Page 11

Of course the stupid rock bird wants to see me this morning.

From the time I arrived at Stonewell until the gala, I barely saw the headmaster. Maybe three times? Four tops, if I remember correctly. Hell. The gargoyle lives across the hall from me, and never once did we cross each other’s paths as we were leaving.

But now? Good gods. It feels like I can’t freaking escape him.

Zane and Bane flank me on both sides as we weave our way through the halls and up the stairs toward Jasper’s office. Anyone that comes even remotely close to us, one of the guys snarls, and that unfortunate person spins around and hightails it in another direction.

It’s laughable, really, to see how scared they are of them.

Before I realize it, Bane is knocking on Jasper’s door, and he calls from within, beckoning us inside.

The man himself is seated behind his large desk, his customary suit that he always seems to wear in place, with his large stone wings flared behind him. A slight breeze wafts through his office, pulling my gaze toward the open balcony doors. The same balcony he first flew me to when I first got here.

I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth just remembering the scary ass moment he wrapped his arms around me and shot off into the air like a rocket. And all the motherfucker could do was laugh about it. Even now, that shit ain’t funny.

“You rang?” Zane snickers, throwing himself into one of the empty chairs and propping his feet up on the desk. The death glare Jasper throws his way sends a shiver down my spine, but it doesn’t seem to faze the demon in the slightest.

With a flick of his wrist, Zane’s feet thump to the floor, jolting the man in the process. He grumbles but doesn’t say a word, and neither does Bane, where he stands stoically leaning against the wall.

“Have a seat, Miss Matthews.” Jasper nods to the empty chair next to Zane, but I keep my feet rooted to the floor, refusing to sit.

“I’m good.”

Jasper brushes off my rudeness and rifles through a file on his desk before extending a piece of paper toward me.

“Your new schedule. The Acheron’s already have a copy, but I wanted to make sure you did too.”

My eyes dart to Zane, who seems to catch my unspoken plea. He snatches the schedule from Jasper, folding it and putting it in his pocket.

The gargoyle gives a huff of displeasure but doesn’t comment on my refusal and continues. “A few of your classes have remained the same, but I’ve taken you out of potion making and free study and changed those to rune practice in the containment room. You’ve also been moved up to Portalling 102 as per Professor Winterton’s recommendation.”

My heart aches hearing Thaddeus’ name. But it also reminds me…

“I would like to request a change of instructors.” My comment goes off like a shot, confusion flickering in Jasper’s eyes. “Professor Winterton is an amazing instructor, don’t get me wrong. But…” I wrap my arms around myself in an attempt to keep my heart from shattering behind my ribs. “I think it would be best if I was removed from his classes, so he has a chance to fix things with Miss Izzicle.”

Jasper’s already shaking his head before I even finish. “Miss Izzicle would have been fired if she wasn’t sent back to Faerie. Stonewell Academy doesn’t tolerate racism of supernatural types. She knew that, along with the others that were involved.” Others? There were others there that moved through these halls that were hoping I’d be executed? “Students have gotten a pass because they can learn, but those that are already established in the hierarchy? No. They’ve been removed from the academy.”

“Fuck,” I breathe, not having grasped the whole picture.

“Fuck, indeed,” Bane hisses, his anger palpable in the office. “Our job just got even harder. Now you’ve got others gunning for her because her existence caused their unemployment. We could have protected her better with them still here. I doubt they would have acted if they didn’t want to lose their damn jobs.”

“Listen,” Jasper argues, “I don’t tell you how to run your security firm, and you don’t tell me how to run my academy. I did what I thought was best.”

“Your best is going to get her killed!” Zane booms, jumping up from his relaxed position in front of Jasper’s desk. Oh shit. Angry demon on the loose . But his explosion of anger doesn’t scare me like it should. Why? I don’t know. But it’s not aimed at me, so I’m grateful.

“Regardless…” Jasper brushes off Zane’s outburst like it never happened.

“Regardless…” I mock under my breath, even more agitated that once again my safety seems to mean shit to him. Shouldn’t he himself have been fired since he didn’t stick up for me? I mean, come on, he fucking sat there on his high seat instead of protecting me.

“Is there anything else?” I ask, bringing the conversation back. “I need to get to class.”

“There’s one more thing.” Jasper laces his fingers together, placing them on the pristine surface of his desk. “You will attend your Transmutation class. I know you’ve been skipping it—” I grit my teeth. “—and I’ve given you a pass for it. But that pass is over. If you continue to miss class, we’ll have to take disciplinary action.”

What the fuckity fuck? Disciplinary action? Is he for real?

“Am I clear, Miss Matthews?” Jasper raises an unimpressed brow at my silence.

