14. Addi

FOURTEEN

Thankfully, the food hall was quiet last night and again this morning, but the glint in Brody's eyes as I walk into history class the following day tells me I'm in for a full dose of his charisma this morning. It's too damn early. I barely slept. I couldn't settle because I was beating myself up over being so easily distracted, and when I did eventually fall asleep, I was taunted by the stern scowl on Raiden's face, the smirk on Brody's lips, those piercing green wolf eyes of Cassian's, and the black ink I've only ever seen painted on Kryll's skin.

Fucked.

I'm completely fucked.

Or I was, but I decided upon a new mantra this morning, and I'm sticking to it.

No boys—or men, as Brody so helpfully clarified. No male distractions. My head is firmly in the game and I'm ready to prove that I'm worthy of being the heir. I'll prove it however necessary.

Dropping down into my seat, I feel his eyes on me immediately, while Kryll doesn't even bother to acknowledge my existence. He might just be my favorite person for the day. No conversation, no knowing glances like Flora keeps giving me. Nothing.

It almost gives me the illusion that I'm a little wallflower, blending into the academy without anyone being aware of my presence, but deep down, I know it's not true, and I don't want it to be. Not if I'm to rule this kingdom. I should be memorable, just for better things than causing problems.

"Good morning, Miss Reed," Brody sings. I can't stop the eye roll that takes over my face, but I manage to keep my focus aimed forward. I'm taking that as a win. One point to me. "Cupcake, you can't ignore me forever, you know. Especially since I jumped to your aid yesterday with the little human. You owe me."

I turn and gape at him before I can think better of it. Dammit. One-one.

"I don't owe you anything for doing the right thing," I snap, sensing green eyes peering at me from farther down the table.

"Ah, so she does speak."

My gaze narrows at the annoying mage who isn't just good at getting under Raiden's skin; he's excelling at doing it to me too. It's not so good when you're on the other side of it. Go figure.

Clearing my throat, I turn away from him, staring straight ahead to find the back of Raiden's head now spoiling my view.

Fuck.

"I don't owe you anything," I repeat, desperate not to turn back to him.

"Sure you don't." The underlying humor in his tone grinds my teeth together as my hands ball into fists in my lap. Silence stretches between us when I don't respond, and I'm certain he's found something else to entertain him until I sense him leaning in closer. "I'll take payment in the form of a date. Friday night," he adds to be specific as I scoff.

Fuck. That.

Before I can conjure the words to knock him back, Raiden whirls around in his seat, a deathly glare blazing in his eyes. Is he aware that the look is so common on him that the effect is losing its potency?

"No. You. Won't." The bite in his words hits harder than the harsh look on his face and a reminder of what he said last night twists my stomach.

"He's right," I breathe, turning to Brody with a sickly sweet smile on my face. "You can't like fae scum, remember?" I wink for added measure before I turn forward again, my smile aching as Raiden glares at me, but I don't miss the confused look on Brody's face.

"Who the fuck said that?"

I don't bother to turn back to him, internally pleading for the professor to make an appearance sometime soon to save me from this conversation.

"I did," Raiden replies, his eyes fixated on me, but I look right through him, staring at a small mark on the wall behind his head. At least he doesn't deny it. But that fact doesn't make the words hurt any less.

My jaw clenches, irritation burning through me that I'm letting him get to me still. I'm more mad at myself than any of these assholes right now.

"Raiden does not speak for me, thank you very much. Besides, if you behave, I'll even let you irritate this ass with me. It'll be the highlight of your evening until I show you my dick, then you'll be obsessed with me," Brody promises, his words lightening the rising tension inside of me as I turn to him once again, despite my desire not to.

I clear my throat, ready to give him some sophisticated response, but Kryll speaks first. "He's not like any mage you've ever met before in your life, is he?"

I spin my head his way, noting the smirk touching the corner of his lips.

"That feels like an understatement," I grumble before straightening in my seat and focusing ahead for what I hope is the last time. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm good."

My pulse quickens and I hope like hell he'll take the hint and leave me be. I'm barely ten minutes into the day and he's already banging at the walls I've spent all night putting in place.

"Do I need to channel my inner Raiden and say, ‘It's not a question or an offer. I'm taking you out on Friday night. Be ready at seven'? Because I can totally do that if that's what you're into."

"Be—"

"Okay, class, welcome to history." The professor interrupts the retort on my tongue and I can't decide whether I'm relieved or irritated by it. "Since we got introductions out of the way yesterday, we're going to dive head-first into our history today. An overview of the old kingdom will set the foundation, then we can begin to dissect everything in more detail before we move on to other sectors of the history of the origins," she rambles, completely unaware of the situation she's defusing.

Relaxing back in my seat, I focus on her words, startled for a moment that we did indeed have this class yesterday afternoon, but I was too stuck inside my head to recall. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like she covered anything important. So as long as I can focus now, I should be good.

