by Lexi C. Foss
“Yeah? Could have fooled me, Your Majesty,” Ajax replied, executing a mock bow.
“Ugh, why am I partnered with you again?” she demanded.
“Because your friends didn’t want to fight you today. You’re too moody for them.” He folded his arms. “So are you going to try to hit me or what? I’m getting bored over here.”
Emelyn charged him with a roar that made me wince.
Moody was an understatement.
She had Ajax flat on his back in less than a second, his expression registering shock, which quickly morphed into determination as he wrestled her across the ground in several skilled maneuvers.
“I don’t know how to do that,” I admitted, watching him twist and pin her. But Emelyn wasn’t one to be outdone. She had him in a headlock two moves later, causing my eyebrows to shoot up.
Shade yanked me backward, away from their violent game, and drew me around to face him. “Then show me what you know how to do.”
“Earth Fae don’t fight,” I told him. “There’s no need.”
He gave me a look that said he wasn’t impressed. “I know Zeph’s been training you.”
“Yeah, mostly with magic.”
“And I’ve seen you and Ella spar, so I know you’re learning how to fight,” he added, undeterred.
“Okay, she’s shown me a few things, but—”
“Show me what you’ve learned,” he interjected. “No excuses. I need to know what I’m dealing with here.”
“Why did you want to spar?” I asked him, deflecting. “You rarely talk to me during class. I mean, you barely even acknowledge me in Death Class, and we’re partners in that one. Why today? Why now?”
He cocked his head to the side. “I’m tired of giving you space. You’re mine and I want to play. Now stop deflecting and give me a preview of your abilities. Then we’ll go from there.”
“I gave you a preview that first time you bit me.”
“Yeah, and you played with your elements and still lost,” he replied, unimpressed. “Now you have that collar around your neck hampering your abilities. Which makes this class a lot more important than you seem to realize.”
“Why? Because you’re anticipating I may need to fight you off again soon?” I countered.
He swept his leg across my knees, sending me to the ground on a whoosh of air. I coughed and sputtered as he landed on top of me, his hands easily capturing my wrists to bring them above my head as his hips pinned mine to the black grass below.
Not green, but black.
Like all the other vegetation in this realm.
“I’m anticipating that you’re going to need to fight others,” he whispered against my ear. “And soon. So I need you to stop flirting with me and actually pay attention, Aflora.”
“I’m not flirting with you,” I managed to say on a harsh exhale, my back throbbing from his unexpected attack. “I think… I think I hate you.”
He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my jaw, then drew his lips to my ear. “Best me and I’ll make you come later.”
I snorted at the offer. “Did that when I woke up, so I’m good, thank you.”
Only after I uttered the words did I realize what I’d just admitted out loud. My cheeks heated as Shade went to his elbows on either side of my head, his lips curled in amusement. “Yeah? And did you scream my name?”
“Get off of me.”
“Not until you detail the experience for me,” he replied, his wicked gaze falling to my mouth. “Did you think of me?”
“I’m not talking about this.”
“Then I guess we’ll be lying here all night. Works for me, as I find this position to be rather comfortable for all parties involved.” He gave a little thrust, allowing me to feel his growing arousal against my heated center.
My thighs clenched, my insides doing all sorts of weird somersaults in response to his small action. I’d told him the truth about my earlier release, but it hadn’t done anything to cool the flames burning inside me.
All because my mates wouldn’t leave my dreams alone.
And now this!
“Off,” I snapped.
He merely smiled. “Make me.”
I growled and tried to shove him off me, which did absolutely nothing. Well, no, that wasn’t true. Pressing my palms to his bare shoulders sent a zap of electricity through me, making me that much hotter for him.
Because he was shirtless and on top of me.
A fae could only take so much skin-to-skin contact after all these nights of sensual torture.
Or, at least, that was what I told myself. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that my three mates were irresistible males with the bodies of gods. And it definitely wasn’t because of their skills in the bedroom.
“Your squirming is only turning me on more,” Shade whispered, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he trailed his mouth down my neck to my thundering pulse.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked him, desperate for a way to remove him. I also wanted to ask him to shadow us somewhere more private so I could join him in the shirtless department.
Not voicing that desire. Nope. Nope. Nope.
“You’re not the only one amped up from all the dreams, love,” he said softly, his mouth teasing the sensitive spot behind my ear now. “I’ve waited for you to come to me all week, and you’ve stubbornly remained in your room. So I’m increasing the stakes in the game.”
“Wh-what?” I stammered. “You never—”
“Stop making out and get to work,” Zeph snapped. “Unless you need a more thorough demonstration of today’s sparring activities?”
“Seems to me you need a lesson on what making out means,” Shade drawled, rolling off of me and popping up to his feet. “Shall I go fetch Kols for you?”
“Cute,” Zeph replied.
I pushed off the ground and brushed the strands of grass—if it could even really be called that—from my pants. The razor-like edges sliced across my fingers, making me grimace. Definitely not grass.
“All right, Aflora. Let’s try again,” Shade suggested.
“No. You’re out. Go spar with Kols. I’m up.”
