by Erin R Flynn
“Mr. Rodriquez was apparently very upset at the Vogels’ party that you snubbed him and embarrassed his son by taking a leech as your date when you were engaged to his son,” Darby said gently.
“I’m going to be sick,” I warned as I dropped the toast.
Darby yanked the tray away just in time for Hudson to swoop down and grab me. He got me to the bathroom in time, but I really didn’t have anything to throw up.
“I think we’re going to need that IV, mate,” Craftsman said in the background. “She’s spiraling. Understandable, but she can’t wait for answers and the answers are disturbing so yeah, something to help her dry heaving and fluids for sure.”
It made more sense about five minutes later when Dr. Salzman joined me in the bathroom. He gave me a shot in the butt for the nausea and after Hudson brought me back to his bed, I was hooked up to an IV.
“How far did you get in updating her?” he asked Craftsman.
“Not far and I don’t have much of what’s happened the past few hours,” Craftsman admitted.
Dr. Salzman nodded, sitting on the bed and taking my hand in his. “Mr. Rodriguez has been updated from several sources that you were not in a relationship of any type with Mason. Once that got through his head and he was shown Mason’s room—”
“His room?” I asked, glancing between them.
“It’s a collage of you,” Craftsman explained, leaving it at that… Which I appreciated for right then. I nodded for Salzman to go ahead.
“Lucca confessed that he and Mason had been fighting for the right to ask you out—as bears do—and he won. Mason was getting unstable, but Lucca thought he’d chill over break and realize you were happy with Darby. Instead the Vogels’ party happened and he was enraged you didn’t attend with him, embarrassed him to his father, and decided to take steps.”
“He never asked me to go. I didn’t even see him there,” I whispered.
Hudson’s head snapped around and he met my gaze. “He never asked?”
“No. He’s never asked me out. He’s asked us to hang out and like get ice cream from the vending machine after he’s been a dick, but he’s never so much as asked me to get a drink or anything.”
“Fuck, he’s completely deranged then,” Darby muttered, shaking his head. “He told me several times you guys have had study dates and to back off because you needed slow and he was going slow with you.”
“That never happened. Ask Izzy. She would know.” I shook my head. “The closest to any of that was when I stole a slice of the monster sushi roll he ordered from Portal Chow when I found him in the student union, but Lucca was there too.” I waved off what they might have said next. “I can’t. I just can’t yet. As long as Mel is there to fight for me… I can’t handle this.”
“Okay, love, whatever you need,” Craftsman agreed before anyone could argue.
What I needed was bad shit to stop happening to me, but I knew that wasn’t realistic. Not even a sliver of a chance of it.
7
I woke with a scream on my lips, people popping up all around me. Hudson was behind me in bed and people were sleeping on his floor or on cots.
“You’re safe, Tams,” Mel promised. “We’re all here, and you’re safe. And that’s enough for now. You’ll put the rest together once that sinks in.”
“Yeah, okay,” I rasped. I didn’t care who was around, I turned to Hudson and snuggled up against him. He didn’t hesitate, kissing my hair and holding me to him tightly. I knew he felt the quiet tears that leaked from my eyes onto his naked chest, but he didn’t say a word.
I slept soundly after that and a lot the next couple of days. I ate what Irma mothered me with and slept in Hudson’s huge bed to recover.
But then it was time for answers, and I needed them before most of the students returned. I wasn’t stupid enough to think that no one would find out. Mason was popular, and people would notice his absence. So, the day before campus was to open to students, I sat in a meeting with those who knew about me.
“Let’s start with what you were doing at the portal to Faerie,” Mr. Von Thann said.
“No,” I snickered, shaking my head at him. “No, this is me getting answers I need so we have our stories straight, not an interrogation for answers you think you deserve.”
“We all deserve to know—” Professor Collins argued.
