Chapter 29

Aelia

I followed Rue and Sy out of the gilded doors of the Hall of Rais after a fairly uneventful hour of Illumination Sight. I could still barely make out an aura, let alone a magical forcefield. My radiant shield was still my weapon of choice, and in the last few days, it appeared and disappeared as it saw fit, with little control on my part.

The Choosing Ceremony was only a day away, and I was terrified my time at the Conservatory was about to come to an embarrassing end.

"Why so glum my little round-eared friend?" Sy swung his arm across my shoulders and drew me into his side. His finger made a move toward the shell of my ear, but I swatted him away.

"Oh, nothing," I mumbled. "Just tired."

"From all those late-night training sessions with Professor Reign?" Rue offered a wicked grin.

"Ha. Ha." I was exhausted and perpetually nervous. Every time I saw the ominous Shadow Fae professor, I was certain he would call in the favor. A tangle of anxiety and thrill battered my insides any time I was within his proximity.

We had yet to test my daggers against Light Fae magic—except for my own, of course. That had been a disaster. The blades had bounced against my shield and nearly impaled Reign in the process. The hint of a smile ghosted over my lips at the memory of the surprise carved into his jaw as he dropped to the ground to avoid the mystical missile.

"There's that smile." Sy pinched my cheek as we strolled toward the banquet hall.

I barely managed to eat these days with the anxiety of one-on-one training looming over my shoulder after every evening meal.

When we reached the hall, Rue led us to our team table where platters of food already awaited. The heady scent of roasted vegetables coaxed a grumble low in my belly. Maybe I was a little hungry. Belmore and Ariadne tossed me matching scowls as I settled in at the opposite end of the table. Thank the goddess I hadn't had any run-ins with his blood-thirsty companions, Kian or Lucian. In fact, both males had avoided me at all costs ever since that day, and when Kian had finally emerged from the healer after that mysterious attack months ago, a gruesome scar bisected his face, running from his left temple, across his upper lip.

Now the monster outside reflected the one within.

Heaton appeared a moment later, distracting me from my thoughts, and folded down beside me. "Aelia." He dipped his head in acknowledgement and speared a massive chunk of meat onto his plate. I hadn't seen much of our team leader lately since I'd been overwhelmed with Reign's constant training.

"Where's Dinan?" Rue's bright eyes circled the table.

Heaton's gentle smile flipped upside down. "He's resting in Noxus's arms."

My eyes bulged as I regarded our team leader. "He's dead? How?" A twinge of pity ignited in my chest. I didn't know Dinan well; I'd barely spoken a few words to him, but he'd never been cruel like some of the others.

His shoulders rounded, drooping over his heaping platter. "I'm not certain. We found his body in the river this morning."

"Damned Arcanum students," Belmore hissed.

"How do you know it was Shadow Fae? It could have just as easily been one of our own." I threw the insufferable Fae a meaningful glare.

"Aelia's right," said Heaton. "Until the healer's examination is complete, we will not know the cause of death with any certainty."

"But you will after?" I blurted.

"Yes, both rais and nox carry a mystical signature. Hopefully, Elisa will be able to determine which was involved in his untimely demise."

Hmm, interesting.

"I'm certain the healer will find rais." Reign's voice drifted across my eardrum an instant before he emerged from the shadows. He loomed over me, those smoky fingers dancing across every inch of exposed flesh. A shudder raged through my body as his presence lit up every cell.

"Why do you say that, professor?" Heaton asked.

"Because I haven't detected any Shadow Fae movement across the river in the last few weeks, with the exception of the gloomwhisper who attacked Aelia."

"Not since the assault on the dormitory."

"Exactly." He pressed his lips together, gaze glossing over as if he'd traveled to another time. "It won't be long now, though. Their Choosing Ceremony will likely also take place this week."

A dribble of dread constricted my chest at the reminder.

