Captured by the Magi (Exemplar Hall #1)

by J.L. Madore

“Magik is most powerful when it comes from instinct rather than study. Those who connect with it go farther in our world than those who learn about it and try to master it as a tool of power.” “I would never try to master it.”

I brush my fingers on the wall, tracing the graceful curves of the symbology, and smile as the energy tingles up my arm. “Because it has its own wants. To want to master it feels wrong.” Maverick shakes his head. “Where the hell did you come from, Jesse Storme?” “Whispering Creek, Utah.”

“Connecting and communicating with the source takes students years to master. Here you are, two minutes into your first contact, and you already have a connection.”

“The force is strong in this one.” “You’re quoting Darth Vader?” “Seriously, you are so much like your dad, it’s scary. The magi source runs strong in him too.”

“The three classes of magi are transformative, mythical, and altered. The magik to be wielded can be physical, psychic, or natural. And the way to build our magik is based on taking, trading, or absorbing.”

“Let’s start with the classes of who we are. Transformative. Mythical. Altered.

“The three types of power are physical, psychic, or natural. Physical power is often the innate strength we’re born with. Shifters are very strong, but so are vampires, centaurs, minotaurs, and a bunch of other orders.”

Mav is a protector to his core. I reach forward and squeeze his hand. “Thanks for caring so much. I appreciate it, but this is where we are. Let’s get through it so I’ll be as ready as I can be. Back to vampires, sirens, and incubi.”

I know somethin’ the Celestial Council doesn’t and it’s the thing that gives me piece of mind.” “What’s that?” “Yer both yer father’s children. Wyatt will rise to the challenge, and ye’ll both come out of it just fine.”

“He wants to see you.” The ‘he’ need not be explained. “What about?” Marc flashes me a WTF look and frowns. “His exact words were, ‘When the wolf is done fucking my daughter, have him see me in the office.’ I can’t say for sure, but I’d bet Jesse has something to do with it.”

Four haughty-looking guys to my right have their arms crossed over their roid-droid chests. They’re whispering to one another, cocky and sure in a sea of others who look nervous and like they might spew chunks at any moment. The legacies. It’s obvious by their faces they know what to expect and think they’ve got these trials locked down. Maybe they do. Dad’s warning about them rises to the fore. Yep, those are the ones to watch out for.

Omega Blue consists of the cutie bookworm, Jack. He seems shy but has an intelligent light burning in his eyes and a crooked smile that makes me think he’s not as awkward as he looks.

River is a tall, strongly built First Nations boy with a spank purple mohawk braided down the center of his head and down his back. He has an aura about him that reminds me of Maverick. If my instincts are correct, he belongs to the transformative class of magi and his animal side is powerful.

Kade is one of the four roid-droid legacies I saw chatting it up earlier. Maybe it’s my imagination, but when I look at him, I swear I can sense a deep ...

And Shaquille is an athletic guy with a really cool pattern shaved into the side of his fade. He’s got a bit of an ass-kisser vibe and if I’m not mistaken, he’...

“Let’s get things straight from the get-go, Wyatt Storme. I’m a legacy. You four are know-nothing wannabes. I lead, you fall in line.” River stiffens and takes a step forward, but I raise my hand. Straightening, I pull my lanyard out of Kade’s grip. “You might think you’re a superstar because daddy told you tales of his glory days, but you’re standing here being tested the same as us.”

This is more than an icebreaker exercise. Exemplar Hall wants a different kind of graduate, and this is the first step in them separating the wheat from the chaff. I’m wheat, baby. Damn skippy I am. I’m Jesse James Storme, and I’m the wheatiest wheat there is.

Kade takes the lead, and I admit, despite him being a pompous, entitled, know-it-all, douche canoe, he knows a lot.

Yep, no glamping here. Last night was about finding the softest patch of dirt to lay on and sticking a nylon backpack under my cheek.

“Thanks for the thermal share. You were right. It got really cold around four this morning.” “No problem. It’s a big blanket and I’m a small guy. No sense hogging it to myself.” Despite what Mav said about watching my back at all times, Jack and River seem like genuinely nice guys. It’s good to know that not all of the next generation of Magi Knights are total egotistical asshats.

“Kade may not subscribe to the whole ‘no man left behind’ ideology, but I do.” “Yeah,” River agrees, falling back to walk with us. “We’ll make sure you get back in one piece.” “Thanks, and sorry. I’m not built to be in the wilderness. Now, if there’s a trial in the library, watch out, I’ll kick all your asses.” I chuckle. “I look forward to it.”

