Chapter 7

Aelia

Reign's fingertips lightly brushed beneath my chin before he exerted more pressure, and my jaw slammed closed with a sharp snap of teeth. Twisting free of his touch, I dropped my bag at the door and attempted a nonchalant perusal of my room, but I could not stop myself from gawking at the splendor rolling out before me. The room was so spacious it could hold our entire cottage within its walls. With high ceilings that seemed to stretch endlessly upwards, shimmering with a soft ethereal light that filtered in through the large ivy-framed windows, it was utterly enchanting.

The furniture was crafted from living light wood, grown and shaped by what could only be magic to fit perfectly into the room. Two beds were nestled in alcoves lined with moss and soft, luminescent flora, providing a dream-like quality. Each bed was draped with gossamer fabrics that fluttered gently on an invisible breeze.

A large, circular table made of polished stone sat at the center of the room, surrounded by chairs that seemed to have been formed from the roots of a great tree. Along the walls, shelves were carved into the very foundation holding an array of ancient books, mystical artifacts, and small glass vials filled with ingredients for what I could only assume was potion-making.

I circled the space, moving slowly to take it all in. I'd never seen such luxury, but more than that, I'd never felt so much power teeming from a chamber. It was as if its very walls exuded mystical energy. Had I simply been ignorant to it before this symbol engraved into my flesh, or had I never encountered it in Feywood?

As if Reign had read my mind—and who knew, perhaps he had—he cleared his throat, interrupting my wild mental musings. "You should begin to feel your rais now that you are on Light Fae soil. Most Fae develop their abilities slowly with age, but one of the first skills most Fae experience is illumination sight—the ability to see beyond the visible spectrum, allowing you to perceive things such as auras and energy patterns. Then later you'll develop abilities such as photokinesis, healing light, solar empowerment and so on."

"Well, that explains a lot." I turned toward my professor and the silky shadows that surrounded him. If I squinted and looked past the ever-moving midnight silhouettes, a murky haze emanated from his form.

I still wondered what had brought a Shadow Fae to teach at the most renowned Light Fae university of the entire Court of Ethereal Light. But after spending only a few hours alone with the male, I knew I wouldn't receive an answer any time soon.

Reign's piercing midnight orbs caught mine and I quickly pivoted my gaze to the bed he stood in front of.

"You mentioned a roommate?" I blurted.

"Yes, the female should be arriving tomorrow. My colleague was forced to travel to the far western corner of the realm to retrieve her. Some Fae choose to live in the outskirts of the territory to avoid the politics of court. I don't blame them really…" He spoke the last part under his breath, as if he hadn't meant to say the words aloud. "Nevertheless, she will be here soon. You will have the day to sort out your affairs, then tomorrow you will have orientation, and the following day, classes will begin." Motioning toward the nook in which my bed lay, his gaze landed on a scroll sitting atop the nightstand. "You will find your schedule there, along with the names of your teachers and the locations of your classes. The scroll will be updated daily with any new information you may need."

"Like magic?"

His lips twisted in amusement. "Yes, princess, magic."

I turned toward the bedstand a bit too eagerly, and as I did a sharp squeal burst through my clenched lips when one of my daggers cut into my thigh. Curses! I should have removed them the moment we entered this damned chamber.

Reign's nostrils flared as his dark gaze darted to my billowing skirts. A trickle of blood slid down my thigh, moving down my calf, before appearing from beneath the curtain of taffeta and silk.

"You're bleeding," he muttered, his voice holding a jagged edge that wasn't there a second ago. He stepped closer, and I took one back.

"You were right, okay?" Heat flushed my cheeks at the embarrassing confession. "It's not often I wear blades beneath a gown, and in my rush this morning, I didn't fasten the sheaths well."

"So you've impaled yourself with your own dagger?" A hint of delight laced his lips.

"Clearly not impaled!" I snarled. "It's just a scratch."

"Then why can I smell your blood from here?"

"Don't you Fae have superior senses?"

"Yes, we Fae do." He inched closer, and I prayed to Raysa to strike me down on the spot. "I did not bring my new acquisition safely all this way to lose you to bacteria from a common flesh wound." Reign dropped to his knees in front of me, and my jaw fell along with him. "Lift up your skirts."

"I will do no such thing." My fingers curled around the layers of lace.

"Aelia…" That growl sent the heat from my cheeks racing between my legs, to the very spot my professor was now trying to uncover.

