Page 74 of Never Kiss a Fae

Right now, he was pissing me off.

Rolling my shoulders back, I inhaled a long, deep breath, held it, and then released it in a drawn-out gust that rattled his door.

Or, should have rattled it.

The damn Earth Fae had made a wall of stone around himself. I could feel it. A weight in the air made me want to sneeze, and my nostrils flared.

“Sol!” I shouted, then reduced myself to beating against the door with my fists. “You’re going to make me late for class!” I couldn’t just leave him in the Air Dorms unattended. He had to leave.

“Not going!” came the muffled reply of my earthy subordinate. “There’s a wild Halfling on campus today!”

As if I didn’t fucking know that. That waspreciselywhy I needed to be bright and early for class.

I’d heard a rumor that she would be starting on Air Quad today, which meant I didn’t have time for Sol’s shit. No way was I going to miss this.

I stroked my short beard while I contemplated the best way to beat Sol at this idiotic game. He rarely walled me out like this, but when he did, it really drained my air magic to force him out. My powers needed to be at their height today.

Running my fingers to the back of my neck and securing the loop at my warrior’s ponytail, I decided on a new tactic. “Are you telling me you’re afraid of a girl?” I leaned in closer, knowing that Sol was right on the other side hanging on every word. “Or are you afraid of the royal?”

A hiss of sound, then a grating of stones as the wall shifted. I grinned.

“Not fucking afraid of that dirtbag!” was the reply.

I let out a low whistle, my powers over air sending the shrill notes vibrating through stone. “Oh really? Because it looks like you’ve spent the majority of your power making yourself a bunker in order to stay away from the royal. That’s not the Sol I know.”

I waited, then grinned when the stones shifted again and the slightest sliver of light came through the door. “Nice try, windbag. Not coming out.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you have any more intelligent insults? Come on, Sol. The Air Quad is the last place you want to be today. They’re saying the Halfling will be starting classes here, and if you want to be out of sight, then going back to the Earth Quad is your best bet to stay out of their path.”

The wall crumbled, leaving the door to break off its hinges. I jumped back just in time for it to slam down on the place I’d been standing, leaving a very large and pissed-off Earth Fae on the other side. He wore his standard Earth Fae trousers that had gotten wrinkled from him sleeping in them, along with the loose tank around his broad shoulders. He intimidated most fae, but I knew Sol. He was all bark and no bite.

“You know why I can’t go back there,” he said, his words grating against the marble floors.

Not this again.

I threw my hands up and let them fall, releasing a gust of wind that blew away the dust from Sol’s tantrum. Every time I indulged him and let him stay in the Air Quad, he thought he could just wall himself up here and not face the world.

Most fae would have kept their distance from Sol, but my powers made me fast and lithe, enough that I could move out of the way of his brutish strength as needed. Fighting an Earth Fae head-on was the mistake of many. I knew how to dodge, escape, and survive. It was what made me stronger than Sol in any match.

Moving to him, I rested a hand on his shoulder, only to brush aside the loose pebbles that had gathered in the crook of his collarbone. “Listen, Sol. Let’s make a deal. I’ll find out the Halfling’s schedule and make sure you won’t be anywhere near her or the royal guarding her, all right?” I gripped him and gave him a light shake. “Oh, also? Use what I have taught you. Don’t wall yourself up when they come at you. Evade their attempts to rile you up. You can do it.”

Sol set his jaw and looked like he was going to punch me. I angled my feet just in case he did, but then his face erupted in a wide grin and he crushed me to his chest in a hug. “You’re right, Vox. You’re right.”

“Too… tight. Can’t… breathe,” I managed to squeak out of my crushed windpipe.

Sol laughed and released me, setting me back down. I was a tall fae, but Sol was a titan.

Coughing, I patted him on the arm again. “Okay, so, off with you.”

I knew the Earth Fae didn’t want to leave. The Chancellor had forced us into this collaboration, avid about multi-element partnerships, and Sol and I certainly had our ups and downs. I might be good for him, a little bit of air in his stubborn sails, but I was also a member of this Academy and needed some time on my own.

“Fine, Vox,” Sol said reluctantly and marched past me, sending the walls shaking. He had so much trouble reining in his gifts. It was what made other Earth Fae afraid enough of him to bully him.

I could relate.

I had a history of my own, but I did better than most keeping that under tight wraps. It would take a tornado to reveal what had driven me to the Academy in the first place.

When blessed silence engulfed me after Sol’s departure, I let out another long breath, wishing I could spend some time in meditation before starting the day. Today, however, there was no time for contemplation or reflection.