3

IVY

DESPITE how beautiful I found the new safe house, I resented it. Even with the city lying beyond the darkened windows, it didn’t feel right Thea, my sisters, Elias, and Rowan.

You okay? I shivered as Adrian ’s voice came down our bond. It would take some getting used to, having him also inside my head. But there was a great deal of comfort in knowing he was so close—even when Elias wasn’t.

It felt like a lifetime ago that my life had been normal. That I’d had my five-year plan with Thea, our dream shop wasn’t just something we talked about anymore—it had become something we planned for. Now, the life I knew was hazy, like a far-off memory.

Strong arms wrapped around my midsection, encasing me in a minty embrace. I loved how strongly Adrian smelled of peppermint, even if it was a little odd sometimes.

That’s not very nice , he mused, tracing his fingers over my stomach. You don’t hear me commenting on how much you smell like coffee.

I snorted and leaned back into his chest. “I’m okay,” I said aloud, replying to his initial question. “Just thinking.”

“I know that much,” he said, his arms tightening around me. “It’s nice to know you like this apartment. Gives me great ideas for our home.”

Another shiver raced down my spine, this time for an entirely different reason. Our home . With everything that’d happened, I hadn’t really stopped to think about that—or anything other than getting to Avalon. Beyond that, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I’d have to attend the academy, and that alone would cause a whole lot of issues in my life. Thea and the kids definitely couldn’t join me, and at twenty-two, I never thought I’d be stuck in a classroom again.

Adrian’s breath tickled my ear as he leaned into me. “Stop. Remember: we’re taking this one step at a time.”

I really have to learn how to stop broadcasting my thoughts.

My mate chuckled. “I like knowing what you’re thinking. It gives me a chance to help you.”

“And why aren’t you broadcasting your thoughts anymore? ” I asked, twisting in his embrace to glare up at him.

A crooked smile played at his lips; instead of responding, he pressed a chaste kiss to my mouth and released me. I’m a quick learner.

“That’s not fair.” I frowned and crossed my arms. “Care to share with the class?”

He took a step back and shook his head. “Soon. But for now, I’ll take your disadvantage as the blessing it is, because now at least I know how to help you, little miss control freak.”

“I am not a control freak,” I said, my hands falling to my sides. “I just like to know what’s going on. Is that too much to ask?”

Amusement filled his eyes. “We won’t be here forever. Only a couple more days, and then we’ll be reunited with everyone else, and finally be going home to Avalon.”

Somehow, I wanted that more than anything. To finally be there, returned to the world I was destined to someday rule. With all the talk of Avalon, it had become this goalpost, and each time we were delayed, it felt like I was taking a step back from my destiny.

I still wasn’t sure if I wanted to rule. Hell, I knew I wasn’t cut out for it. But I was born a curious person, and I was a storyteller at heart. Something about the magical and mystical surrounding it all made me eager to finally see it in person.

“Ask any question you want,” Adrian said, his once amused smile turning soft. “Whatever you want to know about Avalon, I’ll tell you.”

My heart gave a little squeeze at the offer, and I couldn’t help but reciprocate his smile. A lightness filled my chest, followed by warmth down the bond, and I took it as a good sign that despite the turmoil from this morning surrounding Ry and my panic attack, I was able to come out of that dark place unscathed.

I had a plan for Ry. It wouldn’t be a forever kind of thing, but until he bothered showing his face, it would work in the meantime.

Adrian held out his hand to me, and I took it without hesitation. His warm fingers tightened around mine, and he tucked me into his side as he guided me to one of the sitting rooms that looked like it had come out of a different time period. Green and gold accented the dark wood, a full fireplace in the centre of the room. The apartment had central air, though there was something romantic about the fireplace that begged for it to be used.

I wouldn’t attempt it without Maeve’s go ahead, not in such an old building. But I still admired it as Adrian and I settled ourselves onto one of the velvet green couches. He pulled me into his side and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, curling a strand of my hair around his finger almost absentmindedly.

“What do you want to know?” he asked as I rested my head on his shoulder.

“Everything.”

Adrian tightened his arm around me. Be more specific, he replied, amused. He smiled as he pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I sighed, the muscles in my shoulders relaxing as warmth settled over me. Adrian’s magic soothed me in a different kind of way to Elias’s. Now that I could focus on my own power, it moved beneath my skin in response to Adrian, but not like the volatile, dangerous way it had been before. It no longer begged for stability, and now that I had the anchors, I could recognise just how volatile it had been before.

“Fine,” I mused. “What about that academy? You’ve mentioned it a few times. What’s it like?”

