The Fae & The Fallen: Gifted Fae Academy - Year One
Page 17
There was nothing as senseless as a murdered kid and at a school filled with aspiring Fae, we all felt responsible for his death. As I replayed the night of the winter ball in my head, I came back to the same thought. What was all this training for, if I couldn’t even save a friend?
The big screen above the stage lit and a close up of Veranda Yarrow filled the screen. Although I could see her on stage, just fine, the live feed let me see her expression more clearly. Her wide hips and fierce red hair, swayed as she stepped behind the podium, her eyes glistening with pain. “Quan Levout was kind and brave.” She said, her words slicing into the crowd. “He died fighting to defend his friends and his school an act worthy of the title Fae.” Her voice broke and she stepped away from the mic while Yemoja Roux took the stage.
I leaned forward at the sight of my mentor. Her magenta hair was dulled, her skin was ashy, her eyes sunken in and dark. When her gaze flicked up to the crowd, I saw in them that she’d been asking herself the same questions I had. It was evident that she too felt responsible. She lifted the mic, “I’d like to present the honorary title of Fae, to Quan Levout for his heroic actions in the the recent attack on the school.”
A flair of sniffles and sobs filled the hair and my vision began to blur white. I was no stranger to funerals. I’d been to one just over a year ago for my parents. The only thing that got me through back then was the hope that I would one day get into GFA and things would be better, but now, behind the walls of the institution that I had admired all my life, I found myself walking toward the same despair but without the hope of a better future. I snapped back to attention when the next speaker took the stage. Oden Williams, my boyfriend and Quan’s closest friend, stepped behind the podium looking much worse than Miss Yarrow or Yemoja Roux.
He hadn’t returned a single call or text since the attack and I’d imagined he was in bad shape, but I wanted to know he was okay. Now dread flared at the sight of him. Unlike Yemoja’s dulled gray appearance, Oden’s eyes blazed such a vivid green that he hardly looked human. His skin was waxy, his plump lips chapped. Instead of broken, he looked dangerous, prone to attack like a rat backed in a corner. Just from looking at him and everyone else for that matter, I knew if the school and the local Fae could be defeated in spirit alone, the Fallen had already won. Robbed of my usual nervous habit I smoothed out the folds in the black fabric of my dress, as I waited for Oden’s first words.
Finally, Oden tapped on the microphone, his green eyes glazed over like he forgot the whole school was watching.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. Just like that.” He shook his head, “Quan didn’t deserve to die.” He gritted his teeth, his jaw bulging. “What’s the point of these Gifts if you can’t protect the people you care about?”
I swallowed, there it was. I bit my bottom lip and shut my eyes. Oden was unraveling and it was painful to watch. Professor Greene and Veranda Yarrow exchanged a look, as if debating whether or not to put an end to his speech. I hoped they would, but I supposed they were giving him leeway since he knew Quan best.
Oden sputtered, “When I find Kai, I’ll make him fucking pay for what he did.”
Veranda snatched the microphone away and the room sat in stunned silence.
I dropped my head, the heat of fresh tears streaking my face. Kai. I placed my hand flat on my chest where my owl charm used to rest. My heartbeat raced against it as I swallowed the misguided urge to defend him. Mrs. Yarrow spoke, “Emotions are running high. Please join us in the cafeteria for refreshments.”
The screen above the stage flipped to static and taking it as a sign that the ceremony was over some of the eager students stood and prepared to move to the cafeteria. I didn’t blame them. The sorrow in the auditorium was palpable. Thunder crackled outside as the first few students filed out, then the screen lit back up. My stomach dropped my heartbeat racing as I gaped at the screen. Kaito Nakamaru stared back and before he spoke his first words, I knew that trusting him had been a mistake.
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Author’s Note
Thank you for reading The Fae & The Fallen. I plan to have the entire three book series completed by the end of 2019 so get ready for more action, drama, and forbidden romance.
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Acknowledgments
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