Page 19 of Angel Lost (Fates Academy #3)

Chapter Nineteen: Lorelei

The moment my feet hit the dirt in Fates, I’m off, my robe billowing behind me. Chano loves his little sister to bits. Students scatter as I skid around the corner to his dorm—he has to be here.

I’m panting as I hammer on the door. Shit. Where is he? I fumble in my pocket for my phone.

Ali-G Chat

Lorelei : Where are you guys?

Zephyr : Farrell’s rooms. Well, Kai’s. They’re sharing after a fashion.

“Back early?” Hewie screeches in my ear and I drop the phone.

Holy shit, I don’t have time for him now. “Chano’s sister…I had to come.”

He nods, a small furrow creasing his brow. “I get it. But maybe—”

I don’t give him time to finish, grabbing my phone and running down the corridor, my stupid robe flapping around my ankles. At Farrell’s door I knock once, set my shoulder to it, and turn the handle.

Spilling inside, I come face-to-face with Kai.

“Come on in why don’t you?” Kai grins and I push past him to the living room.

Chano has to understand. I didn’t know.

Kai slouches past me to sit at the table. Farrell’s in the corner on the sofa, Zephyr in front of him on a yoga mat.

“Where is he? ”

Zephyr jumps up and comes toward me, arms spread wide. I give him the briefest of hugs, stepping away to peer between the other two. “Where’s Chano?”

“Nice to see you too, princess,” Zephyr mutters.

“Home, Lorelei,” Farrell says. “He went home to coordinate the search.”

Zephyr prowls around me in a circle, staring. He leans in again and sniffs. “Been at a spa? What are you wearing?”

“Maybe she joined a cult,” Farrell says from his spot in the corner.

“Yeah, yeah.” I pat the Gifted Academy insignia on the front of my robe. “Very funny.”

“Must be nice to live in a spa-resort.” Zephyr snickers. “Did you get your nails done?” He turns my hand over.

“Sure, it’s all roses.” I snatch my hand away. “I’m back. Let’s go.”

Farrell sits up. “What?”

I tap my foot. “Waiting is over, I’m back—let’s go.” I take in their confused expressions. “To Chano’s? To help!”

Kai scrapes his chair back across the gorgeous wood flooring and Farrell winces. He pinches the bridge of his nose between finger and thumb.

“The Maveriks are not going to accept me on their turf,” Farrell says brusquely.

I start to protest.

“No, Lorelei, I’m serious—it’ll only cause Chano more trouble. I want to help, but I’m too recognizable. That fae idiot already put a target on us by announcing our allegiance. If I just showed up? They’d have switchblades at our throats in seconds.”

Kai rolls his eyes, moving slowly, deliberately toward Farrell, stopping only when he’s leaning over him. “How about if I disguise you, chickenshit?”

Farrell stands chest to chest with Kai.

Kai inspects his nails. “I’m not ascended, so it won’t last long…Be gone after yo u sleep.”

“Too dangerous,” Zephyr says.

I tap my lip with my finger. “Everyone’s going to be distracted. They’d just see Chano’s friends. No one will be looking closely.”

Zephyr forces himself between the other two. Turning his back to Kai, he places his hands on Farrell’s shoulders. “If they see through it, you are dead. They’re gangsters. They won’t fuck around—they will kill you. No soldier’s honor, no second chances.”

Farrell brushes Zephyr’s hands away and steps around him, eyes gleaming. “My illusions work from a distance, but up close for any length of time, they don’t hold. If you can do better, Kai, go for it.”

Zephyr’s shoulders slump, and I give his arm a quick squeeze.

“I can only hold it on a couple of people at once,” Kai says, not as confident now. “And I need to tattoo you.”

Farrell doesn’t look happy, but he exposes his abs. Kai sets up his kit quickly, with a smoothness that only comes from practice, and makes Farrell lie on the table.

“Ready to have a new identity?” Kai flashes a smile with far too many teeth. I narrow my eyes, glancing between his tattoo machine and Farrell’s taut abs. Suddenly I’m less sure about this. The machine buzzes and Kai’s hand starts to move in swift, sure strokes.

“Well?” Farrell demands, standing. “Will I pass scrutiny?”

His smart shirt droops from his shoulders, pants puddling around his ankles. I fist my hand, biting down on it, choking back the giggles. Even Zephyr laughs before turning away quickly.

