Chapter One: Twenty Seconds
The air crackled around Madison as the energy built up inside her. She loved this feeling, this anticipation, the way the magic surged, waiting and wanting. Her fingers twitched, and she narrowed her eyes at her opponent.
Colin stood across the mat with his knees bent and his hands slightly raised. Man, he looked good in that white tank top, with those well-toned arms—Focus, Madison! Good lord.
“You want to take a break?” His grin widened.
She smirked. “I’m fine, thanks.”
He opened his mouth, but she didn’t let him get a word out. This wasn’t a debate or a flirty argument. She forced her energy into the air, sending it straight for his chest. The purple hue of the energy was unique to her. Colin broadened his chest and straightened his shoulders.
Cocky little turd. He didn’t even have to try.
The energy hit his chest, and his skin glowed beneath his shirt as he absorbed it. If he were anyone else, he would have had to block it to avoid a nasty burn. But Colin Dyson was an Absorber. He couldn’t keep from absorbing anything and everything she threw at him, only to release it later.
She sent another shot at him, but he was already shooting her energy back at her—in his signature deep green color. She teleported out of the way, and the green energy flew toward the small line of spectators at the edge of the mat. Trainees and peers ducked or darted aside, sucking in gasps. The Head of the Keepers, Marco, stopped it before it could add to the dozens of scars on the centuries-old walls of the gym.
Oh hell no, she wasn’t going to be chased around the mat. This was her first match against an Absorber since they were so rare at the Department, and she had to get him down before he let loose. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.
“Going on five minutes,” Marco called.
“Not bad,” someone else said. “Longest a trainee has ever lasted.”
Madison narrowly avoided a stream of Colin’s energy aimed for her shoulder. “I’m not a trainee anymore.” She blasted the space in front of her, forcing a wall of air on Colin. His dirty blond hair blew up, revealing the sweat on his forehead. He stumbled back a step as he struggled against the air.
She grinned. “You doing all right, Dyson?”
“Oh, just great,” Colin said, taking another step back.
His hands curled into fists, but he was smiling at her, his eyes alight. A thrill shot through her, one she’d become familiar with the past few weeks since ditching Sven. Something whispered to her—no, begged for more Colin. She was tired of brushing the surface of this guy; she wanted to dive in and leave Sven behind for real.
At times like this, when his gaze was fixed on her, his smile so bright, she wondered whether he wanted something similar, too.
Someone on the sidelines cheered for Colin, breaking the moment. They attacked at the same time—Madison forced her energy into concentrated pockets and shoved the air forward as Colin released a stream of energy. The air collided with his energy, sending it flying back at him in all directions. He absorbed it, and she struck again. The air hit Colin across the face, knocking him to the side.
Around them, the gym filled with calls and yells, some cheering for her, some for Colin. She punched again, sending the air into his stomach. He doubled over and gasped for breath. She stepped closer, nearly driving him off the mat. Why hadn’t she done this earlier?
Colin reared up, his hands rising, his palms glowing.
Ah, shit.
Light and energy surged from Colin, pouring out of him like a rainbow from hell. She teleported to another spot on the mat, but it redirected, aiming straight for her. Madison generated a wave of energy and wrapped it around herself in a protective cocoon. She squeezed her eyes shut at the brilliant colors.
The first wave shattered her cocoon. The force knocked her flat on her back. She felt the second wave flying through the air even with her eyes closed. She could teleport, but some insane part of her wanted to see if she could control what was coming for her.
Her hands flew up, and something inside her connected with the light in the air and clumsily tried to manipulate it. She felt like she had just arrived at the Department, like she’d rewound four years of hard work and training as her control slipped and fumbled.
The energy hit her, the force taking the breath straight out of her lungs. An alarming shock of pain ran through her before she mercifully fell unconscious.