by Erin R Flynn
Yes, I was in class, but even I knew that was pushing the line, and I could get in valid trouble, which I didn’t need right then. I got in enough bullshit trouble that I tried to limit how much I deserved.
He wrapped up about thirty seconds before class ended. I was up and out of my seat as everyone else packed it in.
“Ms. Vale,” he called after me as I reached the door the same time the bell rang.
I ignored him and kept going. Ray was waiting outside and didn’t say a word, probably smelling my upset or any number or indicators I was about to lose my shit. I mumbled a thanks after we reached my dorm and I headed inside. Once inside, I dumped my bag on the floor and crawled in bed, snuggling in the bedding even and pulling it over my head.
And then I silently cried, letting everything out I’d been holding in for the past hour and a half. I don’t know how long I went on, but I heard a key in the door and tried to get myself together so Izzy didn’t call Mel and start shit.
“I’m not sure if she’s here or how—”
“She’s inside, Ms. Kincaid,” Dean White assured her.
Oh shit.
“No she’s not,” I grumbled once they were in the room and the door was closed behind them. “She’s taking a time out and unavailable.” I bit back a growl when my covers were yanked back, reminding myself that it was a dean of my school doing it and not someone I could smack.
Even if she deserved it.
“Oh dear,” she sighed, taking in my state. “Well, this explains the over-the-top and rebellious outburst I had a report about from an explosive Craftsman.”
I mopped up my face as I swung my legs over to sit. “He shouldn’t have busted me in front of everyone that I was off in my head. That was a dick move, even if we weren’t a thing, and he was using his position to try and force me to give him time to win me back. My whole life is precarious, and he says he cares, and yet he does shit like that.”
“Yes, which he realized was a massive mistake and part of why he was so upset,” she murmured as she pulled out my desk chair and sat down. “But what was the rest of what he said? I know him to be incredibly accurate, though I’m having trouble accepting you said all you did.”
I sighed and went into my idea about how to use Craftsman’s blunder and give idiots something to talk about or openings to try something. It was easier for us to handle threats if we gave them openings instead of never knowing where all of the problems could come from.
I shrugged after explaining where my head was. “Basically, I took the opening. He set me up perfectly, and his utter disbelief and serious anger sold it. Yeah, I shit all over him and his perfect Dr. Craftsman image, but he honestly deserved that for the dick moves he’s been pulling.”
“The hobgoblins are going to have a field day with him when they return back to campus,” Izzy said, beaming as if she was ready to grab popcorn and enjoy the show.
That actually perked me up some. They were going to freeze him out and make his life miserable. Nice.
“Your plan has merit and is smart, given the opportunity presented itself,” Dean White agreed. “I’ll speak with Craftsman so he gets off his warpath, and Edelman, so he knows this is a bit of trying to pacify the elites. The rest, I will speak with Geiger on as I think we need to keep the circle small on that. He’s currently digging into McGrath’s past and investigating what you learned.”
“What’s up with Instructor McGrath?” Izzy asked, glancing between us.
Dean White’s eyes flashed shock. “You didn’t warn Ms. Kincaid?”
“We don’t include Izzy in a lot as she gets dragged into the fighting and dirty stuff then.”
“Agreed, but that sort of filthy scum won’t be deterred when we close this first direct line to you. He will start on the next easiest access to you.” She gave a pointed look to Izzy… My roommate who was also taking his class.
I felt all the blood leave my face. “Izzy, I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t even think of it. I’m so used to dealing with pervs solo that I didn’t—”
“Hey, it’s cool,” Izzy forgave. “Mel told me she needed to talk to me about something after dinner, so I think she realized whatever Dean White did. We’re not perfect, right? Didn’t this just happen and it’s what you guys were upset about at lunch?”
I nodded, knowing she’d already put that together. Izzy was easygoing but incredibly intuitive. She paid attention, was detailed oriented, and from what I’d heard Natalie say, was picking up how to read auras fast. So she might not have the juice she wished, but she was still gifted, as that was pretty hard for a witch or warlock to get down.
“Okay, so read me in, and we’ll figure something out. You can put that aura muting rune on me or whatever since we’ll have to assume a warlock who teaches here knows how to read them.”
“He does,” Dean White confirmed. “I pulled his file after your messages. His level is passable to teach at Artemis, so it’s not his best ability, but passable here is much better than the average warlock. Be on your guard. He is extremely gifted in potions. He has to be to teach the subject here. It also means that is probably what he will use on you.”
I sighed as understanding filled me. “To test me. He’s going to start there and use some sort of potion on me to test what I am.”
“Yes, and I fear it will trigger your PTSD,” she said gently.
I swallowed loudly. Yeah, it would, and throw me back to Mason drugging and abducting me for sure. He almost killed me using too much of a fairy knockout potion and type of date rape drug so he could get me pregnant and force me to mate. Using any potions on me against my will would absolutely trigger me.
Fuck.
“What do we do? There’s got to be a way to fight that, right?”
