Page 103 of Rebellious Royals

Ms. Rhodes' eyes lifted to where I was sure the girls' body still hung in the branches. "Vines, insects, and crushed. That took some impressive magic, which limits the suspects."

"Or it was a group," Bracken told her.

Ms. Rhodes sighed heavily. "True. But Aspen's known to like plants. I hadn't thought about the jevadu angle, but I can't rule that out either. Whoever did this..."

"Was Summer," Aspen said. "Ask Bracken. He'll be able to tell too. The residual magic on her was not my season!"

Ms. Rhodes gently rested her hand on Aspen's shoulder. "I know you didn't do this, Aspen."

But I had to ask, "How? You can't justsayyou trust her. Someone will ask, sohowdo you know?"

"Because Carol Dumont was last seen this morning. Aspen has been inside the building the entire time. Trust me, I make sure I know when my monarchs are somewhere the Hunt could reach them. That's why I waited so long to include them in your training, Rain. I don't like them crossing the yard unless I can besurethey are safe. And yes, that means I can track their general area."

"All of yours," Bracken told me. "That doesn't mean we'll do anything with it."

"Except come to your aid," Ms. Rhodes clarified. "After all, the entire court outranks me."

But from the branch above, Jack rattled as if upset, then cawed, "General."

"Now that," I said, smiling at Ms. Rhodes, "is averygood word."

"Mhm," Aspen agreed. "Much better than - "

"Bitch!" Jack said, then rattled in his avian laugh, clearly amused at his own joke. "General Bitch!"

"And that," Ms. Rhodes said, "is a title I can get behind." But she sighed again, and I realized her eyes were too glossy. "Ok, let's get Carol down and put her to rest."

Chapter Thirty-One

ASPEN

We didn't practice with the sentinels that afternoon. When Ms. Rhodes offered to let us take the rest of the day off, all of us agreed. Keir came over to spend some time with Rain, but I needed a shower. Closing the doors to both suites, I turned the water up as hot as it would go, then stepped in.

I knew my skin wasn't dirty, but I still had to scrub. There was something inside me that felt filthy. I needed to get it off, but I couldn't, so I grabbed more soap. Making more lather did help, though. Mostly because of the floral scent drifting off my body.

Carol Dumont. Ms. Rhodes had given her a name, but I hadn't known her. I'd still checked on my tablet, trying to find out anything I could. She'd been a senior. In just a couple more months, she would've graduated and been ready to head off into the real world - but now she was dead.

I had no idea if her fae parent had been common or noble. I didn't know if her other parent had been pure human or a faeling. I couldn't find which classification she fit into here at school, or even if her magic had been weak or impressive.

All I knew was she'd had Winter magic.

That meant she was mine. I couldn't even explain the weight of the knowledge, but knowing this woman had been one of the few Winter fae here, and I'd been so disinterested in my responsibilities that I'd never even learned her name? According to Torian, she was my subject, and that meant I had a responsibility to her.

I'd failed.

But there was one thing I knew. Carol Dumont hadn't hurt anyone. I was sure of it, because if she'd done so much as mouthed off, people would've talked about it. Those of us with Winter magic didn't get to be normal like everyone else. We were few and far between, and that meant we stood out.

Stop whining about it, Aspen.

Torian's thought slipped into my head like it was one of my own. There wasn't really a voice to go with it. It was just him in a way I knew instantly.

I deserve to whine a bit, I told him.

No, you need to do something.

So I stepped under the water and rinsed the perfumed soap off my body.I am doing something.

You're avoiding Rain. You're feeling sorry for yourself. None of that makes you a good queen. Someone came at one of yours, so what are you going to do about it?