“No, you don’t,” I argued firmly, several people giving me uncomfortable looks. “You think you deserve answers? Fine, go open that portal and get them.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “You can’t? Okay, then it doesn’t concern you.”
“It concerns everyone,” Von Thann snapped.
“No, because you aren’t involved,” I snapped right back, holding up my hand to others. “Geiger was very fucking clear that I needed to keep this separate from the school.”
“From us as well?” Craftsman asked, gesturing between himself and Mel, both of whom gave me a hurt look.
I swallowed loudly. “If I had an answer to give you, I would. What they want is a progress report, and I don’t fucking answer to them. You both have other loyalties, and I say this to protect you because knowledge isn’t always helpful but a burden.”
“So, you can get into Faerie?” Von Thann pushed.
“What did I just fucking say?” I seethed. “I will say exactly what I’ve said before—I’m going to try and get answers. I have none.” I stood and slammed my hand on the table. “No! I don’t fucking report to you! I’m not your fucking pet fairy. They are my people. I’m not risking any of them with this bullshit.”
“What do you mean by that?” Edelman cut in.
I blew out a harsh breath and stared at the ceiling. “Curiosity killed the cat, Headmaster. We have a lot more than a fucking cat on the line, okay? You were the one who told me those portals are watched constantly. Relentlessly. Vigilantly. Knowledge can be dangerous, which is why I know not to translate Faerie for you or anyone.
“So, the moment I have an answer, I will tell you. Until then, I trust Geiger. He was clear the answer has to be we need me alive for any chance at answers and we need to proceed with extreme caution. Does filling everyone in on all the details sound like extreme caution to you?”
I was shocked at who came to my defense.
“She’s right,” Professor Collins said. “I hate it, but she’s right. All it takes is one thought about looking into something or thinking to follow up with her around someone we didn’t know was a telepath. Or students working on mind-reading runes. We’ve waited twenty years, we can be patient longer. We’re acting like she’s a kid flying solo, but she was smart enough to turn to Geiger. He won’t ever let this go.”
“I also suggested Richardson and White speak with him now that I know a bit more about portals,” I told them, giving a crumb. “Shit will hit the fan if a portal lights up. They might be able to quietly look into ideas on that. I told no one and still, someone figured it out. If everyone in this room gets read in—how many more will learn something?”
“Or you were found out because you didn’t tell any of us,” Von Thann argued. “My son was the only reason you were saved.”
“You running your mouth about believing fairies should be bred and then lying it was a one-time thought got me caught,” I snapped. “If you had warned me you’d said that before in front of others I wouldn’t have done what I did at the ball. So, don’t put this on me.”
“She’s right, because I watch her like a hawk and had not a fucking clue,” Mel muttered. “Hell, I live with her and had no idea.” She held up her hand to me. “I get it. I’m not angry. I’m just sorry you have this burden on you, Tams. I want the answer too. I want fairies back too, and I was just a kid. I cannot imagine the pressure this is on you.”
“Which is also why Geiger made it clear not to tell anyone,” Craftsman surmised. “His first priority is you alive and safe and the rest can be figured out from there.”
I nodded, not looking at anyone. “Yes, he’s made it clear
that people would break me with the pressure of saving Faerie, fairies, and now the supe world since they need fairies. Sure, just add the human world too—oh, no, someone did, right. No big. I thought I was human, and I’ve got piles of shit all over the place but just save a species and two worlds. No problem.”
“Well, now I feel a bit petty demanding answers as well,” Edelman muttered. “If we can help—”
“Talk to Geiger,” I cut in, rubbing my forehead. “I’m flying blind here because of how little I know and we’re tiptoeing around to make sure no one catches on. He has to manage this for me. He’s the shield so the Von Thanns don’t try to trample me with their agendas and demands.” I met Von Thann’s pissed off gaze. “There is more to being a fairy than you know and a lot is instinct. I need more time to find mine.”
“Fine,” he ground out. “It gives me hope to know at least you take it seriously and someone like Geiger is guiding you.”