“Yes, and I’ll get right to work on it, but I wanted to warn you so you’re on guard more than normal. The hobgoblins will help. I’m also going to speak with Katrina Calloway as she’s impressive in potions as well and knows about you.”
Izzy was still glancing between us like watching a tennis match. “Can’t we just let the fae dogs eat this guy if he’s such a threat and get a new potions teacher?”
Dean White shot her an unflattering look and waggled her finger at me. “This is your influence. Ms. Kincaid is turning into the third amiga with you and Melody.”
Izzy simply beamed at her. “That’s a great compliment. Thanks, Dean White.”
It was hard not to laugh when Dean White simply sighed and headed for the door. We waited several moments after she was long gone and broke out into chuckles.
I went over to Izzy and hugged her. “That was immediately Mel and Ray’s plan. I thought it wasn’t bad either, but it could be a trap since he’s also a council plant. I’ll let Mel fill you all in. I’m totally wiped and just want the day to be over.”
She tightened her arms around me. “You’ll be okay. Runes are stupid.”
“No they’re not, but thanks. Today will be the worst class, right? It will get easier from here.”
“Totally.” Her tone sounded as confident as mine.
Which really didn’t sound confident at all.
She offered to go get us some splurge ice cream from the vending machine mecca, and I gladly accepted.
I sat down on my beanbag chair with my bag and debated what I should start studying first when all I wanted to do was nothing. I stared at it for a while, wondering if Izzy had caught Mel and they had got to talking, or if there was a line at the vending machines.
My phone vibrated with a message, and I was glad for the distraction. I frowned when I saw it was from a number I didn’t know, but then my eyes went wide when I realized it was another new number for Craftsman. I’d blocked that second number he’d sent me videos from.
Well, I assumed it was from him when the message was simply a link to OneRepublic’s “Start Again” featuring Logic. He was there when I had found out how integral music was to a fairy and their soul, and he’d been trying to use it to com
municate with me. He had before too, when we were together.
Plus, we both loved OneRepublic. We’d danced to a lot of their songs over winter break in my kitchen and done cute, cuddly couple things like that with their music playing in the background. I listened to the song even though I knew it, truly listening to the words and letting them sink into my soul as tears ran down my cheeks. I didn’t bother mopping off my face this time and found my response.
I sent back the link to OneRepublic’s “Didn’t I” which was all about suffering through ending a relationship and the pain of moving on. It was about the most fitting thing I could think of for us right then. I had loved him and given all of me to him and it hadn’t been enough. I couldn’t give anything else or go back when I would risk the same outcome of killing part of my soul.
It took a few minutes for him to respond, letting me know he’d listened to it, but he did with the link to OneRepublic’s “Somebody To Love.” I broke down sobbing as I listened to the heartbreaking song about watching someone move on with a new person. Part of me hated Craftsman for breaking me, but I didn’t want him to hurt over my being with Lucca.
I responded with one final song before blocking the number again… Kameron Marlowe’s “Giving You Up,” the song I had listened to over and over again to try and get over all of them. I wasn’t sure there was any other song that more accurately said—especially for Craftsman—“you had your chance and walked away, and I won’t be stupid enough to give you another one.”
Why were we even having this back-and-forth?
Why wasn’t that a valid stance to have?
Because he asked for time?
Why didn’t I deserve better than being abandoned?
I gave up on even trying to do homework, heading back to my bed and wanting the day to just be over. Instead, someone knocked on the door again. At first, I ignored it, but when the knocked kept up, I sighed and caved.
“Oh, agra,” Darby whispered when I opened the door. “What happened?”
I shook my head and stepped aside to let him in. “What’s up?”
“Did you forget I was coming?”
I wracked my brain and came up short, not simply forgetting, but not registering it at all. “I’m completely drawing a blank.” I closed the door behind him and went back to bed. “Sorry, but I just want today to be over. Can we do whatever tomorrow?”
He caught me around the waist and hugged me to him. “Was his class that bad?”
“It’s more than that,” I admitted. “What did we have?”
“You weren’t paying attention at all at dinner yesterday, were you?”
I opened my mouth but then closed it. I sighed and let my head fall back to his shoulder. “It’s hard for me to focus when Hudson sits close to me. The energy dances all over my skin, and I’m seriously seconds from orgasming or just letting him fuck me right on the tables, no matter how much I still can’t stand the idea of being around him after what he did. I’m sorry. I’m sorry you have all my baggage—”
“It’s okay, agra,” he murmured, softly kissing my neck.
Izzy opened the door before he could finish his thought, once again perfectly fulfilling our joke that she had the most accurate timing to always know anytime Darby kissed me or we took any sort of break. She sighed. “Is this seriously all you guys do?”
“No, but I’m going to start recording our time together so you can really see how you just have radar to walk in the moment he touches me. It’s like you have perv radar, Izzy.”
“It’s uncanny,” Darby drawled.
“Well, I got ice cream for you too since I remembered your study date with Tams, so don’t be salty with me,” Izzy threw right back.
