Page 60 of Never Kiss a Fae

“It’s true,” her blue-haired friend said, coming to stand at her side. “I recognize water when I feel it, and that essence came from her.” She pointed a finger at a now-standing Claire, her gaze oozing malevolence.

“But I didn’t,” Claire whispered, her face falling. “I-I don’t think I did, did I?”

Ignis snorted. “Oh, brilliant. She doesn’t even know if she did it or not? Yeah, like I’m buying that shit.”

The blue-haired Water Fae folded her arms and tapped her bare foot on the ground, her gaze narrowed. “You totally did. I can still feel the power rolling off you. So don’t bother denying it.”

I frowned. While I felt the power still swirling in the air, it didn’t remind me of Claire. Just like with the fire earlier. Neither reminded me of her inner spirit, confusing my instincts.

Was she accessing power from a place I couldn’t sense?

Was our bond not as deep as I thought?

“What the elements is going on out here?” a deep voice demanded.

Ah, fuck…

The crowd parted to allow Mortus entry, his silk robe cinched around his slender waist. A flicker of surprise entered his elegant features at spying Claire, then his gaze narrowed into tiny black slits. “What the fuck is she doing here?”

“Elana made arrangements for her to stay in the Fire Quad,” I explained, my tone flat. I moved subtly in front of Claire, hiding her from Mortus’s view. “I’ll handle it.”

“You’ll handle it?” he repeated mockingly, glancing around the water-laden courtyard, the shattered glass windows, and the disheveled state of all the Fire Fae around us. “You’re doing a great job of that,Your Highness.”

Ignis and her friend smirked, causing my eyes to narrow at them. “What are you even doing in the Fire Quad?” My query was meant for the Water Fae. I didn’t know her name. She reminded me of a troll with her made-up eyes and wild blue hair.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she snipped. “But I was staying with Ignis after her traumatic experience earlier.”

“Traumatic experience?” Mortus echoed.

“Yes. The Halfling tried to kill me,” Ignis said, her tone breaking at the end and causing me to roll my eyes.

“Oh, cut the crap,” someone snapped before I had a chance to speak. Titus appeared in a pair of pajama pants and slippers. He resided in one of the other dorms. Either the commotion awoke him, or Claire’s distress. Likely the latter, as I felt it trickling through our bond like an alarming beacon. “You provoked her and she defended herself. And how do we know Sickle didn’t cause the dorm flood?”

Sickle. That must be the Water Fae’s name.

She looked positively affronted by the accusation. “Are you frigid kidding me? I was asleep, you jackass.”

“So was Claire,” I pointed out.

Sickle carried on with another ear-piercing squeal of an excuse while Ignis fed into the bullshit, and several others started speaking up on their behalves, siding with the mean-girl brigade. Mortus gave me a smug look as the tongue-lashing continued and calls for justice wrung out.

Claire’s spirit diminished before me, her emotions turning dark, her shoulders hunched.

I ran my fingers through my hair, irritated as fuck. This had all gotten out of hand far too quickly. It would be a miracle to keep Claire at the Academy now after the two incidents today.

The fae were out for blood—herblood. Her innocence would matter little to them all.

“Enough!” Titus shouted, punctuating the command with a roar of fire that hummed over our heads and disappeared into smoke. “Go back to your fucking rooms, dry your shit, and go to bed.”

Ignis smirked. “As if I will ever obey your command to go to bed. Again.”

He took a step toward her, but I caught him by the arm and pulled him back. “You will do what he says. Now.” I allowed her to see the power lurking in my gaze, the ability to force her to do just that, and smiled inside as the color drained from her perky little face. “I won’t be repeating myself.”

She took a step backward, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Don’t even start,” I snapped, tired of women crying today. “Go.” The word echoed across the quad, sending several fae running toward their dorms, including Ignis and her frigid bitch of a friend.

But Mortus stayed, his beady black eyes blazing with fury. “I told you this would happen. She shouldn’t be here, Exos. This little experiment of yours is doomed to fail.”