Whirl (Ondine Quartet Book 1) by Emma Raveling Read Free Book Online Page B

by
complimenting the work of Earth Elementals in nurturing the
environment and providing small-scale weather manipulation."
    She paced up and down the aisle between
desks. "Virtues were used for larger purposes, including
assimilation among humans without drawing excess attention to
ourselves. They are used for protection, concealment, information
gathering, and essential necessities such as infrastructure and
economic building."
    Broussard walked back to the front and
whipped around. Her eyes landed on Chloe, who was surreptitiously
checking text messages under her desk. This woman seriously made me
think she had eyes on the back of her head.
    "Ms. Moreaux," she called out. Chloe shoved
her cell phone between her legs. "There was an unforeseen
limitation with Virtues and elemental magic. Can you tell us what
that was?"
    Chloe cleared her throat. "Virtues and ondine
magic were designed to work with humans and water elementals. When
ondines began warring with Aquidae, they discovered that their
magic didn't work against the demons."
    "Yes. The magic could not be used
offensively. Aquidae bodies act as a null, absorbing the magic
without any consequences." Broussard walked over to Dylan and
tapped a finger on his desk.
    "Mr. Rosamund, how did they remedy this
limitation?"
    Dylan gave her a charming smile that had no
effect whatsoever. "Dessondines, demillirs, and the Selkie Kingdom
joined with ondines in the war. Demillirs and selkies had the
strength and speed to combat Aquidae, and infusing the combined
blood of all four races into silver produced the weapon that could
permanently destroy the demons."
    I raised my hand.
    "Ah, yes. Ms. Irisavie. Do you have a
question?"
    "Why don't ondines work together with
gardinels and chevaliers in fighting the Aquidae?"
    All eyes turned to me and several students
muttered under their breath.
    "Because that's not the heritage of our race.
Have you listened to our discussion today?" Broussard frowned.
"Ondines are peaceful, powerful, and protective. Along with our
dessondine ancestors, we are responsible for the protection and
maintenance of water. We give birth to two races, ondines and
demillirs. We are beings of magic, leaders and symbols of the water
elemental world."
    A scowl spread on my face with each word she
said.
    "I still don't understand how training
ondines to fight is a problem."
    "It goes against our very nature." Her lips
tightened. "It would be like trying to turn a swan into a
shark."
    Most of the class laughed at her analogy.
    I slouched back in my seat and my tone turned
mocking. "So ondines are fragile little birds? With demillirs and
selkies as their heroes? Besides, it's not as if all demillirs
become chevaliers, anyway. A lot of them hide like little
swans."
    Broussard's beady eyes bored into me and her
voice turned frosty. "Ms. Irisavie, please take your things and
leave."
    "Why? I thought this was a discussion —"
    "I will not tolerate your attitude in my
classroom. Get out." She stiffly turned her back to me.
    A thick silence fell. Straightening my
shoulders, I grabbed my book bag and headed for the door, refusing
to let her humiliate me.
    "God, she's just like her mother," Amber said
in a loud voice and smattered laughter broke out.
    "Shut up, Amber," Chloe snapped.
    I tensed, but continued walking. Once I got
out to the hallway, I leaned against the wall, fuming. What was
with this place? And what was that crack Amber made about my
mother? That was the second time she'd brought up my family.
    When the bell rang, students spilled out into
the hall, whispering as they passed by me. I tossed my hair and
stared right back at them.
    "So, you're Kendra." Dylan sauntered over
while his friends waited for him by the door. I needed an outlet to
take out my rage and I decided this was the perfect opportunity to
teach Mr. Horn Dog a lesson.
    "And you're Dylan," I breathed with a flirty
half-smile. The way I said it made him sound like a god.
    His conceited smile widened