“You mean, you want me to make out with Kols?” Shade sounded surprised. “All right.”
Zeph snorted and shook his head. “Fuck off, Shadow.”
“You’re an amazing headmaster, Zeph. It’s a real wonder that you didn’t go into this profession right after finishing up at the Academy.”
“Now,” Zeph said through his teeth.
“I’ll see you later, little rose.” Shade winked at me and wandered off in the direction of Kols and one of the other Elite Bloods. Tray and Ella were training beside them, their cheeks pink from exertion. Or maybe something else.
Because I’d woken up with a similar look this—
“Aflora,” Zeph snapped, his broad chest suddenly blocking my view as he stepped in front of me. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’ve not been sleeping very well,” I replied primly.
He coughed to hide a smile, but I caught the twitch of his lips. “Well, that’s not an excuse to slack off in my class. We fight even when exhausted.”
“Oh? Are you also having difficulty sleeping?” I asked him with false innocence.
His green eyes narrowed. “Stop flirting with me and get to work.”
“I’m not flirting with you.”
“You are,” he insisted, taking a step closer to crowd my personal space. His lips went to my ear as he whispered, “And if you continue down this path, I will punish you later.”
I shivered, my damn body thrilled by the notion.
Why was it so damn hard to control my reactions to these males? I hated them. Well, not really. Maybe. I wasn’t sure. I wanted to hate them, but they’d been wearing down my defenses over the last week with their soft touches and—
Zeph grabbed my ponytail and tugged it sharply to expose my neck. “Are you purposely being disobedient?”
&nb
sp; I considered that. “Well, no. But sparring is still new to me. Elemental Fae don’t really fight unless it’s in the Powerless Champion arena.”
“Maybe ask her to go pick some flowers instead, Zeph,” Emelyn suggested. “She’s not really cut out for athletics.”
I frowned. “Fighting is only one form of physical activity.”
“Yeah, and it’s a crucial one that you’re terrible at,” she spat back. “Just like everything else in this realm. When are you going home?”
“Enough,” Zeph cut in, shooting her a bored expression. “Go back to your assignment. I’ll deal with this.”
Emelyn heaved a dramatic sigh. “She’s like a full-time job, constantly requiring a babysitter to hold her hand through even the simplest of tasks.”
I bristled at her condescending tone. “I’d like to see you try to perform with a collar around your neck.” I pointed to the thin leather choker sitting against my throat. It probably had Shade’s lip prints all over it from his date with my pulse a few minutes ago, but I didn’t care. “Maybe I should take it off and let you wear it for a day,” I suggested.
She laughed, the sound lacking proper humor. “I don’t need a leash, because I already know how to control my powers. But the same can’t be said about abominations.”
“Emelyn!” Zeph barked, his tone harsh.
“Oh, did I accidentally admit out loud what we’re all really thinking about her?” She pressed a hand to her heart and gave me a mock-apologetic look. “My bad.”
My teeth ground together, mostly because I didn’t know how to reply. Since everything she said was true.
I was an abomination.
A powerful one.
And I didn’t know how to control my abilities. Not completely, anyway.
My heart squeezed at the knowledge, a part of me feeling helpless all over again. But I couldn’t let her beat me.
I’m stronger than this.
I can learn.
I don’t want to hurt people.
I have anchors to ground me.
I—
A ripple of energy danced over my skin, causing the hairs along my neck to rise. I frowned down at my arms, noting the static electricity humming across my being. It wasn’t visible, but I felt it. The warmth familiar in a strange way, reminding me of my own magic.
Yet it wasn’t coming from me.
“That’s enough, Emelyn,” Zeph bit out, oblivious to the sensations swirling around me. “You’re excused for—”
An explosion rocked the ground, sending us all to our knees. Another boom shook the surface, causing shouts to sound throughout the yard. Zeph yanked me to him, his stance protective, his gaze sharp as he glanced around seeking the source.
Ravens screamed through the air, followed by a cloud of smoke as the burning thwomps around campus unleashed fire into the sky.
And then came the gargoyles, their screeches reminding me of nails against a sharp stone.
I pressed my palms to my ears as Zeph pushed me flat onto the ground, his larger body covering mine.
Shrieks, heat, and a flutter of wind whipped through the Academy. “What’s happening?” I shouted at Zeph.
“The Academy is protecting itself,” he shouted back.
My eyes widened. “It does that?” But my words were lost to the new wave of chaos swimming around us. The hisses on the wind sent chills down my spine.
Snake vines, I realized, horrified. Those things didn’t like me on a good day. This wouldn’t go over well.
Zeph’s grip tightened around me, his warmth bleeding into me, wrapping me in a cocoon of safety. Literally.
I blinked, realizing his magic poured out of him in a defensive shield, covering not just me but all the students in the field. I peeked around him to find Kols at the other end, his own power connecting to Zeph’s to bolster him in his effort in protecting the entire class from the debris and insanity flying overhead.
It rippled around us like a tornado, reminding me of an Air Fae activity gone bad.
