by Erin R Flynn
That was fair. I could completely understand that even.
Campbell started to come out of what he’d done to her and it was my cue to leave.
“We’ll talk more when I arrive home,” he murmured, kissing my forehead.
I couldn’t even try to process that, nor how easily he said it.
He gave me a sad smile. “Mel is still avoiding you, yeah?”
I winced, nodding.
“White and I agree I stay then. I’ll explain tonight. Be safe and take the portal. There’s too much ice for you to drive your bike.”
I nodded again. I’d already stored it when Zack and Ray had. We were taking a temp portal just off campus to drive our vehicles through to throw anyone off. I realized he would need to do the same and thought we should change the plan.
Something to text Zack about for sure but right then, I hurried out before we fried Campbell’s brain doing another Men in Black on her. I wasn’t sure if that was how it truly worked since it was magic… But she kept her head in the sand enough. We didn’t need to risk her having brain damage.
“You okay?” Hudson asked me when I stepped out of the building.
I’d felt him, the energy we experienced as mates dancing over my skin even if we wore muting charms. I shot the gorgeous dragon a glance, trying not to get distracted by his looks.
It was difficult for sure.
He was almost seven feet, filled out in the best kind of way. Not too much, but he would look silly being that huge and not filled out with so much girth.
Fine, it was sexy and I was biased.
Every inch of him was, and before I knew his name, I referred to him as Mr. Panty Soaker. The name still fit with his vibrant blue eyes that were almost violet and changed to dark purple when turned on or about to shift to his dragon form. Most wouldn’t know that first part.
They better fucking not.
He was always clean-shaven, and it made his chiseled features and strong jaw stand out even more to me. He’d cut his hair recently, so it was back to that wet spikey look, but not too short. Perfect to grab handfuls of during naughty fun.
The kind we weren’t having as we were still trying to figure out what was going on between us… Or mostly I was, and if I could forgive him.
My life was very, very fucking complicated.
“I’m fine, thanks.”
He was quiet several moments but then sighed. “Chief snitched to Irma and she told me what little she knew. They were worried you didn’t have anyone to talk to and given we’re… You know, and Lucca’s not…”
Yeah, there wasn’t really any good way to finish that statement.
“Those damn snitches,” I grumbled. “They’re my damn dogs, right?”
“Yeah, and they adore you,” he defended. “You did the right thing.”
I stopped in my tracks. “How much did they tell you?”
“Enough that if you hadn’t done it, I would have shifted and eaten those fuckers and used my immunity as a royal to get away with it.”
Okay then. Good to know.
“Which you also have, Princess,” he mumbled.
I slowly stared up at him with wide eyes, blinking at him when he slowly nodded. Oh boy, that was something to have a nervous breakdown about later. I had been pushing back what I’d learned after finding Neldor, but apparently I really did need to start learning about the next rabbit hole.
No, not yet. I can’t handle it yet. Later. Soon, but later.
“Thanks,” I whispered. “I don’t regret it, but it’s been hard to handle on my own. I told Craftsman just now.”
He gave a firm nod as we started walking again. “Good. I’m here too. I wouldn’t judge you. I haven’t.”
No, he hadn’t.
But there had been a lot of judging going on about what I’d done with Ainsworth, and everyone had an opinion on it. Some of them shocked me, as well as people even having opinions on it, much less such strong ones.
Mel was barely speaking to me and that hurt since I’d done it for her.
Her family was grateful even if they itched for their pound of flesh. Of course I understood.
I wanted it as well. Ainsworth had done a lot to me too. He’d sent people after me and started tons of problems in my life. I wanted to kill that man, and slowly, so I got it.
I got it.
Izzy was clear she wasn’t happy I’d done it behind Mel’s back. She understood and she felt it was probably the right call, but she was fair when she said it was hypocritical of me to have done when I was firm we didn’t keep things from each other in our family. She was more upset there was upset between all of us than at what I had done. Maybe at me for being the one to start it.
Again, fair.
Lucca was flat out pissed at me. We’d been shaky after the whole angry while spanking me incident with him and Darby, but that had been blowing over—or so I thought, mostly at least—but that was on my end. This was his upset with me. He was angry I’d kept this from him as his mate.
And he was furious, as a bear, I would do this to someone so close to me. Shifters and dragons were big on getting revenge and their pound of flesh.
I’d laughed when he’d told me that.
He, as a bear, had tried to explain that to a fairy who was all about justice, and fairies had invented the whole “eye for an eye” thing. The laughing hadn’t helped. I admitted that, but it had been more at the situation and him being an idiot mansplaining shit to me. Witches and warlocks held grudges like total mother fuckers. Vampires were petty and vindictive.
And what about humans? Did he think they just let shit go?
I think every human just laughed at the damn bear. For a while probably too.
That was also why Darby was unhappy with me. His argument was more that I would have been furious—and rightfully so—if anyone had tried to handle me like that, and yet I’d done it to someone I called a sister. He didn’t like the line I’d crossed and as my boyfriend, didn’t appreciate the possible implications it could mean for him.