Sure, that was fine to let them think it was me being led around and not all my own doing I brought Geiger in on. Whatever, as long as it got the sexist, pushy bastard off my ass.
Nope, I couldn’t let it go.
“Oh well, I’m so fucking glad I have your approval given I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you and you immediately fucking assume now that Geiger’s leading me around by the nose because he has the dick. Hey, dick, I decided what I was going to do for my people and brought him in when I felt it time to protect me so people like you can’t try and pressure me as he works for me.”
“Well, dayumn,” Lucca chuckled under his breath.
“So, moving on, I believe I was going to be briefed on what I allowed the people to do on my behalf since they knew this world better and the players,” I continued when everyone else was shocked silent. “Impress me that you’re stepping up and keeping your word that I’d be protected here. What was done?”
Professor Collins started, explaining how he adjusted the memories of Mason and the two friends from his sloth—who were not students—to forget I was a fairy and every hint that could ever have led them to such a conclusion. The rest he pretty much kept. Mason was obsessed with me and told his friends I was rich and powerful, and it would be good for the sloth if their future leader mated me.
They weren’t on board, but they thought we were dating, and Darby was trying to steal me. Part of the change was about what I was drugged with. Instead of something for fairies, they drugged me with everything known to knock out any species, assuming one would work on me… And almost killing me.
“The journal or whatever he was speaking about from his great-grandfather?” I asked.
“In my possession,” he answered. “And erased from Mason’s memory. It’s disturbing, but I’m not sure for the reasons you’re thinking. I think mental illness might run in his family, as most of what I’ve glanced at reads as delusions of a madman hiding what was in his head. Some of what he wrote I cannot see how he could keep from his mate and such a tight-knit sloth.”
I nodded. “You’ll keep looking into it?”
His eyes flashed shock. “If you wish, yes, quietly. He listed some names and it’s easy enough to do some digging to find out if they really ‘adopted’ children or had a sudden influx of fairy blood in their family. Mason also had a box of his great-grandfather’s possessions in his room that we did not return to Mr. Rodriquez, so I’ll see what else is there and if any value.”
“And not to use against me, right?” I checked, raising an eyebrow at him. I snorted when he returned the gesture. “Oh come on, it’s not like we trust each other either.” I glanced around and found the falcon shifter. “I’m too wiped to try and use my telepathy in a group. Let me know if he lies?”
“He has to answer first,” she chuckled.
Professor Collins sighed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Not to use against you. Selling children from a fairy you raped is a heinous crime on several levels. If it happened, I want to know. Or find out if it didn’t because the prospect of it would keep me up nights.”
“Fair enough. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” he accepted after several beats.
“So, what happens next?” I asked, bracing for impact as I crossed my arms over my chest and even my legs, twitching my foot with annoyance.
Mel snorted. “I told you that you don’t have to worry, Tams.”
“Yeah, but you’re not empress of the world. While I find that a shame, that means you’re not handing out sentences, and given five guys drugged and gang-raped a student and the elders gave her shit—do you blame me for not holding my breath?”
“Except—while horrific and distasteful—Mason and his friends tried to break our most precious law,” Von Thann cut in.
It took everything I had to sneer at distasteful but I’d had enough of our bickering and wanted answers. Then I froze, remembering something I read in one of the journals I glanced over. Part of what the fairy queens had done after finding out that fairies were being forced to mate and/or bred for power was to make change a law.
“Forcing someone to mate is the ultimate crime as it ties two souls together when one is not willing,” I muttered. “It’s a death sentence.”
Von Thann’s eyes flashed shock but he nodded. “It is. Mason confessed to planning to claim you against your will, so his life is forfeit. However, you were the one who said you wanted Mason to get help. Mr. Rodriquez was incredibly touched by such a merciful demand instead of his head and agrees that his son needs treatment.”
