by Wendi Wilson
He would take Easton from me, too. Of that, I had no doubt. And whatever he had planned to accomplish it would not be pleasant. For Easton, or for me.
I closed my eyes, the pain in my chest becoming nearly unbearable as I came to a decision. I had to protect Easton from whatever Puck had planned. It didn’t matter what happened to me, but Easton was the future king and the Sylphs needed him. I couldn’t let Puck hurt him, or his reputation.
I would do whatever it took.
Even if it meant breaking my own heart in the process.
Chapter Ninety-Two
23
“I’ll just tell him we need some space. Ugh, that’s stupid.”
I mumbled to myself all the way down the stairs, attempting to come up with the right words to end things with Easton. I realized there were no right words, and I’d just have to wing it once we were face to face. I’d cause a scene, something loud enough to be sure to get back to Professor Goodman, and that’d be it. Puck would have no cause to hurt my ex-boyfriend.
But I couldn’t go through with it. One look at Easton’s angelic face from across the dining hall had me veering away and running in the opposite direction.
I internally berated myself for being a coward as I headed in the direction of my history class. Then I rationalized my decision, deciding that avoidance would work just as well. I could keep my distance, and maybe…
That wouldn’t work. I nearly drowned in depression after my late mentor Rowan’s death, isolating myself from everyone that cared about me. I’d promised Easton, and myself, that I wouldn’t do that again.
I strolled into the empty classroom and slumped into my desk. I looked up at the clock on the wall. I still had twenty minutes until class started. Plenty of time to think. To come up with a plan to keep Easton safely away from Puck’s machinations.
Maybe my first instinct had been right. A clean break would be the most efficient way to get him out of my orbit so that Puck couldn’t use him against me. I could stop worrying and focus on discovering Puck’s ultimate goal, finding proof, and removing him from our lives.
“What are you doing in here?”
I jumped in my seat, my eyes flying up to see Easton framed by the doorway before he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. I swallowed against the lump in my throat as he crossed the room and slid into the seat next to me, his aura glowing blue with worry.
A sigh slipped out between my lips as my shoulders drooped.
“Trying to come up with a way to break up with you,” I admitted, resigned.
His head tilted as he peered at me, his expression and aura showing only curiosity. No fear or anger, like he knew I wouldn’t actually do it. At least, not and mean it. I was sure my aura had everything to do with that.
“Why would you want to do that?” he asked, his voice mild and pleasant like we were talking about the weather.
“I wouldn’t,” I said. “Not in a million years. But everyone I care about is disappearing from my life. Shaela hates me. My father is missing. I thought if I could put some distance between us, it might take the target off your back. Puck is determined to destroy me, to take away everyone that I love.”
“He’d never fall for that, D. It’s too obvious. When you look at me, there is no mistaking the love and devotion in your eyes. You practically radiate with it. And I’m sure it’s the same for me. I couldn’t hide my feelings for you if I tried, and I wouldn’t want to. Besides, we’re stronger together.”
And if separating me from everyone I loved was Puck’s goal, I shouldn’t help him out by ostracizing myself from the one person I had left.
That realization hit me like a thunderbolt. I’d been playing right into Robin Goodman’s hands. Together, Easton and I were a force to be reckoned with and I let the fear of losing him goad me into nearly doing his dirty work for him.
I loved Easton, and he loved me. The bond between us was stronger than Puck’s Glamour, his villainous plotting, and his silver-tongued speeches. He may have been able to sway the rest of the student body, but he would never sway us.
Easton was right. We were stronger together.
And I wanted to strengthen that bond. I needed it. We needed it.
I slid from my seat and held out my hand to Easton, who took it rose from his own chair. I led him from the room, down the hall and up to my room, closing the door behind us. We stared at each other in silence for several moments as I let all that love and devotion I felt flow out through my eyes and into his.
Without a word, my hands went to the buttons of my shirt.
“What are you doing?” he stuttered, white streaks of fear and purple swirls of approval twisting through his pink aura.
Holding my silence and my breath, I stripped out of my uniform and stood before him in just my bra and panties. I tried not to tremble as his eyes took in all of me, turning from ice-blue to a molten silver. His aura darkened to a deep rose, all traces of fear gone as his gaze returned to my face.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed.
We moved toward each other, my hands gripping his shoulders as his lips crashed into mine. And just like that, my own nervousness was gone. My fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt, feverishly popping them open before splaying my palms against his warm chest.
His hands wound into my hair as mine moved to his waistband, unbuckling his belt. As my fingers moved to the zipper, he broke off our kiss and pulled back, looking into my eyes.
“Are you sure?” he whispered between labored breaths.
“Yes,” I breathed. “I love you, Easton.”
He groaned and pressed his mouth to mine once more. Ravishing, plundering. Words of adoration and commitment slipped past his lips between kisses, making my blood sing with passion as we made our way across the room to the bed.
My face felt hot, a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure heating my blood as we lay together tangled in the sheets. That was…wow.
