Descendants Academy: Young Adult Urban Fantasy, Belle Malory [motivational novels for students .txt] 📗

She looked me over, magically arranging my hair into cascading strands threaded together with tiny silver bands. “Focus on Peter Hallas. He’s the house leader. If he accepts you, everyone else will too.”

“I thought if you accepted me, everyone would,” I grumbled.

“My name carries weight, but people like Peter. He’s charismatic.”

“But they don’t like you?”

I tried not to grin, I really did. It didn’t work.

Ione ignored my comment. “With the two of us backing you, the rest of the house will follow suit. No one will care which bloodline you descend from.” She put her hands on her hips, looked me over once more, then gave a satisfied nod. “Perfect.”

I smiled. “You seem really excited.”

“Of course, I am. You’re my protégé.” She beamed. “If I can mold an unruly Ares descendant into a worthy Aphrodite mage, I can do anything.”

I laughed. For someone who hated me with so much passion a week ago, we were almost like friends. Sort of. It was a love-hate relationship.

We left for the party just as the spring sun set on the horizon, dressed in our lavender togas. As we exited House Aphrodite, someone whistled from behind the trio of spiral topiary bushes.

“Hey, Thorny.” It was Jett, on her way in just as we were leaving. She waved me over.

“One second,” I said to Ione.

Jett crinkled her nose as I approached. “Look at you, a vision in purple.”

I ignored her sarcasm. “What are you doing here?”

She smirked. “The guy I mentioned? The one who can get us into Twilight Island undetected—he has an opening this weekend, but he wants to meet you and Hazel in person first. To make sure you’re both straight and discuss price.”

My heart thudded against my chest. I didn’t expect to get a chance so soon. “When?”

“Now.”

Figured.

“I can’t right now,” I whispered, glancing back at Ione. She was glaring, tapping her sandal against the sidewalk impatiently. “I’m on my way to a house dinner party.”

Jett’s eyes flared. “Seriously?” She held up her hands, weighing the choices. “Broken curse, freedom forever…or dinner party.”

“I know, I know. But this one is important.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re not going to get another chance for a while. They’re sending my guy to an internship in the human world. It’s now or never, Thorny.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, knowing I would hate myself if I missed the opportunity. “Give me like an hour, okay?”

She nodded. “Meet me at the entrance to the woods when you’re done.”

“Okay. I’ll be there.”

Ione watched Jett like a hawk as she walked away. “What did she want?”

“Nothing. Class project,” I lied.

She steered her attention back to me. “That girl is trouble, Sheridan. You shouldn’t hang around her.”

Oh, geez. Here we go again. “Why? Because she’s from Hades?”

“Aphrodite descendants may not be the strongest or the brightest, but we do have one trait that sets us apart—our gut. I can feel when someone is inherently good or bad. I’m telling you, that girl is full of darkness.”

Good grief. Ione could be so dramatic.

“Again, she’s from Hades. Darkness comes part and parcel with the whole scary vibe thing they’ve got going on. Don’t worry about it. You didn’t like me at first either, remember?”

“I still don’t like you.” One corner of her mouth curved slightly. “Much.”

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s go.”

I only had an hour, and I needed to make it count.

It was easy to understand why everyone liked Peter. He was handsome in a classic way. Strong jaw, sandy blonde hair, and engaging brown eyes. When he spoke to someone, he gave them his whole attention, making that person feel as if they were the most important person in the room. When Ione introduced us, he took all of me in, looking me over from head to toe. It made me feel like I was at a job interview, and the big boss was sizing me up. In a way, that’s exactly what was happening.

Once he was done, Peter nodded once to Ione, then she left us alone by the banquet tables. Everyone else was scattered throughout the room, socializing. And what a room it was, romantic and enchanting, like something out of a fairy tale castle. Tables were spread out, covered in intricately threaded pastel linens, each of them set with crystal glasses, dinnerware, and vases of white roses. The floor was a work of art too. A carpet of flower petals, spiraling in different colors and designs. Aphrodite descendants didn’t do anything subpar.

“Where did you get the bracelet?”

It was the first thing Peter said, and I froze, caught off guard by the question. I twisted the charms around my wrist, having forgotten putting it on.

“Ah, it was a gift.”

Odd. I prepared for a thousand different ways this meeting would go, but never once did I imagine we’d be discussing my jewelry of all things.

He reached for my hand, flipping it over to reveal the inside of my wrist. Angry red marks stretched around blue veins.

Whoa. How had I never noticed that before?

“It’s poisoned,” Peter said, unhooking the latch. “Whoever gifted it to you was no friend.”

I swallowed. Riley gave me the bracelet as a birthday present.

He dropped the chain into my hand. “Do yourself a favor and chuck it into the ocean.”

“How did you…” I was so dumbfounded, it was hard to find the words. “How could you possibly know…”

“I read emotional energy and auras. It’s why I’m skilled in love magic.” His eyes rounded on the top of my head. “Yours is beautiful, full of strength and wisdom, but the bracelet was manipulating you. I’ve seen this poison before. It’s called lethara. Whoever gave it to you wanted to make you angry, obsessive, and destructive. It toys with your dreams, turning them into nightmares, and puts the wearer on edge.”

I thought about the snake and the other nightmares. Everything he was saying was true. But that left one very big question. Riley wasn’t supposed to know about magic, but yet, here