Legacy Heir: The Ash Academy Series Read online

  Legacy Holder

  Ash Academy Series

  Book 2

  Tabitha Peattie

  Copyright © 2020 Tabitha Peattie

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:

  Dedication

  To my incredibly insiriping grandmother who is my biggest cheerleader. Your continued positivity and generosity motivates me to be better!

  Chapter 1

  “How does that make you feel,” Mrs Jenkins asked whilst reclining in her desk chair.

  Ava waited, assessing how to answer the question. It was thirty minutes into her school appointed therapy lesson, and she was starting to realise that no answer she gave would get her out of there any faster.

  Mrs Jenkins had surprised Ava when she first walked through the door. She didn’t know what she expected a school psychologist to look like. But, it definitely was not what she was greeted with. The woman was tall with curves in all the right places. These were shown off in a form fitting red dress with small capped sleeve. Her blonde hair went past her shoulders in tight ringlet curls.

  Ava thought she looked exactly like a pin-up girl with her big red rimmed glasses.

  From that point on, the whole session had Ava on the back-foot. Mrs Jenkins would pick up on any small movement or facial expression of Ava’s, often stopping her mid-sentence to ‘evaluate’ what she had just said.

  Ava had started out by vowing to herself that she would keep tight-lipped and not give this woman any ammo to believe that she is crazy. Unfortunately, that lasted five minutes.

  “I don’t know. I guess I feel a little empowered,” Ava responded, struggling to find the right words to explain everything.

  “You were empowered by the situation? Or how you handled it?” Mrs Jenkins didn’t miss the opportunity to get more information. Staring intently at her newest charge, who sat uncomfortably in the leather chair beside her desk. The room was small with little ornamentation, so Ava could focus on nothing other than the woman opposite her. Her gaze wandered to the blank wall as she tried to think of an honest answer.

  “From the situation. I mean, everything went wrong so quickly. Within a matter of weeks I had been beaten, and then I had hurt Billy. I know I shut down and it took my friends and family to pull me back to the land of the living. But I’m proud of the choices I have made since. I think that since I started here I have struggled not to lose myself. I have clung to the idea that I don’t want to change and that I don’t want to let this school or the people in it change me. But the truth of the matter is, it has changed me. I am stronger now. I know that I am not going to please everyone with my choices. But ultimately they are my choices, and it is better to make a decision and have an opinion than let others make them for you.”

  Ava didn’t look up through her speech. If she had she would have seen Mrs Jenkins eyes widen with surprise at the clarity of thought from someone so young.

  “That is very insightful Ava. It sounds as if you have got your independence. Do you think that this is what you needed to learn about yourself so that you may be happy?” Mrs Jenkins challenged, sitting forward in her seat eager to hear how her newest charge would respond.

  “I don’t think it is the only thing I need to learn about myself. I think that since I have started at the Academy I have learnt a lot, not just about myself, but about the Gifted community. I also realise that there is still so much more I need to learn. I am happy now. I’m happy with the friends I have and the family who support me. The people around me are starting to see me for who I really am. So, yes, I am happy, though I can’t say that this one revelation will mean that I don’t have more to come,” Ava replied, and Mrs Jenkins nodded in understanding.

  Ava continued to answer the probing questions that Mrs Jenkins asked. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be getting out of this. She tried to be as honest as possible. Talking about how she was still struggling with her power, and that frightened her. She didn’t want to touch anyone with her bare skin again and almost kill them, as she had done with Billy. Ava explained about how she felt that change was on the horizon, and that she could see that the Gifted community was fractured. She knew she had a responsibility as the Black Legacy Heir to help fix it.

  They talked through her confusing emotions when it came to Demetri, the White Family Legacy Holder. The growing familiarity and the possibility that he may be the only person she will ever be able to have skin to skin contact with. Ava didn’t want to go into too much detail about this.

  In all honesty, she felt like she was betraying Demetri even bringing his name up. Their unexplainable bond felt so personal that she didn’t want anyone else's opinion. Mrs Jenkins let it slide and kept their session moving. Her keen eye didn’t miss the way Ava tensed and seemed protective over her relationship with the White Legacy Holder.

  A lot had happened to Ava, and she understood the Academy’s mandate that she should see the school’s psychiatrist. However, it didn’t change her current challenges, if anything by voicing them all in an hour, it started to overwhelm her.

  “Well Ava, I have to say you were very responsive to this first session. I know you might not feel it, but I believe we have made significant progress, and over the coming weeks I know that we will continue to build on this.” Mrs Jenkins closed the book which she had been sporadically writing notes in throughout the session.

  She slowly stood up and showed Ava to the door. “Thank you, Mrs Jenkins, I will see you again next week,” Ava replied, her ingrained politeness contradicting her true feelings on these sessions, as she went to open the door.

  As soon as she went through the door, she was assaulted by a barrage of questions from the four people who had promised they would wait for her.

  “How was it?”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “Did she ask about me?”

  “Did you finally realise you love me?”

