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“Sorin is an agent ofPuritas,”Kai explained. “The bullying incident in the Cafeteria was the least of it. The intent is to break Nyx.”

“He won’t be the only target either. There are other hybrid beings at the Academy,” I pointed out.

“So, by the logic you’ve used so far, now the picture is a whole lot larger, the escalated solution would be… what… to kill them?”

“Sorin. He’s the member. The other two are under his Dark Fae thrall.”

“You use your power to commit cold-blooded murder and you betray yourself, Kai, while also risking magical corruption in a very dangerous way.” She looked at me. “And you. This could trigger your primal side and set the beast within off in a major way. Especially considering you’re already currently struggling with it.”

“You knew?”

“I suspected. Now after this little display I know for sure.”

“Ariana.”

She held up her hand again. “We’ll talk. Believe me, we will.” She eyed Kai. “And you’re not escaping my wrath either.” Sheturned her attention to Sorin who was bucking in the chair, his two vampire pets still unconscious either side of him. “But first I need to deal with this.”

“I told you, he’s a member ofPuritas.They’re fanatics, sweetheart. There’s no reasoning with them—with him. And there’s certainly no turning them back to the path of tolerance either.”

“I’m well aware. But thereisanother way.” She glared out at us again. “One that doesn’t include cold-blooded murder.”

“I’m not sure howcold-bloodedit would be,” Kai uttered.

That just earned him another pissed glare from Ariana.

“This has to stay between us. What you’re about to see cannot leave the safety of the four of us. Understood?”

“What are you talking about?” Kai asked. “Whatever it is, it will remain solely between us anyway. That’s not even a question.”

“Seconded,” I said.

Instead of answering, she showed us, walking right up to Sorin who narrowed his eyes at her. He even tried to buck away from her as she reached out grasped the sides of his face. Her palms radiated with her silver magic, but what she was doing wasn’t causing him any pain that I could determine. In fact, I heard a soothing sigh escape him.

And then his eyes locked on hers, becoming unfocused and unable to look away as she spoke.

“This entire night never happened. You weren’t brought here by Kai and Vorzyr. In fact, you’ve only laid eyes on them from a distance during classes. You’ve grown tired of walking the halls of Maven Academy and you’ve been craving a change. You’ll pack up and leave tonight for Castlebrook Academy. Drake and Jace will join you as your friends and your equals, not your servants. You’ll never infect them with your thrall again, and you’ll respect their agency. You’ve also becomehighly disillusioned withPuritasand you’ll cut ties with them immediately, and stay away from them going forward. Their beliefs disgust you. All supernatural beings should be tolerated and allowed to live their lives. You understand that now.” Her silver glow strengthened for a moment, then Sorin’s eyes closed and he lapsed into sleep.

She released him and stepped back.

“You have the ability tocoerceother supernatural beings?” I breathed.

“Yes. But I don’t like doing it, so once I’m done with the vampires here, too, this is a one-off. Do you understand me?”

Kai dipped into a dramatic bow. “On my honor, Celestial Princess.”

“Understood,” I told her.

She gritted her teeth. “This is a violation of free will. That’s why I hate it,” she told us.

“They can’t be allowed to come at us,” I bit out, both hating that the situation had come about at all, what I’d learned aboutPuritas,and the fact that I could feel her distress down so fucking deeply.

“That approach leads to messes like this. It can even lead to war if it’s not checked,” she warned me.

“They’re filth,” I said. “Their intentions are despicable.”

“I agree they were misguided, but the response doesn’t need to be brutality, torture, violence, or even murder.”

“There are many instances where a show of force is absolutely necessary.”