“He will not sweep this under the rug,” Edelman promised me. “It’s an unheard of, benevolent gesture you made demanding he get help and we ran with it. Mason is unhinged and does need help.”
I glanced at Craftsman, knowing he’d have an opinion on this. He didn’t disappoint, meeting my gaze and sighing first. “Could you really send him to the gallows, duckie?”
“No, I want him to get help—far, far away from me. I hope he gets better, but my trauma was very real and having to so much as see him isn’t fair to me either.”
Craftsman held up his hand to the others. “Mr. Rodriguez agrees. He has also agreed to make it clear to the rumors Mason was in the wrong and this isn’t another ‘crime’ to lay at your feet. Mrs. Rodriguez also promised their sloth would be donating time to Haven as they don’t mistreat women in this way. This is real. They will really work to deserve this mercy.”
“Okay, just don’t make me see him or—I don’t have to like testify, right?” I whispered, not able to look at anyone then.
“No, Mason confessed with the right runes,” Edelman promised. “To a shifter elder we brought here and showed them the evidence, including Mason’s room and the wedding dress Mason put you in when it’s known you’re involved with Darby.”
“The two other guys?”
Craftsman sighed. “They did not think Mason was going to force you to mate. They did know he wanted to get you pregnant, but they thought you were already intimate. No less rape, but in one idiot’s words, it was no different than poking holes in the condom.”
“That is soooo not the same fucking thing,” I seethed. “And that’s not okay either.”
“Agreed, but when they realized Mason had been hiding more, they were both trying to talk him down. They said you heard part of it,” he pushed.
I opened my mouth but then closed it, shaking my head. “I think the one voice might have been. The other seemed just annoyed he had to hold me during and didn’t want to watch a rape. They didn’t seem all that upset, just pissed they didn’t get the whole story, or it wouldn’t work.”
“Which we could push harder except we erased from their minds why they wanted it to work,” Edelman said gently.
I blew a harsh breath and nodded. It made sense. It sucked but made sense. “So, what then?”
“Mr. Rodriquez is their Alpha and after speaking with their parents, they agreed to six months in our prison and a ten-year celibacy ban,” Edelman answered.
He nodded when I gave him a suspicious look. “The rune will be placed by a witch elder at the Alpha’s request if you give your blessing. The shifter elder thought it too harsh a punishment but—”
“I agree,” I cut in, wanting this over. And I really didn’t want another conversation about men not valuing women as they should. I looked at Mel. “Don’t you think?” I sighed in relief when she nodded. “We should do something to pat this elder on the back even if he thought it too harsh. The sloth too. Mostly because they have more honor than the vampire elders and phrase it that way.”
“You just have to always poke the bear,” Professor Collins hissed, wincing when several of us gave him scathing looks. “I apologize for the ill-timed pun. I wasn’t thinking of it in that way. I just meant—you’re about to have a moment to look a goddess, a kind and merciful woman who understands sometimes people need help because they deserve the chance to be saved.”
“And you use it to take another shot at the vampire elders,” Professor White added, sounding amused.
“There is a rune to force celibacy and they didn’t give it to those guys after they drug a girl and gang-rape her? Brutalize her in a video?” I seethed, right back to hating too many people. “They deserve it and much, much more.” I swallowed down as much as I could but still wanted to tear into some people. “But…”
“What, Tams?” Mel pushed.
“I can’t not do it,” I admitted, wiggling my foot again, staring at my lap. “It makes more sense with what I’ve read, but I’ve always been this way. Even before I met you and you gave me a path, a way to—an outlet and course to do something. Now I have money and the power that comes with it, but before all of that I’ve always felt this way.
“It’s always been this burning need inside of me to fix what’s wrong. I—I can’t leave it alone. And it’s always made me feel so alone, that people can ignore what they see or not do something. I couldn’t ever figure that out. I didn’t care if I got slapped by a foster parent for getting involved, but I could not stand there and watch them take a belt to a three-year-old. I couldn’t.