"It's nothing, I'm sure. I'll be just fine."

His dark eyes lifted to mine, starlight blistering within the smoldering onyx. "Just allow me to check, and then I will leave you alone." A dark shadow slithered off his arm and snaked beneath the hem of my dress. "I forget what delicate sensibilities you mortals have."

A hiss parted my lips as icy fingers danced beneath my skirts. Devastatingly slowly, the shadows pulled up the layers of my dress, baring my legs up to the knees. Reign moved between my thighs and all the air caught in my throat. My heart kicked at my ribs, an anxious flutter sending my entire body into a fit of tremors. His hand drifted up my thigh and I clenched my bottom lip between my teeth. His fingers deftly worked at the soft leather sheaths, never once making actual contact with my skin. To my dismay?!

An instant later, he popped up, rising to his full height. An unreadable expression darkened his features for an endless moment before the icy mask slid back into place. "You were right. It's just a scratch. You'll find a tincture in the bathing chamber along with a bandage. I've adjusted the sheaths as they should sit on your thighs. Should you choose to continue to wear them beneath dresses, I suggest you position them as such."

"Thank you," I mumbled, before I could stop myself.

Dark brows slammed together, those ominous onyx shadows seeming to double in size. "By thanking a Fae, you are indebting yourself to them, and trust me, princess, I am the last person to whom you want to owe a favor."

"I take it back, then. Your modicum of kindness has gone completely unnoticed."

The hint of a smirk crossed his lips. "Good, it appears you're learning."

I didn't think I'd ever learn quickly enough to survive my first week at the university, let alone the next few years.

Reign turned toward the door, and it took every ounce of willpower and good sense to keep my mouth from pleading with him to stay. He was the only Fae I knew here, after all, and the idea of being left alone in this sprawling fortress had unbridled anxiety blossoming from every corner of my being.

His hand closed on the doorknob, but he canted his head over his shoulder, dark eyes finding mine. "Remember, the door is spelled shut. Only you or your roommate may enter uninvited. I suggest you keep it that way."

I nodded quickly, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. With a stern nod, he slipped through the doorway. The moment the door sealed closed behind him, I slumped down at the foot of my bed and splayed out across the mattress. It was like sinking into a cloud.

A groan spilled out and a smile crept across my lips despite the day. Well, I'd been right about one thing last night. I would be living in the lap of luxury, only instead of warming a Fae lord's bed, I'd be fighting for survival against brutal Fae students.

I wasn't certain which held better odds.

There was still the option of escape. No… I could never risk Aidan's life like that.

Exhaustion bled through my bones and all I wanted was to close my eyes and fall into Noxus's arms of oblivion. A slight sting on my inner thigh kept my lids from drifting closed.

Stars! First, I'd tend to my wound, then sleep.

Pushing myself off the mattress, I forced my weary legs to the bathing room door Reign had pointed out earlier. I prayed to all the gods they had heated water.

I swung the door open and the rush of rippling cascades echoed across my eardrums. It was a good thing Reign was gone, because he would have clearly frowned upon my gaping maw. The bathing chamber wasn't a chamber at all, but rather a mystical space nestled within a lush, verdant grove. Towering trees with iridescent leaves formed a living canopy, filtering sunlight into soft, dappled patterns that danced across the ground and water.

The centerpiece of the bathing area was a series of miniature cascading waterfalls, flowing from one level to another in a symphony of crystal-clear ponds. The water flowed into the natural pools carved into the stone floor, their edges softened by centuries of flow, and lined with smooth pebbles and moss. My gaze darted from the crystalline pools to the walls of the bathing room which were covered in a tapestry of matching moss and ferns, interspersed with flowering vines that released a soothing, natural fragrance into the air.

The open sky above was just visible through the canopy, allowing me to gaze up at the sunlight streaming through the shifting patterns of clouds. How was any of this possible? Surely, I'd have a terrible ache in my jaw soon if I kept this up.

Focusing on the reason for my trip to the bathing room, I searched the stone vanity for the tincture and bandages, but the rippling waterfalls called to me. How could I not take a quick dip? Crouching down at the edge of the stone pond, I dipped my fingers through the tepid waters. Lifting my skirts, I crawled to a smaller pool with warm mist floating along the translucent surface. As expected, this one was deliciously heated.

Tossing all thoughts of my little scratch aside, I peeled off the cumbersome dress and allowed the soothing scents and sounds of the magical bathing area to chase everything else away.