Elemental Fae Academy: Book One

by Lexi C. Foss

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Elemental Fae Academy

  Copyright © 2019 Lexi C. Foss & J.R. Thorn

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book may not be redistributed to others for commercial or noncommercial purposes.

  Editing by: Outthink Editing, LLC

  Cover Design: Sanja Balan of Sanja’s Covers

  Published by: Ninja Newt Publishing, LLC

  Digital Edition

  ISBN: 978-1-950694-04-4

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Elemental Fae Academy: Book One

  Part I

  Prologue

  1. Claire

  2. Exos

  3. Claire

  4. Titus

  5. Claire

  6. Titus

  7. Titus

  8. Claire

  9. Claire

  10. Titus

  11. Claire

  12. Exos

  13. Claire

  14. Claire

  Part II

  15. Titus

  16. Vox

  17. Claire

  18. Vox

  19. Exos

  20. Claire

  21. Exos

  22. Claire

  23. Claire

  Epilogue

  Up Next…

  Chapter One

  About Lexi C. Foss

  Also by Lexi C. Foss

  About J.R. Thorn

  Also By J.R. Thorn

  My one piece of advice: Never kiss a stranger.

  See, I kind of kissed this sexy man at the bar on a dare once, and it turns out he’s a Royal Fae destined to be my mate. Now I’ve been dragged to the Elemental Fae Academy to control the powers I unlocked that night.

  So kissing? Yeah, that won’t happen again. Nope.

  Lesson learned.

  Except, I kind of kissed Titus, too. And, well, now, I’m in a world of trouble. I keep burning things down, flooding dorms, and I’ve attracted the campus mean girl brigade.

  This Fae Realm is a nightmare come to life. Truly.

  But there are dreams here, too.

  Sexy ones.

  And they’re in the form of five Elemental Fae mentors. They’re supposed to help me control my powers, but who’s going to keep the elements from controlling me?

  Authors’ Note: Elemental Fae Academy is a medium-burn reverse harem romance and part of a three-book series.

  Part I

  Prologue

  Exos

  “Her birthday is next week.” Elana sat back in her chair at the head of the council table, her silver-gray eyes brimming with expectation. “Allowing her to stay in the mortal realm is a risk we cannot allow.”

  “Then kill her,” Mortus suggested, his tone flat. “She’s an abomination.”

  “Hear, hear,” Zephys agreed. “It’d solve several of our issues.”

  “But what if she’s the one?” Vape was always the voice of reason in these meetings. He sat opposite Elana, his white hair pulled back in a bun, the lines adorning his face showing his near millennia of life.

  “Oh, this again.” Mortus shook his head. “The curse is a myth.”

  “Say that to the nearly extinct Spirit Fae,” my brother said from his seat at the table. I stood behind him, leaving my seat at his side vacant. There were many who wanted me to join the Royal Council, to take my place in the Fae Court, but I never desired that life. I was a warrior by nature. Not a king, even though my blood indicated otherwise.

  “Her mother caused that.” A flame played over Blaize’s fingers while he spoke. “Just thought I’d point that out. Again.”

  “We don’t know that for a fact,” Vape reminded, his tone stern yet gentle. Because this was a delicate topic, one several at the table felt strongly about. Especially Mortus—the fae who fought Ophelia Snow to the death. Ninety percent of the Spirit Fae perished on the same day. Some argued it was a coincidence. Others accused Ophelia of being the destructive force, her betrayal shaking the entire Fae Kingdom.

  My instincts told me there was more to the story than met the eye, but I didn’t know what.

  “Oh, come on. We all know Ophelia was the cause, and this little terror is going to be just as much trouble.” Zephys stood. “I don’t even know why we’re having this conversation. It’s a waste of bloody time.”

  “Sit. Down,” Elana commanded, her place at the head of the table affording her the authority of the room. As the eldest, and arguably the most powerful of the fae, she carried significant weight in this discussion. Despite the fact that she used to mentor Ophelia personally, providing her with a somewhat biased opinion.

  Still, I believed everyone deserved a chance. Even Claire. “She should not have to pay for her mother’s sins,” I murmured, knowing my brother would agree. “I vote we give her a chance.”

  “Good thing your vote doesn’t count, then,” Mortus sneered.

  “But mine does,” my brother replied. “And I stand by my brother’s words. Claire should not be punished for something she had no control over. We should bring her into the Fae Realm.”

  “And do what with her?” Blaize demanded. “Keep her in a cage? She’s a Halfling. We don’t even know what elemental skill she’ll possess.”

  “Clearly spirit,” my brother replied, his voice calm. “And likely one other.” That was what set our kind—the Spirit Fae—apart from the others. While spirit was our primary element, we all maintained a secondary one. For me, that was fire. For my brother, water. Our kind used to hold the most power in the Fae Realm as a result, and still would if the majority of our species hadn’t mysteriously collapsed and died in a single day.

  Mortus snorted. “Right. She’ll be weak with that mortal blood pumping through her veins.”