"By the way, the king has decided to make an impromptu visit to the Conservatory tomorrow." Despite Reign standing over me, I could feel his heated gaze boring into the top of my head.

"King Elian of Ether will attend the Choosing Ceremony?" Rue squealed.

"Mmm." I caught Reign's head dip from the corner of my eye. "I suppose he's come to assess our newest class."

I swallowed hard, and my professor's gaze chased to mine.

"On that note, Aelia, are you ready?"

I stared at my empty plate and my stomach roiled. Gods' damn it, why did I stuff myself? Now that the king was to attend the ceremony, Reign's methods would surely be twice as brutal this evening.

Nodding slowly, I offered my friends a quick wave before reluctantly standing and following Reign out the doors of the hall. As soon as the hushed murmurs of my classmates fell away, I quickened my pace. The fresh evening air wafted over my face and the tight set of my shoulder blades relaxed a notch.

When we reached the training field, Reign finally turned to face me. "The king's appearance tomorrow changes everything, Aelia."

My brows shot up at the intensity in his gaze. "What do you mean?"

"King Elian does not often grace us with his ethereal presence. There's a reason he's decided to come, and it cannot be a good one."

"What do you know about the affairs of the King of Ethereal Light?"

He loosed a slow breath and dragged his hand through his dark locks, hidden beneath the hood of his cloak. "I know that he only cares about one thing: creating soldiers for his army."

"But we are at peace."

Reign barked out a laugh, the sharp sound reaching to the very marrow of my bones. "There is no such thing as peace between the Fae Courts, princess. It would serve you well to understand that now." He eyed the daggers tucked along my waistband. "We must discover if those blades truly have power over rais."

"I thought we determined they didn't?—"

"No. We determined they do not affect your powers. Whatever those may be." He mumbled the last part, and if I hadn't been so attuned to him, I doubted I would have made out the words.

"Then let's test them out on Rue, like I suggested."

"We can't simply trust anyone with this secret, princess."

"Rue isn't just anyone. She's my roommate and my friend."

"How many times must I remind you not to trust anyone here?"

I threw him a dramatic eyeroll. "I, unlike you, am not so untrusting of the entire Fae and Kin races."

"Then you're more foolish than I thought."

Ouch. The remark stung. Goddess, just when I thought he wasn't as awful as I'd originally imagined. "Fae you," I grumbled.

A smile twitched the corners of his lips. "Oh, you wound me so with your foul curses."

"Reign…"

"Fine, Aelia. You trust the Liteschild girl so much, then we'll do it. It's your ass on the line anyway."

But it wasn't, and he knew it. He'd be as culpable as I was for keeping this secret, possibly more so as a professor. We even had a binding vow to prove it. A tiny part of me felt guilty for forcing him to keep this from everyone, but I shoved the errant thought far down. He was the one that had insisted on having my dagger examined. Technically, he brought this upon both of us.

Those ominous shadows peeled off his form, his dark minions sailing through the air back toward the Hall of Luce, presumably to collect my friend.

"Rue won't tell anyone," I finally murmured as we stood in the middle of the field locked in an epic battle of silence.

He stalked closer, erasing the space between us. "You're much too trusting, princess. You must rid yourself of that fatal Kin flaw."

"I trusted you with my dagger, and you returned it to me as promised."

Reign snorted, his upper lip curling.

I inched closer, rising onto the balls of my feet so his aggressive looming wasn't quite so overpowering. "I trusted you when I went into that mystical pond, and again when you forced me upon your rather large and dangerous pet." I paused, fixing my gaze to his blazing one before dropping back down to my heels. "It would even seem as if you trusted me since you did not require a vow in exchange for the knowledge of your beastly friend's existence."

The perfect bow of his lip twisted, then curved as he fought a reluctant smile.

"You trust me, Reign Darkthorn." I jabbed my finger into his tunic and hit a wall of unyielding muscle. "And I trust you." Gnawing on my lower lip to keep from wincing, I withdrew my finger. "So trust in my judgement. Rue will keep our secret."