Welcoming the focus of the whole reason we're here, I give the professor my utmost attention, even though I can't remember her damn name. She turns to gather something from the drawer in her desk and I feel Brody's knee press against mine.

Fuck.

Don't react. Don't react. Don't react.

If I pull away, I'm sure he'll just follow, and it feels like a reaction nonetheless to this insane mage. But if I leave it there, is he going to get other ideas? No way. I'd slice his dick off and hand feed it to him if he tried to put it anywhere near me without my permission.

No, Addi.There will be no permission. Ever.

"How's her heart rate, K?" Brody whispers, leaning forward to talk around me while I remain rigid in place.

"It's high, but I can't tell if it's because she wants to hit you or Raiden. It's slightly amusing, I'm not going to lie."

The shifter has humor. Who knew? I almost want to high-five him, pat him on the back with a big thank you, but that's still against the mantra. So, instead, I do nothing. That includes not moving my leg. If I pretend he doesn't exist, he'll get bored and go away eventually.

Then I can bask in the serene peace and quiet that it will come with.

The professor slams the drawer shut with a thud, regaining my attention as she shuffles the papers in her hands. "I'm sure you will use electronics in all of your other classes, but this won't be one of them. There is no better way to record the past than with first-hand accounts in the form of pen and paper." She waves the papers in her hand with a prideful smile on her face as the class groans in protest. "Hush yourselves," she grumbles, disregarding the complaints as she perches herself on the edge of her desk, casting her eyes over everyone in attendance.

She flicks through a few pages, smiling when she finds the one she wants before she nods and reads out the details. "King August Reagan was our last king and leader of the Floodborn Kingdom."

My heart stills as I realize quickly that we're likely going to spend the entire class going over the pain inflicted on the fae people, but from the perspective that they were the villains in the entire story.

Gut clenching, I instantly wish I could find a distraction right about now.

"King Reagan was considered a mighty leader. Fair, kind, and approachable. While cut-throat, deadly, and relentless when necessary."

That sounds like a decent assessment. It's one I would be impressed with if it was said about me.

"Except for when it came to getting his dick wet," someone says with a chuckle, and murmured laughs echo around the room. I don't laugh. Nor do any of the other fae, and to my surprise, I don't see a glimpse of a smirk on Brody or Kryll's faces either.

"Thank you for your insight…" The professor looks to the student who commented. They're sitting in the row behind me to my left, but I refuse to turn around and look. He doesn't deserve any kind of acknowledgment from me.

"I'm Ross." He says it proudly, and I bet with all that I am that he's a fucking vampire, but I still refuse to turn and look. Although, the sound reminds me of the guy who made a point of shoving into me as he came to Vallie's aid the other day.

"Well, Ross. In the future, keep your mouth shut." Her snarl is surprising, and when I actually choose to pay more attention, I notice her pointed ears.

She's fae. Like me.

Clearing her throat, she places the papers on the table beside her before lacing her fingers together and looking at everyone. "Love is a fickle thing. It affects many. Painful, heartwarming, disastrous, breathtaking, toxic, and all-consuming. There are always two sides to any coin. How many of you here think love is beautiful?" Her eyes scan the room as she counts the very few hands lifted in the air. I'm not surprised to see Vallie's hand raised high, along with a few of her friends and only one guy. "And who believes love is pointless?"

I lift my hand, as do many others in the room, especially the other fae. We've seen the disaster it causes, the heartache and pain. It's etched into our history, ensuring we never forget it.

"Don't worry, Cupcake. I don't have to love you to fuck you. You're good," Brody whispers, and I don't know whether to laugh at his bullshit or punch him in the face. Somehow, I decide on neither, secretly proud of myself when I offer him no response at all.

The professor presses her palm against her chest, right where her heart is. "It's devastating that so many of you feel this way. Not all love is like August and Constantine's," she insists, the latter name like acid through my veins at the mere mention of it. "August was unfortunate. Without a strong network around him, for himself and his two beautiful girls, he was helpless to the fall."

"Where are they now? There's never been any record of the king or his family after their fall," a mage asks from the other side of Raiden, making my heart race wildly out of control in my chest.

"No one knows, and I think that's best. They deserve peace and serenity in this life. They've been through enough pain and suffering."

"We all have, and we're the ones mending everything back together while he cowers away and hides," Raiden barks, slamming his fist on the table with more force than is necessary, which only serves to spike the anger coursing through me.

The professor looks at him with a sadness in her eyes that I feel down in the pits of my soul. "You know nothing, vampire. Nothing but what the world has offered you. You wouldn't survive a day in my shoes, or any other fae's for that matter. Everyone has pain, every origin has a trauma that consumes us, but don't ever pass judgment on those around you that you know nothing about. It won't serve you well, and it's certainly not a trait I would expect to find in our future heir. Would you?"

The room is draped in silence as I gape at her in awe.

Fuck Kryll being my favorite person; it's her.