  “Or incredibly strong,” Vape said in his raspy, old voice. “There’s a prophecy depicting a Halfling of five elements. It could be her.”

  “You and your curses and prophecies,” Mortus grumbled, shaking his head. “Show me the proof, old man.”

  “It’s written in the stars” was his cryptic reply. Despite being a water elemental, he seemed to have a foresight ability, something no one else possessed. But for someone of his age, and with his experience, it almost made sense that he would be able to depict patterns in time, to predict an event before it happened.

  “We should vote,” Elana said, eyeing the parties at the table. Each element had three representatives, which mainly comprised of the royal bloodlines and a few high-ranking fae with stronger affinities to others.

  Placards appeared, courtesy of an air elemental carrying them in off a subtle wind and scattering them around the long, oval surface.

  “Should we bring her to the Fae Realm?” Elana asked.

  Purple meant affirmative. Gold for negative.

  My brother tilted his to the violet side, Mortus and Zephys immediately flipping to gold. Blaize surprisingly chose purple. “Call me curious” was his explanation. Several others followed suit, all maintaining a similar opinion, bringing the room to a unexpected agreement on allowing her into the Fae Realm.

  “All right, then.” Elana clasped her hands over the hard surface. “What will you do with her when she arrives?”

  “Send her
to the Academy.” My brother’s suggestion seemed to shock the room.

  Mortus’s cheeks actually tinged red. “To corrupt our youth? No.”

  Youth? I thought, nearly laughing.

  The fae grew up faster than humans and didn’t start attending the Academy until age nineteen. She’d fit right in with the crowd, apart from having grown up without access to her gifts for the last two decades.

  Most fae began using their gifts earlier in life, but Ophelia had cast a charm over Claire to stall her elemental progression. It’d been one of the many atrocities the female fae had inflicted on others before her death. And had also been the reason the Council chose to let Claire remain in the mortal realm. She couldn’t defend herself here, and there were many who wanted her dead.

  Case in point, the furious Spirit Fae to my left—Mortus. I could feel the malevolent intents pouring off his aura. If allowed, he’d kill the Halfling himself.

  Claire would need a protector, or several, to survive here. And unfortunately, if her powers manifested as they should, she’d be too dangerous for the mortal world as well. Leaving her rather… stuck.

  “The Academy.” Vape scratched his jaw, considering. “That would provide her with the ability to learn more about her gifts. She’s enrolled in human university now, yes?”

  “Yes,” Elana confirmed. “But what sector would she attend? Spirit was disbanded after…”

  “Her mother destroyed everyone?” Mortus offered. “You can’t admit it out loud, but you’ll allow her abomination to attend the Academy? To play with the impressionable minds of our realm?” He stood. “This is ridiculous and you know it. I can’t be a part of this conversation.”

  “Then leave,” my brother said, his voice hard. Despite Mortus being the elder of our kind, my brother’s royal blood superseded the elder male’s authority. “My brother and I will represent our kind in your stead.”

  “You’d like that,” Mortus said, his beady black eyes landing on me. “Your Highness.” He bowed mockingly. “Enjoy playing with fate. Don’t be surprised when she bites back.” He stalked out of the room, leaving me sighing in his wake.

  That bastard saw me as a constant threat to his position. As he probably should since he clearly couldn’t behave as an adult of three hundred years. I wasn’t even a tenth of his age, and I behaved more appropriately.

  “What do you think, Exos?” Elana asked. “Should she attend the Academy?”

  “It would provide her with the tools she needs to hone her elemental gifts,” I said slowly. “But Mortus brought up a reasonable point. Who will help her learn about the most important ability of all—Spirit?”

  She nodded. “I have an idea for that.” A mischievous twinkle entered the elder fae’s gaze, one that warned me I was not going to enjoy her suggestion in the slightest. “I’d like you to train her. In fact, I also think you should be the one to retrieve her.”

  “Why?” I blurted out, unable to hold the word back.

  Elana’s lips curled. “Because you’re the most powerful Spirit Fae I’ve ever met. And if anyone can protect her, it’s you.”

  “She’s right,” my brother agreed, glancing up at me with his piercing blue eyes—the same shade as my own. “You’re the strongest amongst us. If anyone can control her, and train her, it’s you.” He lifted his hand to rest over mine on the back of his chair. “She needs you, Exos.”

  “It’s a good pairing,” Vape added. “Protection coupled with teaching. Assuming you’re up for the challenge?” He raised a white eyebrow, his bottomless gaze boring into mine. The old elemental knew I couldn’t turn down a summons, especially when he endorsed it.

  I sighed. “Fine. I’ll fetch her from the Human Realm. We’ll discuss the mentorship when I return.”

  “Excellent.” Elana held out her hands. “Then I believe we’re adjourned for now?”

  “When this all goes to hell, remember that I voted against everything,” Zephys said, walking away from the table. “And if she dies, I didn’t do it.”