  The last was said mockingly by Demetri who was leaning against the far wall watching Ava carefully, whilst maintaining a façade of casual disdain. The other three surrounded her in a close circle all with varying degrees of curiosity on their faces.

  “Thanks guys, I think,” Ava said, laughing at her friends. She felt a warm buzz in the pit of her stomach as she looked around to see the people who would go to hell and back for her.

  “But seriously Ava, was it helpful?” Skit asked quietly, as the group moved away from the door. He looked curious and hopeful. The blond mop of hair on his head blew back in the breeze showing his raised eyebrows as he attentively waited for an answer, ignoring the chatter of their friends around them.

  “I don’t know, I guess it was good to talk it through and get a bit of perspective on what has happened,” Ava said quietly. Her gloved hand squeezed Skit’s in quiet thanks for her friend’s support.

  The rest of the group had gone silent listening to Ava’s response.

  “You know you can talk about it all with us,” Sky said worriedly.

  “I know that. And we do talk about everything. You have all been there every step of the way. But I think having someone impartial to talk to was… different I guess,” Ava replied, not wanting her friends to feel as though they hadn’t been there for her.

  If she was honest she had the best friends in the world. They stood by her through everything, the good, the bad and the…. Well you get the picture.

  “I for one am glad Ava is getting help. I have been telling everyone she is nuts but no one listens to me,” Demetri drawled deliberately to get a rise out of Ava.

  The five of them sat down in a tight circle by the oak tree they had claimed as their chill-out s
pace. The group was a complete hotch-potch, for outsiders looking in. Demetri was the tallest with defined muscles and dark hair. He drew the attention of everyone around and that was before you even realised that he was from one of the most influential families in the Gifted community. Beside him sat Billy who drew just as much attention with his boyish good looks and outgoing personality. People always smiled as they watched whatever antics he was up to. By contrast Skit had pale hair, tanned skin from summers in the sun, and a lithe frame. His quiet nervousness tended to make others feel awkward. His Gift was that he teleported. It was a source of constant embarrassment for him as he still didn’t have control of it and often flashed back to his dorm, especially when he was put on the spot. Sky was Skit’s opposite. Where Skit was tanned, Sky had porcelain skin. Skit’s hair was almost white and Sky’s was black as midnight and his thoughtful silences were compensated by her natural exuberance.

  Ava looked at the small and random group of friends that she accumulated since she had started at Ash Academy and couldn’t help but bask in the warm happy glow that filled her when she was in their presence.

  They continued to joke and laugh about Ava’s sanity until a girl Ava recognised from the year above broke away from her group of friends and started walking towards them. She kept looking back at her friends nervously.

  When she got nearer to the oak tree, she seemed to give herself a pep talk, she looked straight at Demetri and walked over with purpose. Everyone in Ava’s group watched curiously.

  The girl was pretty, very tall in a willowy sort of way. She had long wavy strawberry blonde hair, pulled back harshly from her face. Ava thought this was clever styling as it really accentuated the blue in her eyes and her naturally plump lips. The only feature that was stopping her being breathtaking was a slightly larger than average nose.

  She stopped and looked down at Demetri who was still seated. His amused smirk from earlier was replaced with a glower as he regarded the girl with disdain.

  “Uhhhhhhh….,” the girl's confidence seemed to leave her as soon as she opened her mouth.

  “Ummmmm.…,” she tried again and Ava’s heart broke.

  This was not the first time that this had happened. Each and every time Ava felt bad for the poor girls who plucked up the courage to say something to Demetri, only for him to make them feel bad.

  “Your name is Lindsay, right?” Ava said, hopping up to her feet and giving the girl an encouraging smile.

  Lindsay looked nervously at Ava then back to Demetri.

  “Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to bother you guys,“ she rushed to get the words out as she looked desperately at Ava.

  “It’s not a bother at all. The more the merrier. Ignore Demetri, he’s a little bipolar. Did you want to hang out with us?” Ava offered kindly.

  “No thanks, I just wanted to ask Demetri if he would like to go to town with me this weekend.” Lindsay asked shyly to Ava, casting a quick look at Demetri.

  Demetri didn’t see the girl’s look. Nor was he really paying much attention to what she was saying. He was too busy watching Ava. It never ceased to amaze him that she continually showed empathy to everyone. She was always so inclusive. The five of them were tight after everything that had happened in the last six months. They had spent almost every spare moment together. But no matter who it was, if anyone came up to the group or wanted to ask something, she was always the first to welcome them and make them feel included.

  Ava looked down at Demetri to see that he wasn’t paying any attention and sighed in irritation. It was becoming increasingly common, this routine of girls coming up to them hoping for their one big shot with Demetri, and he couldn’t even summon up the courtesy to look them in the eye when rejecting them.

  “Demetri man, pay attention. Do you want to take the lovely Lindsay to town this weekend?” Billy interjected, smiling at his friend and giving him a nudge.

  “What? No. Of course not,” Demetri said to Billy, unintentionally harshly.

