few things from the store," Theo suggested.
"Ya. Celestia looks like she'll walk into a wall like last time," Hunter pointed out.
"I didn't walk into a wall," I grumbled, closing my eyes.
"And she's done for," Caio and Cairus said together.
"Take her home, Orion. And watch out for any vamps. I bet they're pissed their little prince got his ass whooped," Hunter instructed, a smile of satisfaction on his lips.
"Got it. Don't forget pink and purple," Orion reminded.
I didn't know what they were talking about, but didn't really care. I just wanted to rest for a little bit.
"Cutie Pie?" Finn asked.
I felt his hand brush against my cheek, prompting me to open my eyes to meet his concerned look. He frowned.
"Sleep when you get home. We'll tell Othello you're not feeling well and need to be excused from afternoon classes, okay?" he reassured.
"Okay," I replied, fighting to keep my eyelids open. I wish I had an energy boost.
Finn sighed, taking a step forward; his lips pressed lightly on my forehead.
"Why are you kissing her?" Hunter huffed.
"Give it a minute," Caio chuckled.
"Magic," Cairus emphasized.
Finn's lips lingered on my skin, but I felt of wave of energy flow through me. It didn't feel as strong as the concoctions Magnor would make to give me an energy boost, but I didn't feel as exhausted as I had moments before.
He pulled away, giving me a wide grin.
"Better?" he asked.
"Better. Thank you. I appreciate it," I returned his smile.
He stroked my head, giving it a final pat before he walked back to where Hunter and the others stood.
"We'll see you back at the house," Theo announced.
Orion and I nodded, bidding them goodbye before we turned and walked down the hall, heading for the west exit to walk home.
"You sure you're okay?" Orion looked concerned.
"Yup. I feel a little better," I reassured him, sliding my hand in his. He looked down at our joined hands; a small smile formed on his delicate lips.
We continued walking down the hall. I noticed there was a surprising lack of students. I frowned when we turned the corner and that hall was empty too.
"Something's up," I whispered to Orion. I looked to see his serious face; his eyes narrowed for a second before he tilted his head. He tightened his grasp, pulling me into the nearest room. He quickly put an incantation on the doorknob and pulled me into the middle of the classroom. We looked around; both of our eyes landed on the closet in the back corner of the room.
Orion gestured for me to move first. He summoned a crystal-like wand in his hand while he kept on the lookout. I opened the closet, which was thankfully empty, waving at Orion to join me. He moved swiftly to where I stood, ushering for me to go in first. He followed, closing the door and then pressing his hand lightly on the doorknob.
"HIDELORA SEAL!" he chanted; a black magic circle appeared on the door, surrounding the entire closet in a black barrier. I turned to face him.
"Is it a Forsaken?" I asked. I could feel some type of presence, but it didn't feel as impure and distraught as the Forsaken we had encountered during our exam.
Orion shook his head. "Set up. I think it's Vincent's buddies. They won't sense us, but we're going to be stuck here for a while," Orion admitted.
I nodded. "Give me a sec," I whispered, closing my eyes.
I wouldn't be able to summon Arielle for fear of revealing our location, but I could try and contact her from this distance. Magnor had taught me how to communicate with Arielle years ago and we'd practiced it for emergencies. It was just as draining as shifting her into her human form, especially the farther apart we were, but this was an emergency and I didn't know how long Orion could keep the spell up.
"Arielle?"
My mind was silent, meaning I'd have to use more magic to try to connect with her or wake her up if she was asleep.
"Arielle!"
"Bru-Bru?" she asked.
I could feel her confusion and sudden anxiety as to why I was using this form of communication.
"Orion and I are in a jam. Bring the guys back to the school and go toward the West exit. We’re in one of the classrooms," I explained.
"Bru?"
"I'm fine."
"Bru-REE!"
"Yes, yes. You can scold me...later for using this. I'll take a nap...after...just hurry." I zoned out, snapping out of the mind communication.
"Cele—" Orion began, but didn't finish, arms catching me before I fell back. "Celestia?" Orion whispered, trying to remain quiet, but I could hear the urgency and worry in his voice.
"I…just need a moment. Or two. Arielle knows," I replied, catching my breath.
Orion sighed, lifting me in his arms before he lowered us both to the ground.
I relaxed my head against his chest, closing my eyes and waiting for the spinning sensation to end. I felt Orion's hand press against my forehead.
"Celestia, you're burning up," he revealed. A cool sensation seemed to replace where his hand once was, making me sigh in relief.
I didn't know how long I'd stayed in his arms for, feeling something brush against my cheek that woke me from my slumber.
"Celestia?" Orion asked.
"Orion? Are we still in the closet?" I queried, opening my eyes. I met his lilac eyes that showed his relief.
"Sadly, yes," Orion responded.
"How long have I been out?" I wondered.
"Twenty-two minutes and ten seconds," he calmly replied.