The line between his dark brows puckered before he released a sigh. "I hope you're right, for both our sakes." His wary gaze remained locked to mine, his aura a smoky gray instead of the typical endless night.

"Reign, about that vow…"

His lip twitched. "I will call in the favor when the time is right."

"Wonderful."

Reign's icy breath skated across my lips. When had he gotten so close? I attempted to take a much-needed step back, but a vein of shadow slithered off his arm, crawled around my back and held me in place. "Are you worried you won't be able to fulfill your promise, princess?"

I gulped, the sound audible over the suddenly increasing tempo of my pulse. "No," I finally managed, steeling my spine. "As long as your favor is of an appropriate nature."

An unexpected chuckle curved Reign's mouth. "Noxus, princess, what sort of request are you expecting? I am nothing but a proper gentleFae."

My cheeks burned, dragonfire racing up my neck and blossoming across my face. "That's not what I meant?—"

He laughed harder, his massive form hinging at the waist until he was practically doubled over. Even his shadows seemed to vibrate with mirth.

"Are you quite done?" I snarled.

Reign finally straightened, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. His expression darkened, the amused twinkle morphing into something dangerous. He captured my chin in his strong fingers and tipped it up, forcing my gaze to his starlit one. "Trust me, princess, if anything were to ever happen between us, it would never be forced upon you."

My traitorous thoughts flew back to the pond and the feel of his bare body wrapped around my own. Raysa, I didn't think I could ever erase that memory. It would be permanently emblazoned in my mind for all eternity.

"And as you know…" His voice softened, the sound like smooth velvet caressing my skin. "Relations between students and faculty are strictly forbidden."

"You don't strike me as much of a rule follower, professor." Good goddess, what sorcery had taken over my mouth? I snapped my jaw shut before it dribbled out any more insanity.

"An accurate observation, princess, but there are many reasons why we should maintain a professional distance, as much as it pains me to say."

As much as it pains him? I couldn't quite believe we were having this discussion. As if this thing between us were real. Worse, there was something about the smolder in his eyes, the intense clench of his jaw and the deep trench between his dark brows that compelled me to believe it truly did pain him.

My thoughts whirled back in time to each lingering touch, every dark, heated gaze. To all the times he'd protected me, acted as if the cold, brutal Fae actually cared. My breath hitched as my heart pounded out a manic tempo. Reign actually desired me. The near confession was exhilarating and altogether unexpected.

His eyes tapered at the edges as he took a step back, his shadows withdrawing their hold over me. "In fact, it would serve you best to stay well away from me, princess." Those words cut deeper than I would ever admit.

In my time at the academy, Reign had been my captor, then my mentor, and had now become the forbidden desire that I dared not confess."I wish I could," I snapped, "but with the never-ending training sessions, how can I?"

His head dipped, the typical twinkle in his eyes dimming. "You're right. Perhaps, I'll speak to Heaton and see if he can take over your training after the Choosing Ceremony."

"Why are you doing this?" The question popped out before I could stop it, morphing into a demand. "Because I said I trusted you? Because you realize you trust me, and you do not believe I fit on your one hand of friends?"

The tendon in his jaw fluttered beneath the dark line of stubble. "No," he growled.

"Then why?"

The crunch of grass beneath light footfalls swung Reign's gaze up and over my shoulder. Rue. I could practically feel her Light energy surging through the thick atmosphere of my professor's shadows. I hadn't even noticed them circling until this instant.

Emerging from the dense cloud of darkness, I offered my friend a smile. "Thank you for coming."

She hitched her thumb at her escort, a tornado of nightmarish shadows. "They didn't exactly give me a choice. I was barely able to finish my dinner before they dragged me here."

"I appreciate your expediency," Reign muttered.

"Anything for you, professor." Rue smiled sweetly at the scowling male.

"I have a favor to ask."