36. Addi

THIRTY-SIX

Adrenaline still courses through me as I follow the crowd outside. I'm acutely aware of the wide berth everyone seems to be offering me, and I appreciate it. Maybe Vallie's repeated attempts to bring me down are working in my favor a little. I don't want everyone to fear me too much, but at least they know I'm not a pushover.

"Where are we supposed to go?" I ask, keeping my head tilted toward Flora on my left. Arlo flanks her other side, and although I can sense the assholes hovering nearby, too, they don't cause any further irritation than usual.

"To homeroom," Arlo explains, and I nod in acknowledgement as we head in that direction. When we near the entryway, I spot Vallie off to the side, dramatically sobbing as she points to her bloody nose before her red-tipped finger aims in my direction.

Professor Holloway, the vampires' guide, follows the direction of her extended arm, frowning at me as she continues to listen to whatever bullshit Vallie is feeding her.

Amazing.

"It looks like you can add my mother to that list of yours," Raiden states from a step behind me. I glance back at him with a frown as I slowly understand what he's saying.

"Your mother," I breathe, slowly turning back to Vallie and Professor Holloway, who is now glaring at me.

I sigh. Honestly, fuck my life.

I knew coming here, I would have the odds stacked against me, but this is on another level. No one could have predicted this.

Upping my pace, I dart into our homeroom, taking my seat before Brody and Kryll in hopes of building invisible walls around myself. The mage to my left makes it impossible when he drops into his chair and instantly places his hand on my thigh.

Fuck.

Warmth blossoms from his touch, but before I can enjoy it too much, I shove his hand away. A soft chuckle parts his lips and I can feel his eyes on me as he places it on my leg once again.

"Have you ever been told no before?" I grumble, hands fisting on the table as I glare at him. My annoyance with him only seems to make his smile spread wider.

"When you mean it, let me know." He squeezes my thigh, punctuating his statement, before turning forward, leaving me to narrow my eyes at the side of his head.

"What did you expect would happen after you let him between your thighs?" Kryll asks, and I whip my irritated stare his way, but he doesn't react.

"We were getting it out of our system. Nothing more. I expected him to fuck off," I bite, not entirely sure why I'm even answering him.

"Not out?—"

"I know. You've made that very clear since the fact. Thanks," I snap, interrupting his repetition of the same line he's been giving me since the moment we finished.

Kryll chuckles behind his hand, trying and failing to hide the smugness that naturally exudes from him.

They're all assholes. That hasn't changed. Good dick or not.

A projection screen descends against the wall at the front of the classroom, drawing everyone's attention, and a moment later, Dean Bozzelli appears on the screen. She's sitting behind a desk, fingers laced together on the table as she sits tall. A lime-green blazer sits perfectly on her shoulders, with a silk white shirt beneath. It seems her love for neon colors knows no bounds.

"Good morning, students. I hope you are all doing well and settling into your new surroundings." The corners of her mouth lift just enough to be considered a smile. A fake one, but most people won't care to notice. "Now that the introductory period is over, it's time to buckle down and start looking at the trials and challenges the academy has to offer. We do have to find our new heir after all," she declares with a real grin this time, excitement dancing in her eyes.

It's contagious. I'm desperate to focus on the challenges laid out for us instead of the drama that has sought me out. Anticipation zings through me, but I can feel the nervous energy in the room from some of the others.

"Have you ever seen someone look so excited for people to die?" Brody whispers, fingers flexing on my thigh. His question leaves me speechless. The truth in his words is startling.

"In three months' time, we will begin the first Heir Academy battle."

Battle?

"You will spend the lead-up to this learning the intricate details of what will be required of a leader within the kingdom, which will include a field trip to the dormant castle. It will be a great opportunity to breathe in the power it holds, leaning into the history of our kingdom, along with the etiquette you all need to embrace in order to lead the realm. While all of that is somewhat whimsical, combat classes will be the opposite. I think it's safe to say this will intensify, and it must, if we are to find our strongest citizens. Combat classes will begin to prepare you for the battle with smaller, less vital training sessions. Information on those will be given as they are confirmed, but please bear in mind that they may be sporadic and declared with short notice because, of course, a kingdom can come under attack at any time without warning."

I can barely breathe as I cling to every word when she parts her lips with a twist of venom. The castle? Whimsical? Battles? They're definitely turning the heat up. We all registered to be here, but the details of what that would entail were never specified—until now.

"I'm sure some of you are nervous. It's understandable, but the purpose of this academy is to weed out the weak and find our inner strength. Our new heir."

"I bet she thinks she's going to weed out all of the fae. But not you, Dagger," Brody breathes against my ear, making me tense. The words leave a chaotic feeling in their wake. I shouldn't like them, but I do.

Suppressing the smile tempting my lips, I keep my gaze focused on the projector.

"The main battle you will be preparing for will take place outside of the academy. A specific location will be declared closer to the time. It's important to express now that origins will be mixed together to create teams that will be designated by the origin guidance team." She presses her palms flat against the desk in front of her, nodding to someone off-camera before continuing. "All further communications regarding the matter will be shared at the earliest opportunity. To the future heir, whoever you are, we're watching."

The screen cuts out and murmurs pick up around us as students talk among themselves.

"I'm choosing you for my team," Brody declares, bopping me on the nose. I swipe at him, but he already moved.

"They just said it's assigned," I retort, pointing to the blank screen, and he shrugs.

"Yeah, but I'll get Raiden to put in a good word."

"I'd rather you didn't," I insist, and he pouts.

"You would rather go up against us instead?"

I falter.

Fuck.

He has me there.

I know in my gut they're strong; their presence seems highly regarded, too. I'm in no position to confirm or deny right now, though, so I turn to the front where the professor now stands, the projection gone.

The usual saying is to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but I don't really know what they are or where I want them. Yet the words hold weight in my gut.

Swiping a hand down my face, I relax in my seat.

I guess I'm facing more than one battle here at the academy.