  The girl’s face crumpled as she turned and ran from the group. Ava ran after her hoping that she could explain about Demetri being a terrible communicator.

  “Why do you have to do that?” Sky asked, annoyed at Demetri’s treatment of the female population at Ash Academy.

  “Do what?” he questioned, bewildered, as he finally looked at his group of friends and saw three looks of annoyance staring back at him.

  “Act as if those girls don’t exist. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and ask someone out. But you don’t even look at them and if you do it is only to scowl.” Demetri was surprised by the anger in Sky’s voice. He looked at Billy for support, Billy shook his head with a shrug.

  Sighing, Demetri replied, “I don’t mean to be mean.”

  He couldn’t help the quick glance over to Ava. She was still trying to console Lindsay who had now returned to her group of friends. They were all huddled around her making soft murmuring noises of comfort after her public rejection.

  “That girl doesn’t know me. I don’t think we have ever even spoken before. She isn’t coming over to ask me out, she is coming over to ask the White Legacy Holder out,” Demetri said honestly.

  “Yeah, this has been happening for years. Girls will come up from nowhere and ask him out or try to throw themselves at him. Then they act like he is the biggest villain in the world for rejecting them. It gets old fast.” Billy came to Demetri’s aid finally.

  Nobody in the group missed the wistful tone in his voice that he couldn’t quite hide. He loved Demetri like a brother, but sometimes he wished that girls would look at him the same way they looked at Demetri.

  “I get that. But how do you know you won’t get on with them, if you don’t give them a chance? How do you even know it’s the title and not your looks? My point is, if you don’t give anyone a chance by getting to know them, then how will you ever find someone?” Sky responded passionately as Skit wrapped his arm around her.

  “I don’t need to find anyone,” Demetri said, pointedly looking back at Ava who was now hugging Lindsay.

  “Demetri, it’s been weeks. Maybe it’s worth backing off a bit,” Skit said, to the nods of Sky and Billy.

  Since Ava had returned to school after the drama of her Gift of Death almost killing Billy, Demetri had used every opportunity to try and change her mind about being ‘just friends’.

  “This IS me backing off,” he sighed.

  He had been holding back for weeks in what he thought was a great show of self-control. Every moment he was with her he wanted to be closer to her, and every moment they were apart he was thinking about when they would be together again.

  He had lied to her. He had allowed her to endure bullying so bad she was seriously hurt, all because he kept the truth from everyone. She hadn’t brought it up since she had forgiven him for it. But she hadn’t budged on any of his subtle attempts to progress their relationship to more than friendship. He didn’t want to push her because he knew how much pain he had caused her. Demetri had promised himself that he would give her all the time she needed. He owed her that.

  “Maybe if you stopped looking at Ava. You will see there are other girls out there,” Sky persevered, unwilling to let the topic drop.

  “Why would I want to stop looking at her?” Demetri wasn’t one to back down.

  “Because she has stopped looking at you,” Sky declared. They all knew this wasn’t true. Sky and Ava had spent several nights since Ava and Demetri’s first kiss, going back and forth over whether she should, or shouldn’t, give in to Demetri’s desire for more.

  The conversations always ended with Ava convinced that to try for anything more was too dangerous. As Demetri was head of the White family and Ava would one day inherit the title Legacy Holder of the Black family, their relationship would affect the balance of their society. It would have massive consequences. If they broke up or argued it could have a ripple effect amongst their whole community.
r />   It was a fine balance amongst the different houses of the Gifted community. There were twelve main houses that each family was connected to. This created a constant battle to gain favour, wealth and power amongst their people. Ava’s parents were the head of the Black family making her the Legacy Heir. The Black family had always been one of the leading families. This was due to their incredible power. They possessed Gifts of a darker nature. This was particularly true of Ava’s Gift which was the power to kill anything with a single touch of her skin. Demetri’s family was equally influential but opposite, their Gifts were more about preserving life and healing. The White and Black families were the two pillars around which their community was centred, with the ten other houses fighting viciously to receive their favour.

  Skit poked Sky in the ribs for her harsh words and they started disagreeing. Their arguments usually consisted of Sky talking loudly and Skit struggling to get a few words in. Billy was the only one who saw the pain that Sky’s words had caused Demetri. He tried to reach out, but his friend shrugged him off and stood up walking away from the group.

  Ava chose that moment to leave Lindsay to the comforting cocoon of her friends and return to her group by the oak tree. She noticed Demetri’s stormy expression as he strode away. Changing course, she jogged to catch up with him as he stomped off.

  “Demetri,” she called out, but he ignored her as he carried on his path to the bridge that led to the College.

  Ash Academy was the girls’ school and Ash College was where the boys’ learnt about their power source, Gift’s and the Gifted community. The two schools were separated by a river and linked by a bridge.

  The rule was that the girls were not allowed to cross the bridge to socialise with the boys, but the boys were allowed to socialise with the girls. It was an outdated tradition that Sky and Ava often complained about. Ava picked up her speed not wanting Demetri to use the bridge as a way to shut her out.