  My brother squeezed my hand before releasing it. “You’re going to need all the luck you can get, Exos. Try not to die on me.”

  I smirked. “Anyone who tries deserves their fate. Right, Cyrus?”

  He returned my grin. “Right.” We bumped fists as he stood. “Happy vibes.”

  “Happy vibes,” I returned.

  I’d need them, especially for the road ahead. Because there were very few places worse than hell, and the Human Realm was one of them.

  Yeah, lucky me.

  Claire

  “Truth or dare?”

  I nearly spit out my drink—some sort of fruity concoction my bestie had given me. Like strawberries or something. Really sweet. Totally not the point. “We’re not playing this game, Rick.”

  “Oh, Claire Bear, we are so playing this game.” Amie’s lips pulled into a wide grin. “And the birthday girl goes first.”

  I tried to roll my eyes, but the room was already spinning. I wasn’t drunk exactly. Just very tipsy. Or I thought that might be my current state. Honestly, I just felt really, really good. Like untouchable. Powerful. Happy. But this fruity drink in my hand was so blah. I needed something with more punch, like a shot or something. Maybe—

  “Truth or dare, birthday baby?” Rick asked, flashing me one of his sexy-as-sin grins. Alas, he and I shared a preference for men. Not each other.

  “Nope,” I said. “Not playing.”

  “But I have the best dare for you,” Rick said, a wicked glint in his dark eyes. I’d been on the receiving end of his dares several times over and knew better than to accept.

  “Nope,” I repeated. “My birthday, my rules.” That was a thing, right? Yeah, it should be. “I’m making it a thing.”

  “What thing?” Amie asked, then shook her head, waving me off. “Ignore her, Ricky. She’ll play. You know she will. Our Claire Bear can’t deny a dare.”

  “Oh my God.” I couldn’t believe we were even talking about this. “We’re twenty-one, guys, not sixteen.”

  “Are you saying we’re too old for truth or dare?” Brittany sounded aghast. “I’m not too old for anything.”

  “Oh, we know, B,” Rick said, patting her hand. “We know.”

  “And what’s that supposed to mean?” she demanded, giving me a headache.

  “You know what it means, baby girl.” He pretended to toss his nonexistent hair, the gelled spikes on his head not moving an inch.

  “No, I don’t kn—”

  “All right,” I cut in, not wanting to be in the middle of a banter-fest on my birthday night. “I choose dare.” Because it was the only way these two would shut the hell up. “What do you want me to do, Rick?”

  “Him.” He pointed to a boy—no, a man—in a leather jacket at the bar.

  My jaw actually dropped. “What?” He was so out of my league that we weren’t even playing in the same field. And I didn’t feel that way due to a lack of confidence. No, I considered myself pretty enough, a solid B on the charts. But that man was drop-dead gorgeous in a bad-boy-rocker kind of way. Strong shoulders, lean waist, gorgeous white-blond hair.

  I drew my thumb against my lower lip. Yeah, he was the kind of male women dreamed about, the type who could wreck some lady parts in the bedroom. Or, at least, that was what his confident exterior exuded.

  As if he sensed my perusal, he glanced my way, causing me to duck my head.

  “Yeah, him,” Rick said, a grin in his voice. “He’s been checking you out all night, Claire baby. You need to go lay one on him. That’s my dare.”

  “You want me to kiss him?” I couldn’t help the squeak in my voice. “At the bar?”

  “Wouldn’t be your first time,” he pointed out. “What was the guy’s name? Justin? Jack?”

  “Jeremy,” Amie supplied.

  Rick snapped his fingers. “Jeremy. That’s it. You had no problem sucking his tongue right out of his mouth. I want to see you do that to our gorgeous dude over there. Mainly because I wa
nt deets. I’m betting he’s the dominant type, the kind who takes charge of the kiss and teaches your mouth a good lesson or two.”

  “Oh God.” My face was on fire, my head already shaking back and forth. “Give me a truth instead.”

  “Nah, this is a good dare.” He took a swig of his beer and relaxed into the booth, his free arm going across the back over Brittany’s slender shoulders. “I dare you to kiss the blond bad boy. And then report back.”

  “If you don’t do it, I will,” Amie cut in, my bestie’s eyes taking on an adoring gleam as she studied the bar. “He’s hot.”

  Rick snorted. “I love you, A, I do, but the only one at this table with a shot is our Claire Bear. He’s had a hard-on for her all night. Trust me. I’ve been watching.”

  “Really?” I asked, suddenly feeling far too sober. “He’s noticed me?”

  “Oh, yeah, constantly.” Another sip. “Seriously, go over there and say hi. See what happens. It’s not like you’re dating anyone, C.”

  I pressed my clammy palms to my exposed thighs, my skirt feeling a bit too short for comfort. The man had returned to his drink, his broad back to me again. Even from behind, the guy oozed sex appeal. Amie was right. He was definitely hot with a capital H. “I don’t know,” I said. “I need another drink or five for that.”