“Crystal,” I huff, shaking my head. I’m so over this bullshit. I just want to go home.

I spin on my heel, ignoring the three stares aimed my way, and exit the headmaster’s office. Two sets of footfalls echo in my wake, following closely behind me. Before we hit the stairwell, I stop and turn around, not missing the flash of pity in the two demons’ eyes.

“Can I see my schedule, please?”

Zane hands it over without preamble, giving me a moment to look over the changes.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays

Portalling 102 - 9:00 am - 10:25 am - Room 160

Rune Practice - 10:35 am - 12:00 pm - Containment room 1

History of Paranormals - 1:00 pm - 2:25pm - Room 213

Transmutation - 2:35 pm - 4:00 pm - West field

Tuesdays & Thursdays

Combat - 9:00 am - 10:25 am - Gymnasium

Latin 101 - 10:35 am - 12:00 pm - Room 204

Basic Elements - 1:00 pm - 2:25 pm - Room 100

Rune Practice - 2:35 pm - 4:00 pm - Containment room 1

Gods. This is a mess. I wanted to stay away from Thaddeus so he could fix things with Miss Izzicle. Now I’m stuck seeing him every day of the week except for weekends. Even with him living on the same floor as me, I never spent this much time with him in a given week, and that’s when things were okay between us.

Now? Not so much.

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” I mumble, stuffing my new schedule into my bag. The only class I’m even remotely excited about is History of Paranormals since it’s not taught by Thaddeus or Professor Asshole.

Eventually I’ll need to call Hudson by his actual title—he did protect me during the gala when everything went to shit—but that’s about as far as it’ll go. While he’s still claiming we’re mates, I just don’t feel it. Not after what he did. If that whole day where he hurt me hadn’t happened, yeah, there could have been something.

Possibly.

Not now though.

Not ever as far as I’m concerned.

It would take an act of the Gods to change my mind on that subject.

But I digress.

The demon brothers—or are they twins? I don’t know. Something I’ll have to ask eventually—follow behind me silently, not commenting on the clusterfuck of a meeting in Headmaster Stonewell’s office.

There’s so much to be pissed off about, but all I can do is focus on the hallways and hope a student doesn’t pop up out of nowhere. It’s the middle of first period, so everyone should be in their respective classes. I won’t deny though that I feel a little bit safer having these guys at my back.

Let’s just hope they don’t stab me in it when I’m not looking.

The door to Thaddeus’ classroom looms in the distance, making my heart race. What’s class going to be like now? Not only have I been moved up to a more advanced version, but there will be new students that I might not have interacted with. There’s also the matter that I’m the reason his girlfriend has been banished back to Faerie.

Good gods. I sound like a damn broken record with my thoughts. If it’s not the Thaddeus situation, it’s the damn gala. For once, I just want something good to happen to replace all the other matters in my head. Something better for me to focus on.

It isn’t until Bane places his hand on my shoulder that I realize I’ve stopped in the middle of the hallway and done nothing but stare at the door of the classroom. How I know it’s Bane when they’re both behind me is something I’ll have to dissect later. For now, I guess the only thing I can do is keep going and walk through the door.

I rake my hands through my hair in frustration, blowing out a harsh breath. One foot in front of the other. I can do this. It’s only portalling class.

After straightening my shoulders, I grip the doorknob and push open the door, stepping over the threshold. My entrance goes off like a gunshot, drawing the eyes of every single person in the room. Students I haven’t interacted with, and of course those of Thaddeus from his place at the front of the room.

The only comfort I have going for me is the fact that it’s the same room from Portalling 101.

Whispers start up immediately as I navigate between students toward the only open spot in the entire space. And what do you know… it’s right next to Thaddeus, whose blue-tinged lips are spread in a wide smile. He really is the epitome of a Smurf.

That once-bright smile on the winter fae starts to dim as the whispers and comments get louder and more disparaging.

“Oh, gods. The freak has joined our class.”

“She’s going to end up killing us all because she doesn’t know how to use her magic.”

“I heard she spread her legs for Professor Winterton and that’s why Miss Izzicle hated her so much.”

“Slut.”

“They should have killed the whore.”

A well-timed snarl, rumbling in its intensity, shuts the others up instantly. The tell-tale scent of fear starts to overwhelm the room, but Zane doubles down as he swells up even bigger than his already massive self and some kind of black smoke puffs from his nostrils.

Only when the demons are satisfied that everyone knows their place do they prop themselves against the wall, keeping their soulless eyes on anyone who’s deemed a threat. Which is, no surprise, everyone. Except for the blue fae with frost crawling up his arms from his clenched fists.

“Now,” Thaddeus grits out, pinning the other students with a glare that looks like it could kill, “where were we?”