Page 48 of Pixie Problems

Torian's sneer spoke volumes. "And you," he shot back, "are losing it because one student - who just learned she even has magic - made a simple little mistake. That means she needs to betaught, Ms. Hawthorne, not punished."

I had to blink in astonishment. Considering Rain's "mistake" had thrown Torian a good three yards across the atrium, I would've expected him to be pissed about it. Instead, he was standing up for her? Then again, I was pretty sure I was getting my first chance to see what happened when the court closed ranks.

No one else spoke. Hawke, Wilder, and Aspen all just glared at the group of teachers as if daring them to do something about it. Mr. Greene, Mr. Conners, and Ms. Linden shifted, moving Ms. Hawthorne back in the process.

"The six - er five of you," Mr. Greene said, "need to head up to your rooms."

"My phone's in the atrium," Torian countered. "I gave it to Jeff so he could keep the party going."

"Torian," Liam said, his voice oddly calm, yet insistent, "get your phone back tomorrow. The party is going to wind down soon. You didn't miss much, and we both know that if the court goes back in there, it will cause problems."

"Fucking idiots," Torian grumbled.

Causing Ms. Hawthorne to snap, "Language!"

"Pearl..." Mr. Connors begged. "The situation has been handled. Don't make another."

"That wasWild magic!" Ms. Hawthorne shot back. "The girl is out of control anddangerous!"

"She's not," Bracken said. "Rain's still learning, and her power is still manifesting."

"She needs to be treated like all the other students," Ms. Linden pointed out. "Silver Oaks Institute is here to train these kids - "

"But she's not one ofthesekids!" Ms. Hawthorne shot back. "She's not fae!"

"Sheis mydaughter!" Bracken yelled, making the woman flinch from his vehemence. "Mine, Pearl. That makes her as eligible for instruction as yours. Do not push me on this. Rain is learning. She is doing her best to learn as fast as she can, and these kids are merely helping her."

"But the magic!" Ms. Hawthorne insisted. "What if yourdaughterhad killed someone tonight? Do you not realize how dangerous a Morrigan is?"

"The," I mumbled.

"What?" Ms. Hawthorne demanded.

But before I could answer, Torian did. "It'stheMorrigan, Ms. Hawthorne. Always 'the,' never 'a.' The Wild Throne picks the champion, and ours respect it. She istheMorrigan."

"Rain le Fae," Aspen said softly.

"I don't care what name she uses," Ms. Hawthorne told us. "What I care about are the hundreds of students who are counting on us - the instructors and staff of this college - to keep them safe while they are here.Thatismy responsibility, and all of yours too." She glared at the other adults pointedly.

"Go back to your rooms," Liam said, ignoring the woman. "There's no curfew tonight, so I don't care which room..." Then he looked at Aspen. "...but make sure Rain knows where you've gone."

"I'll wait in our suite," Aspen decided. "We'll come over in a bit, Tor?"

"Sounds good."

"All the way around the atrium!" Ms. Hawthorne insisted. "Not through!"

Beside me, Hawke rolled his eyes, but the group of us turned. Torian was the last, pausing until Aspen nodded at some unspoken thing, and then he jogged to catch up. Inside the glass-walled garden beside us, people were once again bouncing and celebrating. A few saw us, but they didn't seem to care that we weren't coming back.

And it stung.

No, I'd never been the most popular guy here, but I also hadn't been an outcast. I liked having people appreciate my presence, so knowing the party was going on just fine without us sucked. Never mind that my New Year's Eve had been cut short - and right when I'd been getting the girl.

But Wilder had warned me, and I'd agreed. That meant I'd accepted the risks as much as the reward of being around Rain and Aspen. But I paused at that, surprised at how my mind had put my friendship with Aspen in there so easily.

Yet once we rounded the corner on the boys' side of the atrium, Hawke couldn't take it. "Fucking bitch," he grumbled.

"Ms. Hawthorne?" I asked, making sure I was keeping up.