Knowing it had been the first time for both of us made any awkwardness we felt inconsequential. Through guiding hands and murmured words, we’d learned from each other, discovering what made us arch with pleasure.
My head rested on Easton’s shoulder, my arm draped across his chest as his curled up around my back. His fingers tickled across the skin of my arm and he placed a kiss on my forehead. I wanted to stay right there, wrapped up in his arms forever.
I looked over my shoulder at the clock on my bedside table, realizing we’d missed first period completely and were about to be late for second. I turned back to lay my cheek against Easton’s chest once more, not bothering to stifle my sigh. I did not want to go to classes—one in particular.
As if reading my mind, Easton groaned and said, “Let’s have a skip day.”
I lifted my head so I could look into his eyes and asked, “Won’t we get into trouble?”
“When I saw you dart away from the dining hall this morning, I chased after you. Your aura was swirling with fear and shame and I knew something was up. I went to Grandad’s office before I came to find you, and got us both excused from classes.” He paused for a moment, arching one perfect, blond brow. “Just in case.”
“You thought I was running away, and that you’d have to come after me.”
His hand curled around my head, bringing my cheek back to his chest. His fingers played with my hair and my eyes drifted closed.
I didn’t blame him for thinking I was running. I’d done it before. I’d pushed people away, isolated myself, and harbored doubt about the academy and my place in it. It wasn’t outside the scope of reality that I’d leave to protect him, though the thought actually hadn’t occurred to me.
But I wasn’t that person anymore. I was stronger, both physically and emotionally, thanks to Oberon Academy and the people I’d come to care about. Easton had taught me to love unconditionally and accept that love in return. Shaela had taught me about true friendship and loyalty. Finn showed me that authority figures should have their charges�
�� best interests at heart, and that even strangers deserved to be treated with kindness and respect.
And Cris…he taught me that our genetic makeup and familial connections do not make us who we are. It’s our motives, our choices, and our actions that define us.
I would not—could not—run away and hide, leaving them to deal with the fallout and whatever Puck and Sebille had planned for the school. No, I had to stay and fight for the life I wanted with the ones I loved. It was the only way I’d be able to live with myself.
I rolled over onto Easton, straddling his hips and leaning forward to bring my face close to his. He stared back with a soft smile on his lips, waiting to see what I’d do. I pressed my lips to his for one brief second before pulling back.
“We have to fight,” I said. “We can’t let things continue on as they are. I don’t know where my dad is, but I have to believe he’s okay and had a good reason to leave. I also have to believe we will eventually break Shaela away from the influence of her grandfather. No giving up.”
“No giving up,” he repeated, the words sounding like a solemn vow.
I kissed him again, then rolled away before he could wrap his arms around me trap me there. As tempting as it was to stay hidden away with him all day, new energy pulsed inside me, urging me to move. There was no time to waste.
“Let’s go find Shaela.”
Chapter Ninety-Three
24
“She’s not in there, and neither is he,” Easton said as he closed the classroom door with a soft click.
We’d stopped by the dining hall to grab me a snack since I skipped breakfast, so by the time we started searching, third period had started. We decided to check sociology first on the off chance Shaela would be there, but also to make sure Puck was there before we headed to his suite to find her.
“He’s not in there?” I asked, keeping my voice to a whisper. “Where do you think he could be? He never misses a chance to warp young minds with his pro-Zephyr agenda.”
“I don’t know. Let’s go check his suite.”
My nerves were jumping under my skin by the time we reached the hall where Puck’s rooms were located. My gut told me something was off, and I’d learned to trust my instincts. I pulled Easton to a halt before we reached the door.
“Something isn’t right here,” I whispered, and Easton was nodding before I even finished.
“I feel it, too. There’s magic in the air, the kind that’s designed to keep people away. My brain keeps telling me to run in the other direction.”
That wasn’t exactly what I felt, but I supposed it was my natural immunity to Glamour that kept me from feeling the full effects of the spell. I slipped my hand into Easton’s and looked into his eyes.
“You don’t have to leave. The magic doesn’t affect you.”
He shook his head with a frown and squeezed my fingers.
“That didn’t work, but it’s okay. I think I can fight it on my own, since I recognize it for what it is.”
“I guess my Glamour-breaking power over others only works with the spoken commands of rulers,” I murmured as we turned and took slow steps toward Puck’s door.
While I only felt twinges of discomfort, Easton’s struggle to fight the magic seemed to grow stronger with each step we took in that direction. I was about to tell him to back up, that I could go on without him when it just…stopped.
Like some invisible bubble burst, the hall suddenly felt clear and empty, all traces of magic gone from the space. Easton and I looked at each other in wonder for a second before we turned as one and hurried the rest of the way.
I banged on the door, our attempts to remain stealthy forgotten. I yelled for Shaela, ordering her to open the door. When that didn’t work, I rattled the locked doorknob and resorted to begging and pleading.
Nothing.
“Can you get this door open?” I asked Easton.