"Twenty-two minutes!" I exclaimed, trying to sit up, but Orion stopped me.
"Rest easy. The guys are nearby, but I think they're having trouble finding where we are," Orion admitted.
"Why?" I asked.
"There's a spell you can place on a certain area to camouflage it. The people after us used the spell so whoever tries to find that specific spot will have great difficulty seeing through the spell. Even if Arielle is with them, she'll be just as confused as they are," Orion explained.
"Ugh. That's frustrating," I mumbled.
"Yes. It's an annoying skill to have. Interesting that a vamp knows how to use it. Rather costly magic-wise," Orion admitted.
"Exhausting like communicating with Arielle?" I inquired.
Orion nodded. "You're only weak because of earlier. If you hadn't needed to fight that brat, you would have been okay," Orion replied. His eyebrow furrowed at the mention of Vincent.
"He deserved it," I gave him a weak grin.
He shook his head with a small smile. "He did, but I don't like you getting hurt," he replied.
"I didn't get hurt. I'm just tired," I acknowledged.
"Are you still dizzy?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No. I'm still tired, but I can take time to recover now that we're technically stuck here," I replied, resting my head back against his chest. His hand went through my hair, the comforting motion made me smile.
"Okay," he replied.
We sat in silence for a few minutes. The steady beat of Orion’s heart calmed my nerves.
"Orion?" I asked.
"Yes, Celestia?" he smiled down at me.
I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "Will you tell me a bit about you?" I asked.
He was the last person for me to get to know. I hadn't gotten the opportunity to learn more about him and judging from all the information I'd gathered from the others, Orion was a mystery book ready to be opened.
"Sure. What would you like to know?" he asked, a smile formed on his delicate lips.
I didn't want to ask him the question that had been poking at my curiosity for weeks, unsure if Orion was in a position where could safely share that information.
"Anything you're comfortable with sharing," I replied.
He nodded, looking deep in thought. "Remember when we were around the campfire?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"And you talked about your past and how you reached a point where you wanted to end it all?" Orion pressed.
I nodded.
"I...endured the same thing. Actually...I tried to end it all. My family...we were always on the run for as long as I remember. My mother, father, and older sister. We never got to settle in a place for long. My family told me I shouldn't share what we were, but I didn't listen. I wanted to make friends and meet new people. I was tired of always having to move the moment a person even remembered my name," Orion explained.
Staring at his grief-stricken expression made my heart clench for him, afraid to hear the next part of the story. He continued.
"We were on our way to another town, hoping to find a place to call home. My parents knew a good friend there who could give us shelter and we wouldn't have to run and hide anymore. I was playing with the town children and wanted to be their friends. They said if I told them what I was, they would ask their parents to find a place for us to stay so I wouldn't need to move again. I was ecstatic to finally have a home and that we wouldn't have to travel miles to reach it."
I noticed the slight tremble in his lip as he gathered the strength to keep speaking.
"I wished them goodbye, thanking them for helping me and my family and I made my way back to where my family was staying. When I got there..." he trailed off, looking away.
"Orion," I whispered; I reached up to brush his cheek, wiping away the tear that had escaped his glossy eyes.
He didn't have to finish the story for me to piece everything together. I could already imagine a small little boy who wanted a group of people to play with and feel safe around. He wanted to feel accepted and know that regardless of the distance, he'd have a friend or two who'd remember him.
But his desire to be accepted and remembered ended up leading to his family's demise. He took a shaky breath, continuing.
"By the time I got there, they were about to slice my sister's throat while she was in her shifter form. I witnessed the whole thing...and watched them discard her head next to my mother's and father's. There was my family, on the cold wet ground...dead, because of me. And I was next. I ran and hid for many nights. I grew up on what the forest could provide me and sometimes got food from travelers passing through. But I vowed to not trust anyone ever again. When I turned twenty-five, I had no purpose. I was tired of running and hiding. I slept on an empty stomach the majority of the week and had grown so weak, my resolve to live faded to nothing. Why did I deserve to live for so long, when my family had died because of my stupidity? But whenever I tried to kill myself or jump off a cliff...I couldn't. I was afraid. Afraid to face death and meet their disappointed expressions. How cowardly would it be to die because I was in pain? I should live in their honor. But every day was a battle and I'd end up at the same crossroads. Should I live for my family's legacy or die to escape the pain I suffered at every waking moment?"
I let the tears I'd been holding back fall as I stared at him in shock. My Orion had experienced such a tragic past; words couldn't describe all the feelings that flooded my heart.
He swallowed, taking a few moments to compose himself before he went on.
"I tried to fight and survive. I really did...but I couldn't take the hunger pains and lack of sleep. That was when the hunters found me. I ran as fast as I could, but got hit by an arrow and tripped. I rolled down a hill and straight off a cliff. Those six seconds of falling were the scariest moments of my entire life. Not because I knew I was going to die, but because in that moment, I regretted not trying harder. Not fighting to survive or prove to my family that their sacrifice was worth it. I blacked out when I reached the water below," Orion admitted.
