“Class, come over,” the teacher shouts, breaking apart whatever moment is happening between us. I walk over with Locke to the other eight people in the room with us. This is a small class.
“I’m Miss Betson, and welcome to intermediate water class,” she says. I wonder if I’m in the wrong class—shouldn’t I be in the beginner’s class?
“So, I would like us all to pair up and get into the pool. We will start with a very simple test. I want you to swim to the bottom of the pool and sit down. The longer you can stay underwater will tell me all I need to know. Pairs go down together and remember to call your water mark,” she says, and I nod.
“You’re with me, Kenz,” Locke says, his hand once again sliding into mine. I don’t know why I don’t pull away. It’s likely something to do with those abs I can’t stop looking at. We walk down the steps into the warm water and swim out to the deeper side.
“Ladies first,” Locke says with a smirk, and I laugh. I call my water mark by imagining the shell-shaped mark, before lowering myself into the water. I swim down and open my eyes. It stings at first, but I force myself to ignore it. I cross my legs and sink the final part to the bottom of the pool. I resist the urge to smile when Locke sits in front of me, he smiles though and bubbles leave his mouth. It’s not long before I know I have to swim up for air, and Locke follows me. I take a deep breath and wipe the water from my eyes.
“Brilliant timing. You were under five minutes, and for your first time that is impressive. Now, everyone please sit on the edge of the pool. Mr. Valentine and Miss Crowe, please come here,” she asks, and I swim over.
“Mr. Valentine, I want you to make a water fountain, and, Miss Crowe, I want you to copy,” she directs, and I watch as she swims away.
“Come closer, Kenz,” Locke says, and I swim right in front of him. He pulls me tightly against his chest and every part of me seems to stick to him as I place my hands on his shoulders. I watch as he spreads both his hands out, the water instantly rises around us and shoots up into the air and falls around us like a fountain. I don’t watch the water, only Locke as he smiles down at me and then winks as he moves his head closer to mine. I let go of his shoulders and float back a little. The water falls to the pool as he moves his hands away. Jesus, I was so friggin close to kissing one of the sexy twins.
“Well done, it is now your turn, Miss Crowe,” the teacher shouts. I copy what Locke did, by holding my hands out.
“Just imagine the water going up,” he suggests, and I nod. I call my water mark in my mind, thinking of the water going up. Nothing happens. I feel like my power is doing something and my hands are glowing blue when I look at them, but there is no water going up above us.
“Stop!” I hear the teacher shout, and I give Locke a quizzical look, but he is looking down. I follow his eyes to see the empty pool below us, and I realise what I’ve done.
I’ve lifted all the water in the pool into the air. And us, floating with it.
“Hold on to me and let go of the water, okay?” Locke says as he moves closer and wraps his arm around me. I hook my legs around his waist, and he nods at me after a second. I drop my hands, and the water falls with us as I wrap my arms around Locke’s neck and hold in a scream as we fall. The sound of the water slapping against the pool fills my ears as I keep my eyes closed shut.
“Open your eyes, Kenz,” Locke whispers close to my ear. I open my eyes to see us still in the air, hovering above the pool. Most of the water is outside the pool, and the teacher is standing with the other students by the changing rooms.
“We are flying,” I say in awe.
“No, I am, and you’re having a ride,” he chuckles. I hold on tight as he moves us, and then slide off him when he lands by the edge of the pool. I hear clapping, and I watch as Miss Betson walks over to us as she claps her hands.
“Very impressive, Miss Crowe. I see Mr. Daniels was right to add Locke to this class to watch you,” she says.
“Mr. Daniels made you watch me?” I ask him curiously.
“Yes, he asked us to his office this morning. Logan, Enzo, Easton, Stella, and I are going to be in all your classes until you have some control over your powers. We are the best at most of them. Mr. Daniels is watching you in the rest, except divination. He thinks you’re safe in that one.” Locke laughs.
“I’m not a child, and I don’t need watching,” I snap, placing my hands on my hips and glaring at him indignantly.
“They are just there to help you, Miss Crowe. You have a lot of power, and if Locke hadn’t helped you today, you could have seriously hurt yourself,” Miss Betson says, sounding reasonable, and it annoys me.
“Fine,” I mutter, and Locke winks at me. Miss Betson walks over to the other students, and Locke steps closer to me.
“You may not like having us all watching you, but I know you liked me getting close to you in that pool. I won’t forget that,” he whispers and walks away. I can’t take my eyes off him as he crosses the room to the changing area, the way the water drips down his muscles, the confidence in his walk.
He isn’t wrong, damn him.
Chapter 10
Kenzie
I frown at the paper on the floor as I walk back into the bedroom from the adjoining bathroom. Kelly is a neat freak, so I doubt she left it there. I cross my room and pick the paper up. The letters M C are written across the front. Turning it over, I frown as I read the strange message printed on the back.
Mackenzie Crowe,
If you want to live to see your life outside of the Marked Academy, meet me in the abandoned dorm building by the forest at Midnight.
Come alone, and don’t be caught by the monitors on duty. There will be consequences if you fail to comply.
—A
What the actual fuck? I re-read the message again and again, trying to discern what the hell this could be about, when I notice the symbol drawn at the top of the note. The twelfth mark. Shit. This can’t be good.
I stuff the note into my back pocket and pull my jacket on. I’d slept in and missed breakfast, having told Kelly to go on without me earlier. My bed was just way too comfy this morning. Or rather, I was just way too tired. I didn’t get much sleep, constantly replaying Kelly’s vision in my head trying to figure out what it could possibly mean. I just know it’s something important, something I need to figure out.
Making my way from the dorm to my first and only class of the day, I’m relieved there is just the one on Saturday. Although, I’m nervous about this class more than any other.