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Chapter Five

TORIAN

W hen our eighth and last class of the day was done, I had every intention of walking my sister back to her room. Instead, Keir, Rain, and Hawke walked in just as Aspen, Wilder, and I came around the atrium. My darling sister's face lit up, and she actually skipped ahead to meet up with Rain.

I sighed heavily, trying to keep from laughing at how cute those two were. Wilder cast me a sideways glance just as we reached the guys. Hawke jerked his chin at Wilder. Wilder nodded back.

"Food?" Hawke suggested.

"Sounds perfect," Wilder agreed. "Tor, you need us?"

"Go," I told them. "I'm headed up. Ms. Rhodes is trying her hardest to bust my balls."

"More like keep you from sticking your nose into shit," Keir said as he fell in beside me. "Night, Rain!"

"Night, Keir!" both Rain and Aspen called back.

I rolled my eyes, but that was cute. I also took my time sauntering past the atrium as I watched the reflection in the glass to make sure their elevator came. When we reached the door to enter the atrium, Keir leaned across my body to pull it open.

"Cutting across?" he asked, tilting his head like I was supposed to go in first.

I did, using the turn as an excuse to check the girls again. Their elevator had just opened, which meant they were as safe as I could make them. Pausing, I watched as the doors closed and the numbers began to climb higher, showing what floor the car was on.

"So, sounds like Rain's getting all the good gossip," Keir told me as he turned me toward the other side. "Evidently, Anita Taggert - "

"Tag," I said, proving I knew who he was talking about even though I didn't take any of her classes.

"Yeah, she says those 'new court on earth' freaks are the ones who are out of hand."

I gave him a careful look. "Who?"

"Children of the Exodus," Keir said. "I'm sure you've seen them sitting quietly at lunch?"

I murmured. "The faelings who are even more outcasts than we are?"

"And fervent about the 'truth' of Faerie?

" Keir offered. "Yeah, them. I guess that's who Ms. Rhodes is watching right now.

Tag didn't say why, but she gave Rain enough to point her in that direction.

" He rocked his head from side to side. "And our little Morrigan did a very nice job of telling the truth about what happened on Aspen's birthday, leaving out all the things we shouldn't want people to know. "

"Like they'll buy that," I grumbled.

"Oh, she mentioned enough to tempt them."

"Like?" I asked as I reached for the door on the other side, letting Keir go first this time.

"Gates," he said. "A birthday party outside that was approved by Ms. Rhodes. Us fighting back-to-back against the Hunt, and how you, Aspen, and Wilder all used some impressive magic. Right, and that she killed one."

"She took the credit for that?" I asked.

"Blame," Keir corrected. "Rain made it clear she used an iron sword. Well, steel, but you know what I mean. Tag called her out for slacking in class, pulled her out, and yeah."

So I put the human weaponsmith onto my list of people I was learning to trust. It wasn't a long one. The court was on it, of course. So were Rain's fathers. Ms. Rhodes and Nurse Robin were the only other ones. Now, it seemed Tag needed to be put at the bottom.

I wouldn't trust her yet, but I would give her a chance. I also wanted to know what the tie was between her and Ms. Rhodes. The human wore a few too many protection spells - all with Ms. Rhodes' signature - and that raised questions. I hadn't asked, but I was starting to think I should.

"You went quiet again," Keir said as he hurried forward to hit the button for the elevator. "Bad lesson today?"

"Easy lessons," I assured him. "It's more that I know something's going on, and I know better than to trust it."

"Your mom?" he asked softly, moving beside me to wait for the car to get down.

I glanced over, aware this man was handsome. Shockingly so, if I was honest. His blonde hair was truly a golden shade. His clothes were meant for physical work, so tight. That showed off every muscle in his upper body. He was as tall as me, but warm to my cold.

"We do not talk about her," I reminded him.

"Which means yes," he said as the elevator dinged to announce its arrival.

Luckily, no one was on it. Together, we stepped in, but he let me press the button for the top floor. As we moved upwards, we both faced the doors, silent as the elevator vibrated with its motion. As soon as the doors opened at the top, we stepped out in sync.

That shouldn't amuse me, but it did. Everyone else let me go first. Rain did it because she was used to guys taking the lead. Aspen did it because she'd learned caution. Hawke and Wilder waited because of my rank, but Keir? He walked at my side like an equal, making me remember Liam's words.

I was just about to invite him to my side of the suite when I noticed something in front of my door. My steps slowed, but Keir's lengthened. The man moved before me, placing his body as a shield for the threat. That blocked the view, but I knew the move. I'd done it a million times for Aspen.

"What is it?" I asked.

He paused before my door. "Gifts."

"What?" I hurried to his side to see he wasn't exaggerating. "What the fuck?"

"Can you detect enchantments?" he asked.

"Yeah."

I crouched down before the four gift bags.

One was covered in bows and streamers, making me think a girl had sent it.

Two were in the standard sort of gift bags available at any drug store.

The last one was literally in a bag. The paper kind.

That convinced me there were at least three people involved.

Maybe four, but two of them were friends? I couldn't be sure.

But revealing enchantments was a simple conjuration.

I focused my attention and released my desire, not surprised at all when more than one bag proved to have been enhanced magically.

The first showed a common protection charm.

The sort of thing to discourage anyone from removing it - and likely all of these bags - from my door. The other?