Farrell’s head whips between us. “Kai, what have you done?” He storms toward the giant gilt mirror. Except the storming is slightly spoiled by his short, tripping strides.

In the mirror is a short, chubby cheeked, freckle-faced girl. Farrell growls, pulling at the long red hair cascading over his shoulders.

“You sneaky fae bastard,” he squeaks .

Stooping slightly, Zephyr slings an arm around Farrell’s shoulders. “You can wear Lorelei’s uniform. Although, it might be a little long.” He snorts.

Farrell turns on Kai, advancing with short, mincing steps.

“Undo it, asshole.”

I catch him by the arm. “Wait, so you’d walk into Maverik territory, but the idea of being a girl freaks you out?”

Zephyr pats Farrell’s butt. “You’re an attractive girl.”

“Fuck off.” Farrell growls.

Zephyr sniffs.

“It’s good, Farrell,” I say. “Clever. No one would ever imagine it was you.”

It takes another ten minutes to round the boys up, persuade Farrell into one of my skirts, and head for the portal. Ten minutes I didn’t want to waste. Hell.

We storm up the cobbled path toward the giant stone arch, stopping every so often to let Farrell catch up. Any other time I’d be cracking up, but right now he’s just slowing us down.

“Oh, lookie here.” Camille steps in front of us, arms folded, a couple of students at her back. “If it isn’t a traitor.”

My fists bunch at my side. “Get out of the way.”

“You’re not one of us, Lorelei. You shouldn’t be here.” Her eyes have a hard glint.

Dammit, and I thought we had some kind of truce going on. The passing students slow to gawk. “I don’t have time. Move.”

“I belong here, aether. You and your creepy cult robes don’t. Not anymore.” Camille clearly enjoys being in the limelight. Her companions—a couple of students with the angel insignia sewn on their uniforms—step up beside her.

“New friends? Everyone else tired of your bullshit, Camille?”

“Angels are the it kids, didn’t you hear?” Camille strokes her manicured nails down the arms of the boys on either side of her and winks at Zephyr, blowing him a kiss. “If you don’t want that one, he’s welcome to come join me…”

The crowd is thickening by the minute. “Get. Out. Of. My. Way.”

“No one wants you here, aether. You’re dangerous.”

Hecate, I don’t have time. My magic surges in my chest. I throw my arm out, sending fire and aether at all three assholes. They fly backward, hitting the dirt a hundred yards away. Camille’s head makes a sickening crack as it connects with the stone of the archway, and she lies unnaturally still.

No, no, no.

The crack. The boy, crumpled. Dead.

Eventually, Camille groans, and my heart starts beating again. She rolls over, staggering to her feet, a trickle of blood running down her neck, staining her white shirt. Her eyes are vague, unfocused. The crowd mutters. She was in my way. She was the bully. By the goddesses we are both adults.

The hair at the nape of my neck prickles as the dean materializes a few yards away. The angels fill him in quickly. Their expressions light up, anticipating my punishment. A flicker of annoyance crosses the dean’s features, but, surprisingly, he forces a smile.

“Just this once, Aether Lorelei has a pass. She is, after all, such a promising student. She’s under the tutelage of the king’s own sister. This is just a silly misunderstanding.”

The muttering from the crowd grows louder. Several students point to where Camille is still tottering around, dramatically swooning every few seconds.

“Run along now, Lorelei.” The dean peers past me at Farrell, blinking at the unfamiliar female student.

I lick my lips. “Thanks. I’ll let Dean Davina know you helped. She…uh…sanctioned my coming back to Fates.”

He nods, then vanishes as quickly as he arrived. The crowd slowly disperses, cutting nasty glances at me. Hecate, I hate being teacher’s favorite. How did Naeve deal with this shit? I glance uncertainly at Camille and her little entourage. I should check she’s okay…

No. I’m wasting time. I square my shoulders. This wasn’t my fault. I didn’t start it.

“Let’s go,” I say, elbowing my way forward.

Zephyr pauses. “You okay, Gabe?” The angel sets his jaw, and Zephyr looks uncomfortable. “Sorry, dude.”

“Not your fault,” Gabe mutters, sending a meaningful look in my direction. “You don’t need to follow after her, y’know.”

Zephyr frowns, shaking his head.

I hustle them all through the arch, casting a last look over my shoulder. Gabe and the other angel are standing, arms crossed, watching us leave. They are beyond pissed.