I didn’t think that was fair. I could see his argument about people handling me… Except I did let Mel handle me like that and a lot as she knew me best.
He also couldn’t believe I could betray the honor of a dragon I cared about so much.
Which made it hysterical that Hudson was on my side. Lucca and Darby said it was because Hudson was trying to win me back, and I’d honestly never seen Hudson so pissed off. He took a swing at both of them for saying that and they apologized, admitting the dragon had disagreed with me even when we were fighting or upset.
Hudson said in a perfect world without so much corruption, he would agree with their arguments, but the world wasn’t like that. And as someone who knew Mel probably only second best to me, he understood the move. Also as a dragon, he knew how bad their tunnel vision could get, and she would have died without thinking about logic, the circumstances, or anything other than her pain.
And it would have been an unbearable loss for not only all of us, but our world, so I’d made the right move. A painful one that could have cost me too much and apparently too many people judging me—a very pointed comment to make—but he supported me.
Mr. Vogel agreed.
Surprisingly, Mrs. Vogel didn’t. Awesome. Especially awesome? Apparently they’d had a huge fight about it.
Yeah, I really wanted to be the reason they fought, like ever.
White and Edelman were on my side. Dr. Salzman and Professor Richardson were on Mel’s. So were Zack and Ray, though they saw my side and were trying to stay neutral.
Everyone was letting me know their opinions while I was trying to study for and take finals… Which had annoyed me only a few dozen times and I’d repeatedly replied with the same thing:
“Great, really, but this isn’t America Idol and every vote doesn’t matter.”
That probably didn’t help.
But it made me feel better.
Why did everyone think I wanted their o
pinions on this? Because I was normally so open on everything else?
Uh-huh.
But still they continued. Marshall and Sean were on my side but felt bad for Mel. Same with Professors Nelson and Puth. Larson was very much on her side and furious with me for not talking to anyone before making the move I did. He lectured me several times that there was a reason he was brought in, and to handle situations like those was a major one.
Which was why Geiger and Claudia weren’t happy with me. Not because they really sided with Mel, but they didn’t like how often I did my own thing and didn’t ask for help. I got a bit snippy on that and reminded them about giving me shit on all their billable hours and taking over their firm when they dropped the warlock elders and elite magical families that were a threat to me.
And then I hung up the phone like a child. Fine, whatever, I was tired of taking shit. I couldn’t make anyone happy most days. They wanted me to act like an adult and ask for help when I needed it.
Right, I did, but simply not from them. I asked Councilman Brooks for help, and I stood by him being the right decision as things went as I had hoped.
And adults made decision. Children ran to the adults all the time for help and to let them handle things so… Pick a fucking lane and let me know what I should do to make people happy.
I probably wouldn’t do it and still follow my own ideals, but it would be nice if anyone was ever consistent.
While we had all been taking sides and handling the fallout, all of Ainsworth’s black market contacts and associates went underground. Not to the Underground—the supe terrorist organization—simply went dark and underground. I’d had to specify that or had others make sure that was clear to me several times. Others thought it was a serious problem and were startled how efficiently they’d pulled it off.
I’d snorted. Hunting evil in the dark was a specialty of mine. Working in the shadows meant less eyes to see what you were doing as well. We had more than enough to go after them when we had the support and were ready. We’d get them.
Now we could be tactical and strategic, taking them out one at a time with accuracy instead of have to do it like FBI raids and with sweeps that lost too much in big nets. They would be stupid now and think no matter how many were caught that they were safe because they were smarter and better equipped.
I’d seen it dozens of times and knew how to handle it all.
But they had clearly been ready for Ainsworth to get caught. That was what people on our side were saying over and over again.
I had a different answer. Ainsworth had set up a plan for it all to go dark in case the shit hit the fan and someone tied to him got caught. That made much more sense to me. He was the Bond villain that had a self-destruct button on his lair or ship in case the good guys ever showed up so there was no evidence to tie him to his crimes.
He seemed that kind of guy and smart enough to plan things that tightly. The supe police weren’t idiots from what I’d seen, and he hadn’t even been on their radar, nor the black market, before we’d given them everything we’d had. That was a good villain.
A smart one, which was the worst kind to go up against.
But he was locked up with the wolf shifter council, and given what they’d already made him confess to and released clips of to supe media to play… He wasn’t getting out. Ever.
His head was going to be separated from his body from what I’d heard.
I would cheer.
Loudly.
What I wasn’t happy about was the other new issue in my life—one of so many—and that was the hobgoblins fighting. Ryfon wasn’t the only one who had known the truth about my birth and what the last name Vale meant.
And shit went down from there. People were confused and trying to figure out what had set off so many of the generally happy hobgoblins, but of course they wouldn’t talk about it.
But there were a lot pissed they were kept in the dark.
That I was kept in the dark.
I was too but after I’d calmed down a bit, I’d accepted Ryfon’s request to explain last week, going to the kitchen after hours and sitting down with him.