More of that familiar power buzzed through me, then fled, as if kissing my soul goodbye on its way out. The sirens above grew louder, the slithering snake creatures heading right for me. I cringed, waiting for their impact, only they slid over Zeph’s shield and took off into the wind to chase some menacing figment.
My blood ran cold, my heart stopping in my chest. The creatures had sensed the dark energy running through me.
What would happen when Zeph lifted his protection? Would the Academy attack me with the same brutal force?
I shivered and felt Zeph’s lips ghost across my temple, the touch brief but there. “I’ve got you,” he vowed, the words meant for my ears alone.
How would I explain to him what I felt? Had it even been real?
He slowly started to sit up, his palm against my breastbone keeping me down on the ground as he glanced around. After several moments of searching, his touch eased, and he moved his hand to my shoulder to pull me upward.
“It’s done,” he said gruffly, the words carrying across the now silent field.
“The source is calm,” Kols replied, his statement clear despite the distance.
No one uttered a sound, everyone gaping at the rocks and ash littering the grounds.
Then someone screamed in the distance, causing Zeph to jump to his feet.
“Go,” Shade said, appearing beside me. The statement must have been meant for Zeph, because he took off at a sprint, Kols hot on his tail, along with several other students.
Cries pelted the air, all coming from the same direction. Shade practically yanked me to my feet, his palm finding my lower back as he guided me through the wreckage toward the commotion rising ahead. It didn’t take long for us to find the cause.
The Death Blood Education Building had been reduced to a pile of rubble, the once proud spire a cascade of obsidian rocks without any structure.
And above the destruction was a single word written in red flames, the smoke spiraling up into the sky in lethal ropes that resembled chains.
It was a word I knew well.
Because I’d sung it many times before, as had my mother.
“Alqisian,” I whispered.
“Yes,” Shade replied just as softly. “Do you know what it means?”
“Not the translation of it, no.”
He swallowed, his focus shifting from the rubble to me. “Retribution.”
“Retribution,” I repeated, my voice just as low as his. “Meaning what?”
Shade gave me a grim look, his icy blue eyes holding a myriad of secrets underlined in pain. “It means the future is officially now.”
Chapter Fifteen
Aflora
Silence.
It started after Shade’s revelation and continued long after he left with Kols and Tray to attend an emergency Council meeting. I sat on the couch between Zeph and Ella.
None of us knew what to say.
Ella glanced at me, her lips twisting like she wanted to say something, only she kept deciding not to speak. I understood why.
She’d recognized the word because of my song. It was one of the primary phrases repeated throughout the ballad. And it’d been written in fire above the destroyed Death Blood Education Building.
I couldn’t explain that. Just as I couldn’t explain how I’d recognized the magic. It wasn’t mine but felt so familiar. Like I knew the fae who cast the spell.
Impossible, I thought for the millionth time. It’s just not possible.
Who could it be? My parents? I nearly laughed at the thought. They were dead. I felt their souls depart when the earth source moved to me. And why would they attack the Academy?
However, I’d sensed something ancestral about the magic, like it was somehow connected to me, yet not.
I didn’t know how to articulate it, so I kept the knowledge to myself while we waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Ella picked up her phone for the millionth time
to check for any updates, then set it down again. Zeph did the same. I just sat with my hands clasped together on my lap, useless. Elemental Fae didn’t really do technology. We preferred more natural methods of communication.
I pinched my mouth to the side and glanced around for the thousandth time. Zeph looked at me, his dark green eyes sheltered and not giving anything away. I wanted to ask him if this had ever happened before. I also wanted to tell him what Shade had said about the future being now. And I sort of wanted to confide in him about what I felt out on that field.
What if he betrays me again?
Can I really trust him?
A few nights of sexual torment didn’t really mean much, and while he’d been against me unweaving the bond, there still wasn’t a lot of evidence that he cared about me.
Except he’d guarded me on the field today.
No, he’d shielded the whole class.
Hmm, however, he’d yanked me beneath him in a protective gesture, and I’d felt his concern for my safety. Unless that had all been in my head.
His gaze narrowed at me now, my emotions probably running across my face with reckless abandon, making it obvious what I thought about.
Because I was still staring at him while I ran through all my considerations about trusting him or not.
I swallowed and looked away just as a cawing sound echoed through the suite. Clove swooped in through the threshold, her black and white feathers splayed in a manner that showed off all her falcon glory. My lips curled at the sight of her, my heart warming from the nearness of my familiar.
“Hello, Clove,” I welcomed her.
She cooed in response, then dropped something in my lap from her long talons. I glanced down at it, curious, then froze at the sight of blood on my blouse and skirt.
“Oh,” I breathed, my eyes widening.
“It seems your familiar brought you a present,” Zeph said, his amusement palpable.
“What the hell is it?” Ella asked, clearly horrified by the dead, uh, thing in my lap. It was definitely an animal of some kind, but it seemed to be a cross between a rodent and a bird.
Zeph reached over to pick up the item by its long, wiry tail and held up the grotesque sight before us. “It’s a stonepecker,” he marveled, his tone suggesting we should be impressed.