I rolled my eyes as Darby let me go. “Glad you remembered because I apparently didn’t ever hear about it.” I glanced at him over my shoulder. “You’re not our year. Are we just studying whatever together?”
He frowned, reaching out and tucking some stray hair behind my ear. “No, I’m helping you with physics and your high school Latin.”
It was my turn to frown. “You’re not a tutor anymore, Darby. I gave you my prize so you could be free and not have that shit to deal with. Even the scholarship students don’t have to do that anymore.”
He leaned in as he cupped my cheek, being more affectionate than normal as if he couldn’t believe he was allowed to touch me again. “I know. This is simply me being a good boyfriend and helping out my wonderful girlfriend who has too much on her plate. She helps so many, and I want to support her, so let me.”
“Now I’m really glad I got him ice cream,” Izzy mumbled as she went to grab us spoons.
Yeah, I was too.
I brushed my lips over his in thanks and accepted my pint from Izzy before we jumped right into it. It was nice to have something familiar and normal. Something calm. I didn’t have a lot of that in my life, and I needed more of it.
20
The next few weeks of school were a mix of ups and downs, but it was oddly easy to fall into the routine of getting back into my studies. I found it shocking, given I’d been out of school for years before my freshman year and had had only one year of traditional high school education. My college life was going to be exponentially easier once I finished my high school degree.
Funny how that worked out when I was going to such a difficult school.
Instructor Larson was awesome to work with. He was like the ultimate guru and completely dedicated to my overall advancement, not simply in training. I was learning a ton from him and soaking it all up like a sponge… Even if the man was cutting my sugar intake considerably and making me eat a ton more lean protein. It was totally worth it.
And it was hysterical to watch him battle with Irma, who loved to feed me sweets. They went at it at least every other day, and I was not the only one who grabbed a front row seat in the cafeteria to see who would win. Mostly, Irma would concede to add more protein, but only when Larson would grant more fae fruit sweets for me as those had benefits too.
Botany was fun, but not much of a challenge. After the lectures, I finished my assignments pretty fast and got into the habit of reading for my high school classes, which was nice in the greenhouse. I was into nature as a fairy, and as long as I found some shade to hide under, as I also burned like a redhead, it was enjoyable.
I found Shifter Culture I fascinating. Any discussions about bear shifters were hard for me because it brought up issues with Mason, but I was also curious since Lucca was my mate. My life was complicated and so was I. For now, I thought it best to leave it at that and cut myself some slack.
Physics wasn’t too bad with Darby’s help. He was putting whatever language Professor Richardson spoke into English for me, and I was fairing pretty well. I would never be friends with physics, but we wouldn’t be enemies because my magic jumped to the end, so life gave me a break with that.
Magical Advancements 101 was a fascinating topic, but Professor Campbell was annoying me. She either enjoyed having her head in the sand, or she truly hadn’t heard the warnings Dean White had given her that the shit we were dealing with was real. Either way, she was supposed to be the adult, and it wasn’t my problem she was acting like a kid picked last on the playground or some shit.
It was a shame because I had thought things would get better between us after she had moved past pursuing Craftsman.
Potions class was not a good time for me. I went to Professor Pillay with questions on the ingredients for my first assignment as Dean White had instructed, and just as she had guessed, Professor Pillay had immediately known the problem. She had brought it right to McGrath at dinner and given him an earful in front of witnesses that he needed to be more careful with his lessons. She hinted the alternative could only be he was bullying a student, and teachers got fired for that.
Immediately naming the former Professor Koch, who used to teach all the mental shielding classes and had tenure, which he thought made him untouchable.
So, for t
he moment, McGrath was being incredibly careful with me, pleading it was an absolute mistake and random luck I got the packet with a bad ingredient. He even went so far as to fib that he thought others were contaminated and took full responsibility as some of the items came in later than expected. After promising he would handle it all now that he was fully settled in, Pillay backed off.
But he was rallying. I knew that from his thoughts. Larson had helped me distract him, and according to what the others thought, I pretended to use some fairy rune to nullify McGrath’s telepathy blocking charm. It was good cover for now.
Still, I hated that I had to be on such guard while trying to learn all I should and do my job as a college student.
Plus, it was hard to have that far end of the crazy spectrum and then swing all the way back on the pendulum right after lunch during Runes 201, where I completely tuned out my ex-lover. So… Good times.
The only thing that helped was before lunch, I got out some of my frustration and aggressive feelings towards McGrath by have a quick trip wherever to rescue more hobgoblins. I was getting so many right under peoples noses that it really helped my stress levels and to cope with everything else I had to deal with in my life.
I ended the third week of classes by plotting to hit up three large estates right by each other Saturday before lunch. Izzy was my alibi on the weekends, just in case. It was something I’d never ask for, but those close to me were itching to help the hobgoblins anyway they could, just as I was. Who was I to deny them?
I opened the temp portal in my closet and went through with a shadow rune. The fae dogs were waiting for me, able to sense me, even with the rune. This group wasn’t sworn to me, but I could still read their minds and got the information I needed. I mentally thanked them and confirmed the next location and when I would meet them before they headed out.