“I’ve been trying, but my magic isn’t working. He must have it spelled.”
My first impulse was to blast the door with fire and burn our way through. I reined it in, though. The door, the walls, and even the floors on this hall were made of wood, so a single spark could end with the whole building burning down.
“There has to be something—” I cut myself off with a gasp as a thought occurred to me. “It might just work.”
Remembering my conjuring lessons with Cris, I closed my eyes and concentrated. I pictured what I wanted in my head as I held a hand out in front of me. I formed it, bit by bit, until the picture was complete in my mind and I felt the cold bite of metal in my palm.
My eyes popped open and I stared at the object in my hand. I closed my fingers around it and met Easton’s gaze with a triumphant grin. He smiled back, his face full of wonder and pride as I showed him what I had.
“Let’s hope this works,” I said, pinching the key between my fingers and slipping it into the lock on Puck’s door.
I twisted it and heard the distinct click of the lock disengaging. I sucked in a ragged breath of relief and turned the knob. The door swung open and we crossed the threshold, making our way into the suite.
Rich appointments bordering on ostentatious adorned the space, from finely woven carpets strewn across the floors to gold-framed mirrors on the walls. I whisper-hissed Shaela’s name, but received no answer. A quick search of the rooms confirmed it—the place was deserted.
“Where could they be?” I asked, a sprig of green leaves on the coffee table catching my eye. Strange.
“Don’t worry,” Easton said, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find them.”
The sound of rapid footsteps had us whirling toward the doorway, which was quickly filled with a tall, lanky form and light pink wings.
“What are you guys doing here?” Charles asked as he walked toward us.
“We were looking for Shaela,” I explained. “Have you seen her today?”
He shook his head, his expression tightening with strain as he answered, “No, I haven’t. That’s why I’m here. She usually meets me for breakfast and she didn’t show. Then someone in my third class mentioned she wasn’t in second period, so I got worried and left to come check on her.”
“She’s not here,” Easton said. “And Professor Goodman is missing, too.”
“He’s not teaching sociology?”
“No,” I replied. “Charles, I’m worried.”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” he said. “Her grandad wouldn’t hurt a hair on her head. I’ll go find them.” He looked from me to Easton. “I’ll text you when I find her.”
We walked out of the room and out into the hall, and I used my conjured key to relock the door. With one last nod, Charles took off at a fast clip.
“Let’s go back to your room,” Easton said, taking my hand in his. “Maybe Shaela stopped by to grab some of her things, or something.”
That was highly unlikely and we both knew it, but I was happy for the distraction. It made me feel like I was doing something until we came up with a solid plan to find my best friend.
As we headed down the corridor and out into the main hall of the building, a deep voice shouted Easton’s name. He froze, pulling me to a stop with him, as his spine stiffened and a muscle in his jaw ticked like he was grinding his back teeth.
The man called his name again, and Easton muttered a curse as he tightened his grip on my hand before turning toward the voice. His father stalked toward us, a menacing look on his face.
“What is he doing here?” I murmured through the corner of my mouth.
“Father,” Easton greeted him, his voice as stiff as his spine as the man halted in front of us, “this is my girlfriend, December Thorne. December, meet my father, Alwyn Jameson.”
Not knowing what else to do, I held out my free hand to offer him a handshake. He sneered at the gesture before turning his attention back to his son and pretending I wasn’t there.
“Girlfriend, indeed,” he muttered, meeting Easton’s eyes. “I need to speak with y
ou now…in private.”
“We were just headed to class,” Easton said in a firm voice, making it obvious he had no intention of going off with the man.
“You will come with me now, or I’ll have to speak to your mother about your behavior.”
Easton’s body turned to stone and a chill ran through mine. The innuendo in Alwyn’s voice was clear—by speak, he meant punish. My magic flared to life inside me, spurred on by the need to protect Easton. Visions of whirling the man around in a tornado of fire danced through my head as my palms itched to let the magic loose.
Easton squeezed my hand tightly before turning toward me and pressing his lips against my cheek.
“I’ll meet you in your room,” he said before releasing me and motioning for his father to lead the way.
Alwyn narrowed his ice-blue eyes at me one last time before turning on a heel and heading in the opposite direction, his blonde ponytail swinging around behind him. He didn’t glance back, fully expecting Easton to follow him.
“I have to go,” Easton whispered, the worry evident on his face.
I nodded and shooed him away, knowing his mother’s well-being depended on his cooperation with the horrid man who was his father. Easton hurried to catch up to him and I watched them until they disappeared around a corner.
I took a deep breath and trudged across the hall. I had no idea how long Alwyn would keep Easton from me, and Lord knew where Charles had run off to in search of Shaela. My dad had left the campus completely, and no one knew where he was. I thought about going to Finn, but quickly discarded the idea. I’d learned that because of the council and Puck’s influence over its members, the king’s hands were tied. There was no point dragging him further into this mess and forcing him to suffer the possible repercussions.
I had to face it—I was on my own.