“Don’t question your betters, buddy.” I scoff. “You’re a real class act, legacy boy. A real gem.” “And you’re white trash, Storme. I can smell the dumpster fire desperation rolling off you a mile away.

Still, I miss him. He was sweet and smart nerd sexy in a Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds way. “We told Jack no man left behind and that’s exactly what happened. We let him go.”

I know Kade intends to ally with another group or groups, I must be careful. Yes, it gives me the chance to ask about Wyatt or even run into him, but it also gives Kade more incentive to form new alliances and rid himself of the dead weight around his neck. The rules say he can’t hunt us, but Pink Floyd didn’t say he can’t betray and abandon us.

But from what Maverick and Nora said about the Helm bloodline, we’re going to get a shit-ton of it.” “Good,” Wyatt says. “We deserve it. And if Dad asks, I’m not changing my name to Helm. I’m Wyatt Storme, end of story.” I nod. “And I’m Jesse Storme, end of story.”

“I miss Nora’s lemon squares.” Wyatt frowns and hands me seven sad skimpy berries. “Lotta good that does us now. One, we don’t have any. And two, she’s been a spy for Dad, lying to us our entire life. The memory of those lemon squares is forever tainted—now they are tangy little morsels of deception.”

“I bet you’d give your left nut to have one of those tangy morsels of deception right now.” “Hells yeah, I would. I’m bitter, not stupid.”

“All right, my brawny friend,” Wyatt says, smacking River on the upper arm. “Let’s flex our muscles and show the scrawny girl how it’s done.” I snort. “My big, strong heroes. I’ll just stand here, hold the light, and be awed by your macho-ness.”

“Someone’s coming,” I hiss down to Wyatt and River. Whoever it is, everything in me is warning me to steer clear. I watch from my cover as the next group steps into the search zone. It’s Kade, Chad, and the legacy douche-troop.

With them here already, I figure Drake and his group either missed them somewhere along the path, or their altercation was short-lived. I hope, for Drake’s sake, that’s not the case. I may be a sucker for lovely eyes, but I also appreciate it when the universe turns the tables on the assholes who think they can cheat and bully their way through life. Good guys should win.

Pain radiates from my right shoulder. I stiffen and go down like a plank of wood thrown on the ground. The muscle spasms seem to last forever. Having watched this from the other side, I know it’s only a minute or two, but my mind is fritzing like faulty Christmas lights. When my body falls slack, I roll to the side and hurl into the dirt.

“We gotta keep moving, Jesse,” he says, casting a worried glance over his shoulder. “Chad and Kade are behind us and not happy that their legacy-douche double-cross didn’t put us out.

“There’s a new plan,” River says, offering me a worried smile. “It’s ‘get to the triage tents and save Jesse’s life.’”

“The only thing that made Exemplar unbearable in the first place was us living separate lives and not knowing where you were. If we go together, we can take anything the Celestial assholes throw at us.”

“The best part of this is that we’ve got all four vials and will finish before Kade and Chad.” I laugh. “Kade is gonna be so pissed about that.” River’s laughter is deep and rumbles against my side. “The law of the jungle never lets you down. Animals are what they are by nature. Snakes are snakes. Wolves are wolves. And tonight, the best men will win.”

Magi powers surge in my bloodstream and tingle beneath my flesh. Whatever Nurse Betty gave me to counter the virus is working fast, but there’s something else—something my magik energy doesn’t like or trust.

I failed. Our only play is to go through the vault, have our powers unlocked, and figure it out from there. Dammit. I feel like I let Wyatt, Dad, Maverick, and everyone down.

“You can do this, Jess. You’re stronger than you know. Stick close to your brother. River too, if you can. He knows who you are, and my wolf trusts him to keep you safe.”

“Did you ever think this is how it’s supposed to be?” Floyd asks, countering my thoughts. “That you and Wyatt coming to Exemplar is written in the stars?”

“Jesse,” he says, blinking at me. “You’re still not getting it. They’ve got you. They know you have power because you registered for the icebreaker. They have your bio-signature. They’ve tagged you. You can’t go home. If you go to your father, you’ll expose him. Your only play is Exemplar.”

“Go through to Exemplar, Jesse. I’m sure you’ll make me regret it for years to come, but your future is that way.”

It’s Wyatt and me against the world—always has been and always will be. Leaving Floyd in the doorway, I step forward and push through the doors to the Magi Vault. “Fuck you, Exemplar Hall. Team Trouble for the win. We’re going to kick your ass.”