17. Zephyr

17

ZEPHYR

The mist hangs heavy in the air, a thick blanket of grey that muffles sound and obscures vision. It's early morning, and the forest surrounding MistHallow is eerily quiet, save for the soft patter of rain on leaves and the occasional distant call of a bird.

I move silently through the trees, my Fae nature allowing me to navigate the density with ease. The cold doesn't bother me, neither does the dampness seeping into my clothes, clinging to my skin like a second layer.

As I approach a small clearing, I spot a familiar figure leaning against a massive oak tree. Ignatius, his flame-red hair bright in the grey morning, is staring off into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

"Bit damp for a fire elemental, isn't it?" I call out.

Ignatius turns, his amber eyes lighting up with amusement. "Zeph. Didn't expect to see anyone else mad enough to be out in this weather."

I shrug, moving to stand beside him under the relative shelter of the oak's branches. "You know me. I live for the drama of it all."

He snorts, a small flame dancing between his fingers as he speaks. "You're a drama queen, no doubt."

"Says the guy who just came back from erupting a volcano," I retort, raising an eyebrow.

Ignatius grins. "Ah, Feeore. That was such a magnificent release of energy. Speaking of magnificent… what do you make of our new arrival?"

I don't have to ask who he's referring to. Adelaide Black has been the talk of MistHallow since she arrived, and she hasn't left my thoughts at all.

"She has me intrigued."

"I had a little chat with her in the dining hall last night. She's got spark, that one."

"Oh? And how did that go?" Hopefully better than my interactions with her.

He chuckles. "About as well as you'd expect. Called me a show-off and stormed off."

Despite myself, I laugh. "Sounds about right. She doesn't seem to be one for our usual charms."

"No, she doesn't," Ignatius agrees, his expression thoughtful. "Which makes her all the more puzzling, doesn't it?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Ignatius has always been perceptive, and I don't want to give away too much of my own interest in Adelaide, just yet.

We stand in companionable silence for a while, listening to the rain and watching the mist swirl around us. It's moments like these that I treasure - quiet camaraderie with someone who understands the weight of expectations and destiny.

"You know," Ignatius says suddenly, "I think she might be good for us."

Without looking at him, I ask, "How do you mean?"

"We've been at the top of the food chain here for so long, Zeph. It's easy to forget what it's like to be challenged, to have to work for someone's attention or respect."

I mull over his words, finding a kernel of truth in them. "Can't argue with that."

Before he can respond, a movement at the edge of the clearing catches my eye. A figure emerges from the mist, and I smile.

Adelaide.

She's dressed for the weather in a black raincoat, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun. She hasn't noticed us yet, her attention focused on something in her hand - a compass, maybe?

Beside me, I feel Ignatius tense slightly. "Well, speak of the devil," he murmurs. "Morning, Adelaide! Bit early for a stroll, isn't it?"

Adelaide's head snaps up, her eyes widening as she spots us. For a moment, she looks like she might bolt. But then her jaw sets in a determined line, and she starts walking towards us.

"I could say the same to you," she replies, her voice carrying clearly despite the dampening effect of the mist. "You look like you're plotting, or skulking."

"Can't it be both?" I ask.

As she gets closer, I can see the wariness in her eyes. It's understandable, given our previous encounters.

Adelaide looks between us, her expression one of suppressed amusement. It's a start. "It could, but that doesn't make it better, only more dangerous."

"And therein lies all the fun."

"Hmm." She turns to go, but Ignatius steps forward.

"Wait," Ignatius says, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "What brings you out here so early, Adelaide?"

She hesitates, glancing between us with suspicion. I can almost see the internal debate playing out behind her eyes. Finally, she sighs. "I'm trying to keep track of the shifts," she admits, holding up what I now see is indeed a compass. "This place is confusing. I keep getting turned around."

I nod, understanding. "It gets bored and moves a lot."

"Bored?" She gives me a quizzical stare.

I nod. "Bored. Once things liven up around here, it will settle."

"And by liven up you mean…" She appears concerned, and so she should.

"He means when the term officially starts," Ignatius pipes up before I could craft a seductive response.

I shoot Ignatius a look, but he just shrugs, a small flame dancing between his fingers. Adelaide's eyes dart between us, her wariness clearly increasing.

"Right," she says, taking a step back. "Well, I should probably get going. Lots to explore before classes start."

I move forward, my movements fluid and predatory. "Why the rush, Adelaide?" My voice is low, almost a purr. "We've barely had a chance to get acquainted."

She tenses, her hand tightening on the compass. "I think we're acquainted enough, thanks."

"Are we?" I ask, circling her slowly as Ignatius sits back to watch me work. "I don't think you know me at all, Adelaide. Not really."

She turns, keeping me in her sight. Smart girl. "I know enough," she says, her voice steady despite her obvious unease. "You're unpredictable. That means trouble."

I laugh, the sound sharp and cold. "Unpredictable? Is that what they're calling it now?" I lean in close, my breath ghosting over her ear. "I prefer savage. It has such a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Adelaide jerks away, her eyes wide. "Stay back," she warns, but there's a tremor in her voice now.

Dark energy crackles around me, shadows seeming to deepen despite the early morning light. "Do you even know what I am, Little Dollie?"

"Why do you call me that? And no, I don't, nor do I wish to."

With a flick of my wrist, shadows coalesce around us, leaving us in a bubble of darkness. I can hear her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

"What are you doing?" she demands, her voice high with fear.

I circle her again, letting magick tendrils trail along her arm. She flinches but doesn't pull away. That tells me a lot about her touch aversion, as I had hoped. "Dark Fae," I murmur.

The shadows pulse around us, taking on monstrous shapes. I can see the terror in Adelaide's eyes as she watches them, unable to look away.

"Fae?" she mutters. "Like faeries?"

"No. We're not your fairy tale creatures," I continue, my voice a seductive whisper. "We're not benevolent spirits or mischievous tricksters. We're the monsters that haunt your darkest nightmares."

Adelaide's breathing is ragged now, her eyes darting around frantically. "Let me go," she pleads.

For a moment, I consider pushing further. The fear rolling off her is intoxicating, awakening the darkest parts of my nature.

But there is time for that later. With a sigh, I release the magick. The shadows dissipate, leaving us back in the misty clearing. Adelaide is staring at me with fear, shaking. Without a word, she turns and runs, disappearing into the mist.

Ignatius chuckles. "Well, that was interesting, but you made her run."

"Good," I say, my voice low. "Let her run. It'll make the chase that much more satisfying."

Ignatius shakes his head, but I can see the amusement in his expression. "You're playing a dangerous game, Zeph."

"Aren't I always?" I reply, flashing him a wicked grin.

"She's stronger than that," Corvus says, joining us from seemingly out of nowhere.

"You lurking?"

"Skulking," he says with a wide grin.

I snort. "Spying."

"Protecting. Adelaide is special."

"Oh, I'm aware," I murmur. This encounter has only accelerated whatever it was I was feeling for her. I'm a creature of shadow and chaos, heir to the Dark Court. I'm not meant for relationships or anything other than a causal fling, but Adelaide has awakened something deep inside me. A beast that is unfurling and stretching its claws, hungry for more. It is clear that Corvus knows something about her we don't. Or thinks he does. Either way, this isn't a competition. Whoever gets to her first, gets her for all of us. We all know that. We don't even need to discuss it. It's an unspoken agreement between us. The thrill of the chase, the challenge of winning her over, is intoxicating.