That was from an item inside the bag. My conjuration revealed an adoration spell and what appeared to be a poorly attempted love enchantment. A flick of my fingers dispelled that mess, crushing the magic so it was harmless.

"So, not safe?" Keir asked.

I pushed to my feet with a tired sigh. "Love spell and one to make sure no one took them. Gather those up." And I unlocked my door to let us in.

Surprisingly, Keir actually did, but once we were in my room, he headed to my bed and dumped all the bags out on top of it. As soon as the items began to rain down onto my blankets, I huffed in annoyance.

"And what if there's something in there that's activated with contact?" I asked.

He flashed me a smirk. "Then I guess you'd have to sleep on the floor - or ask nicely to share."

"Asshole."

"Mhm," he agreed, reaching down to pick up the first thing. "So, I think you have admirers, Torian."

Turning, he revealed a very nice pen. It was black, plastic, and yet looked pretty fancy.

In other words, the sort of thing a fae could touch without suffering.

On the side, something was written. Moving closer, I realized it was in Anglicized Faeril.

The English letters looked strange on my native language.

"Long Live Summer," I read, translating that to English.

"Nice," Keir said. "Then there's this."

Next, he passed me a pin. The sort that was used with a cravat. I'd seen a few like this growing up, but bigger and covered in many more jewels.

"What the fuck?" I asked, taking it from him.

"It's a tie pin," he explained. "To hold down the tie with our uniforms, I think?"

"Fucking stupid," I grumbled, setting that to the side.

"This one has vinyl records," Keir said. "And for the grand finale?" He held up one of those wooden loop things people used for sewing. "Your very own needlepoint!"

He flipped it around so I could see the design, and suddenly the love potion made sense.

Some girl - and from the design, I was pretty sure this was from a girl - had decided to spend hours pricking cloth to make a very bad picture of flowers.

Daisies, I was pretty sure, but the colors were all wrong.

Maybe she was trying to make them look fae?

That, or it could've been the only enchanted thread she could get her hands on.

"That's the one with the bad love spell," I told him.

Keir tensed. "What?"

"I already removed it," I assured him. "But next time, ask before you touch weird shit people leave for me?"

"Have this happen a lot?"

I swept the mess off the bed and onto the floor.

"More than I want to admit." Then I dropped my ass down on the bed and started sending the bags, paper, and items to the recycling bins outside one by one.

"As a boy, there was always someone who thought giving me a present would impress my mother.

Many of them were enchanted. Most were to make me love them so they could get an in. "

"That's so wrong," Keir said.

I nodded. "So when I got here and girls thought this sort of thing was sweet or romantic?" I shook my head. "I've had secret admirers. They don't admire me, though. They just like the title that was put on my head."

"It's actually the crown that goes on your head," Keir pointed out, but the curl of his mouth proved he was trying to pick on me. "Unless your crown has a title written on it? Is that so you won't lose it?"

"Fuck off," I grumbled.

And now he was grinning. "I see. It does, doesn't it? Property of the Prince or some shit?"

"No."

"So what does your little Summer Crown look like? Or is it a tiara?"

"Tiaras are for women," I assured him. "Princes get circlets."

Keir stepped back so he could lean against the wall, but his eyes were raking over me. "Gold, right?"

"Summer wears gold. Winter wears silver or white gold."

He thrust out his lower lip. "You'd look better in silver."

"I have no interest in the Winter Court!" I snapped.

"Didn't say you did," Keir assured me. "I can also tell you're just about ready to rip someone's head off. Care to share why?"

A wave of my hand sent the last of the stupid gifts to the trash. "This? Do you know what this is, Keir?"

"Some asshole's attempt to suck up to you because you're a dick?" he guessed.

Ok, he was right. Well, missing the point, but right. It was enough to make me sigh again. "Keir, this is some sycophant's way of showing they know who I am."

"And?" he asked. "They could be wrong, Tor."

The shortened form of my name made me look up. It used to piss me off that this man didn't give a shit about my power, my place, or my threats. Now, I was starting to realize it was proof he was so much stronger than he knew. He didn't need to be intimidated by my power - and I liked it.

"They aren't wrong," I pointed out. "That's the problem.

My mother made a very big deal about wanting an heir.

She killed thousands to make it happen. Everyone knows I exist, but no one knows who I am.

They know the queen had a child. Boy? Girl?

Blonde? Brunette? Those details never crossed into Earth. "

"And you can't lie," he said, nodding to show he understood.

"Oh, but I can deceive," I assured him. "The problem is Aspen. The Huntsman called her the princess."

Keir lifted a hand. "Ok, before you spiral, think about this. You want to hide who you are, right?"

"Of course!"

"Why?" He lifted his chin almost like he was daring me not to answer.

"Anonymity makes us safer."

"Does it?"

I paused, thinking about that. When we'd come here, Liam, Bracken, and Ms. Rhodes had all convinced me that would be the best decision. Ms. Rhodes had gotten me to promise I wouldn't reveal it, and for well over a year, I'd kept my title secret.

But she'd repealed the promise.

"I don't know what to do," I admitted. "And I really hate this feeling."

"Yeah, insecurity sucks," he agreed. "Trust me, Tor. Most of us deal with it every day."

"It's dangerous if I don't have a plan."

"Then," Keir said, pushing off the wall to cross the room, "let's make one. Or a few, since I have a feeling the rest of the court will have ideas about how we should handle this."