I remained silent, taking in everything he'd said.
"When I woke up, I was in Finn's home. He and Hunter had been training and found me on the shore, barely breathing. They took care of me and that's when I met Cairus, Caio, and Theo. I didn't talk. I just nodded for yes and shook my head for no. I was scared to speak to them because that was what got my family killed. They would do the same too. It took me six months before I started talking to them. They didn't ask questions or wonder why I was alone. They welcomed me into their group and when I realized that, I finally knew what acceptance felt like. Even though I'd gone through so many hardships, I'd found happiness with this group. I can't change to be as I used to be, and I know some people think I'm antisocial, but as long as I have my friends who are like family to me, that's all that matters," he finished.
I gave him a smile, tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Orion. Thank you," I whispered.
He returned my smile, pulling me into a hug. "I should be thanking you, Celestia. Since I met you, I’ve felt connected with you. I've never shared my history with anyone, but with you, my heart tells me that it’s okay and that this one time, I can let my walls down and tell my story. I don't know what our future holds, but I hope we can share more moments together. Happier ones that don't involve me making you cry," he whispered the last sentence.
I laughed through tears, tightening my hold around him.
"I'll always be here, Orion. And your story is safe with me," I vowed.
We pulled apart, staring into one another's eyes. I felt even more connected to Orion and with each passing second, I realized my growing attraction for him. I didn't know if it was affection or an early form of love, but in this moment, I didn't want my mind to control my actions. My body begged to be closer to him as my eyes took in his perfection.
He was a man who'd been through so much heartache, but always cared about others, even if he didn't show it. I analyzed his lilac eyes, while my fingers reached out to feel his silky white length of hair.
His gaze lowered to my lips, returning my intense stare. I knew without a doubt that he could see my desire for him. I couldn't hide how much he affected me. How his simple touch sent shockwaves through me, or how his hand holding and direct behaviour made my heart skip with immense joy. His little acts of kindness brought a smile to my face and waking up with his arms wrapped securely around my waist left me in a state of peacefulness when I fell back asleep.
I didn't know what love was, and maybe what I felt was fast, the little amount of time we'd known one another, but I didn't care. I wouldn't deny what I felt any longer.
I would let my body have its way and at this very second, all it wanted was Orion Meadow.
His eyes returned to my lips; a glint of lust flickered through them before he met my gaze once more. He inched forward at a tremendously slow pace, I thought time itself would stop. My body rejoiced at the smooth touch of his lips when they finally met mine.
The kiss was simple with no movement. All I needed to focus on was his touch. He inched away, opening his eyes to assess my reaction.
"Celestia," he whispered; the sound of my name in his husky, smooth voice made me want more.
"One more," I purred, my voice barely a whisper.
He lowered his lips to mine, kissing me longer than he had before. He broke the kiss, but stayed only centimeter away.
"Again," I begged.
He kissed me again, but this time he deepened the kiss. It sent ripples of excitement through me as I pressed back, wanting a little more. He broke the kiss again, but I didn't ask another time. I closed the distance, kissing him. He let out a quiet moan, deepening the kiss until we were both left breathless.
We finally broke the kiss when we had no oxygen left to spare, pressing our foreheads together to maintain our closeness.
"Celestia?" Orion asked.
"Yes, Orion?" I answered.
He pulled back to stare into my eyes; a wide smile formed on his face. "Thank you for letting me be your first kiss," he seemed pleased by the thought.
I gave him a wide smile, allowing my hands to wrap around his neck. "You’re welcome, Orion," I replied, placing one last kiss on his lips.
We sat quietly in a comforting silence, Orion's fingers playing with my long locks.
"Celestia."
"Hmm?"
"Can I tell you one more thing?" he asked.
"Of course," I replied, turning to stare up at him.
He was hesitant for a second, but he closed his eyes. When they opened, I saw a newfound confidence.
"My shifter animal. It's..." he began, but paused, looking nervous.
"You don't need to tell me," I reassured him.
He shook his head in disagreement. "I want to," he assured me. He leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "My shifter animal is—"
I heard the door of the classroom open, but was distracted by the simple word that revealed everything. My eyes grew wide as I leaned back to blink up at him. He gave me a smile, nodding to confirm what he'd just revealed.
"No way," I whispered.
He grinned, placing a finger on his lip.
I nodded in agreement.
"Orion! Celestia! It's us." I heard Finn call out.
"We should have made a password," Caio suggested.
"I agree. A secret password, like Team Misfit," Cairus replied.
"Bru-REE!" Arielle chirped.
"Secret password, Team Misfit, and Arielle. Now come out, guys," Hunter called out.
Orion and I sighed in relief. I leaned forward, to whisper in his ear.
"Your secret’s safe with me," I confirmed.