“You were drowning, Princess,” he had said, his tone pained and his skin turning blue with sadness and grief. “You had such a huge burden placed on you and were struggling so much. At first, I could not believe it was you. I thought you lost. You had to be since I knew Queen Meira would never have left you to this fate. When I saw you and knew it was you, I realized…”
It hit me hard. “That she was dead and things had gone drastically off the rails.”
“Yes, exactly that,” he had choked out. “And how could I tell you that? How could I be the one to break apart your world again after your world shattered, and you were dropped into the supe world after all you suffered? I could not do that to you! Not yet. Not when there wasn’t even hope you could find others. Why tell you and put this all on you when you didn’t even know…”
“If I could save them,” I had sighed.
I didn’t have a good response in light of what I’d just done to Mel. He told me his concerns of my running, knowing I had been close several times. They couldn’t chase me or help me in the way I needed. I honestly understood all of that.
It left me only truly upset I had to hear it from someone like Neldor instead of him that I trusted. He was right not to tell me originally, but continuing to keep it from me was a valid reason for me to be upset. It was over a year.
That was too long.
Plus, knowing that piece of the puzzle would have helped on a lot.
A point others had made. Repeatedly. Especially Geiger and others who had the task of protecting me. Also educating me. There was a whole vast education I now needed as a fairy royal.
I looked super forward to that.
But the hobgoblins were not happy about the whole thing, and there was more than one magical clash and food battle in the kitchen or cafeteria. I couldn’t even imagine how things were at other places where they didn’t even have to try to curb it.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Hudson asked me, bringing me back to the present and making me realize we were at my dorm.
I blinked around and sighed, scrubbing my hands over my head. “The hobgoblins. Sorry, there’s just so much going on. I appreciate your support and not judging me.”
“They’ll work things out and handle it as they need to. It’s not on you.” He smiled when I gave him a look as if saying it was all always on me. “Try to get some rest this break.” He cleared his throat and then glanced around. “I wanted to address the New Year’s Eve party and—”
“She’s just a friend,” I cut in, giving him a soft smile. “She’s very interested in someone and working on trying to make it happen, even if he is below her station. Yes, I’ve been told. Repeatedly. It’s tradition, and a royal has never gone stag to the party. It’s really okay.”
“Really?” he asked, seeming confused.
I sighed. “Yes, you twit. That’s vastly different than having a betrothed you didn’t tell me about and attending parties with her. This is for appearances and there’s nothing between you. You discussed it with me beforehand. Totally different.”
“So we’re good?”
“We’re good.”
He accepted that, but then leaned in so his lips were almost pressing against mine. “I’d much rather you were my date and wore something fantastic for me this year.”
And then he stood up and walked away.
Damn panty soaker dragon. He was putting on the full-court press for sure.
Bring it.
3
I was exhausted by the time I arrived home. Mentally, emotionally, and physically even, from opening a temp portal that big to bring in vehicles. I was off magical lockdown shortly after Neldor had healed me, but the ramp-up was slow and most of it mental.
So the last thing I wanted to deal with was the prince of the dark fairies himself.
Or the “Prince of Dar
kness” as I’d started lovingly referring to him. He didn’t get it really, but he knew it was a slight.
“I would appreciate some of your time,” he greeted, my brain about shorting out at the polite tone he used. “I acquired vast amounts of food for us and would like to show you some things.”
I frowned and stepped back. “Like, leave here together?”
“Yes.”
“Um, we’re not going on a date,” I stated firmly, not hiding how insane that sounded.
He slowly raised a perfect eyebrow at me. Everything about Neldor was perfect and pristine.
Besides his personality.
But he was ridiculously good looking as long as he kept his mouth shut, facial expressions non-judgmental, and temper under control. None of which he ever did.
He had long, jet-black hair that went well past his shoulders that he wore in a ponytail—a style I was told was common for fairies, especially warriors—and alluring light green eyes. He wasn’t much taller than me at six feet and had a lean swimmer’s build, but he was ripped. Every inch of him was toned, perfect muscle that looked airbrushed in real time.
In other words, you really hated him for ruining the awesome sex dream fodder he was when he opened his damn mouth.
“I’m not asking for a date, simply a conversation.”
I bit back a retort, not wanting to be the reason we fought when he was actually being polite for once. But if I did say something, I would have choice words about how a date would be beneath him when he would much rather order women to just do whatever, and his sexist ass probably never had to work so hard as to set up a date as that would require respecting a woman.
I wasn’t salty about the way he’d been treating me or anything.
Not. At. All.
I sighed, glancing at the bags in his hand. “Neldor, I’m exhausted. Something happened today and—”
“I know. I spoke with Dr. Craftsman. Part of the problem you have is you do not trust Faerie to help you when you encounter problems, but see it as a problem. Understandably so given how you have only had to deal with it, but—please. Please, give me this chance as I believe I can help and sort out some issues we both need handled.”