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Connor

You’re going to be bad for my reputation.

My lips quirk and I quickly type out a reply.

Summer

Why is that?

Connor

I was late to class and someone asked if I was too busy making out with one of the disaster duo.

“As I mentioned last week,” Professor Draco begins, “sprites are tricksy creatures, but since the fall of Faerie, they have become somewhat of a rarity. It is believed that a small population of them live in the wetlands of Notoria, and duringthe wet seasons, they are known to realm jump. From your reading, can anyone give me a characteristic of a sprite or a sprite colony?”

Summer

I wonder if they thought that because you turned up to class hard as a rock.

“Miss Tuatha De Daanan?” Professor Draco’s eyes are on me, his ire from the night before still clear. Fuck. I think back to my reading about sprites, trying to remember literally anything about them.

“They prefer to live near water areas. They can breathe easier in water and absorb energy from the river beds.”

Professor Draco lifts his chin, obviously displeased that I was able to answer his question when he believed me not to be listening. He nods once. “Correct.”

My phone buzzes again, but I tuck it away, deciding it’s best not to provoke Professor Draco any further.

The class on sprites ends up being fascinating. I learn a lot about their history in Faerie. Many subspecies of fae had to migrate from their source realm, spreading to others before the Fall. It was the only reason they had survived the event. All fae that still live, even our subclasses, are a part of a lost realm. My chest aches for a home I’d never know, yet yearn for. It’s comforting that its history continues even when it does not.

As soon as class ends, the emblems on our uniforms glow faintly, reminding us and everyone around us that we are suspended and need to return to our dorm immediately. Everyone stares at us, and I know that I should feel embarrassed. It’s as if we have the wordSHAMEtattooed on our foreheads. Yet, I don’t. The darkness swirls inside of me, adelicious reminder of how it felt to fight, to push back, to be punished, to succumb to the deep, depraved instinct.

And I crave more.

25

Summer

Connor is sitting between the twins again. I frown as I sit down. Did I imagine what happened yesterday? Did I imagine we made out in the middle of the cafeteria for all to see? No, becauseNexusis filled with visual proof. Multiple people had posted snapshots of the event, and I am tagged in every one of them. The captions vary greatly fromLooks like the disaster duo is corrupting the captaintoGetting down and dirty in the cafeteriatoConnor, you can do better.

Normally, those comments would slide off me. Do better? Please. But with Connor putting distance between us, doubts are creeping in. Once those start, they spiral, and it is almost impossible to stop them from festering.

I sink down in the seat next to Rafe, who is glaring at his burger again. Rage radiates from him all the time, even when he seems to be in a pleasant mood. Well, a pleasant mood for Rafe, anyway.

Connor once again turns all of his attention to Alice, directing his questions regarding our classes and our evening to her. Alice does her best to sidle the conversation back tome by including me in discussions regarding our classes and assignments, but Connor barely registers me. I dig my nails into the table and try to keep my mind from heading down the path of self-doubt.

“So, Alice, how is Runes going? I know youlovethat subject.” Connor smiles at her, and I can’t stand it. One second, he can’t get enough, and then I’m beneath his notice. This angel will not reduce me to a quivering mess of insecurity. I refuse. I will never succumb to that kind of manipulation again. The moment I stand from my seat and storm away, Connor is at my heels, following me through the canteen.

“Where are you going?” he asks, doing an annoyingly charming slow run alongside me.

I don’t stop, and the doors wobble as I shove them out of my way. “Well, clearly, you don’t want to talk to me, so I’m going to the library.”

Connor wraps his arm around my middle and spins me to face him. I glare up at him, trying to make my stare as venomous as possible. He cups my cheek, his dimples showing as he grins down at me.

“Do you miss my attention?”

I narrow my eyes at him, absolutely refusing to add to his enjoyment of my obvious ire.

Connor leans in, his breath tickling my lips. “I miss giving it to you.”