“It’s...intense,” Adrian replied carefully, pulling the strand of hair looped around his finger. “But nothing you can’t handle.”

“Hmm. That doesn’t sound promising.” I shifted to meet his gaze, taking in the slight furrow of his brow and the downturn of his lips. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Adrian dropped the piece of hair he’d been playing with and sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Uncertainty filtered down his side of the bond as he levelled his stare on me. “Oberon Academy is for the best of the best. The students are ruthless. Their only goal is power. How much they can obtain while there, what connections they can make, finding the most powerful mates and making sure they’re one step closer to the council—and the crown.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and his eyes flickered away. “Not everyone is like that, obviously. But most are, because their parents were like that. Oberon Academy is a stepping stone for these people, and I’m worried they’ll—”

“They’ll what?” I asked quietly.

His eyes found mine again. “I’m worried they’ll try to break you.”

~

We spent the rest of the day talking about anything other than the ruthless academy I was being forced to attend. Although Adrian assured me I’d only be there for a semester, I couldn’t ignore the unease churning in my stomach at the thought of going. Not only would I be away from the girls for nearly twelve weeks, I’d have to deal with supernatural elites who had years of training against me.

Little old me, future Queen of their world, practically defenceless.

What a great look that would be. Maybe it would give the enemy more reason to get rid of me.

I sighed and raised my fist to knock on Maeve’s office door. Her message came through an hour ago. Nerves overtook all logical sense in my brain.

The door opened on silent hinges to reveal Maeve with her long hair braided back away from her face, wearing dark slacks and one of her signature silk blouses. Her red lips turned upwards in a smile as she stepped back, allowing me to enter. “I’m glad you got my message,” she said, Irish accent sending a shiver down my spine. My cheeks warmed as I rushed past her and into the office.

Like the rest of the apartment, it had the same colour scheme and antique feel to it; mahogany and rich green filled out the space, decorated with dark-wood bookshelves, small trinkets, and a large desk covered in papers and files. Couches also took up space in the office, making it look cosy.

“Please, take a seat,” she said, appearing beside me and motioning to a chair near her desk. I had a feeling she didn’t have many people in here; the way it was set up felt more...personal, and from the little things scattered around the space, I realised it wasn’t meant for business, not like the office she’d taken in the last safe house.

I ran my fingers over the velvet of the armchair before sitting down, the soft fabric enveloping me. “Is this apartment yours?” I asked, glancing up at Maeve as she rounded the side of the desk.

Her eyes met mine; she slowly lowered herself into her desk chair, her eyes narrowing as she did. “Why do you ask?”

“I’m sorry if that was too personal,” I said, shifting uncomfortably under her stare. “It just...I don’t know. It feels like yours.”

For a long moment, she watched me, her striking blue eyes intense. My cheeks warmed, unsurprisingly, under her stare, and my skin prickled with discomfort. Why have I not learned to keep my mouth shut? I wondered.

Maeve was not the kind of person—or vampire—to get...personal. She seemed more than happy to keep everything professional, and I had to stop forgetting that.

“How are you feeling now that you are anchored?” she asked, leaning back in her chair.

All business then . I shrugged and toyed with the arm of my chair. “Different and yet—not. Like I can feel the change in my magic, but I also still feel mostly the same. A little unstable, at times.”

Maeve clasped her hands in front of her. I caught sight of her claws, which retracted, but she didn’t seem to notice. “That could be because you haven’t physically interacted with one of your mates for…” She stopped and pressed his lips together.

My stomach twisted. Eight years. If he had ever come back, would I have known? The day we’d figured out I had another mate, they’d said he was likely glamoured during his time with me.

No thoughts of him today . I was happy, content, and not freaking out over this change. “I don’t feel like I’m going to go nuclear,” I said, glancing up to meet her stare. “And I doubt he would do anything more than piss me off if he were here. So, there’s that.”

“And your bond? You mentioned it strengthened with his visit. Is it still as strong? Do you feel like he’s trying to push through?”

My jaw clenched. I mentally checked the bond. The wall I’d put up this morning was still in place, as strong as I’d left it, the tether between Ry and I was still as powerful as it had been after his visit. But no prodding of our bond, no words in my head or impression of his emotions.

He stayed away, and that was enough.

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Still nothing.”

“His motives are strange,” Maeve muttered, and from the corner of my eye, she wrote something down on a notepad. “And your nightmares? Did you experience any last night?”

At that, I shook my head. “Nope. Either the potion is doing its job, or the anchoring is. I was so tired last night that I crashed after I talked with Elias. The dream with—” His name caught in my throat, and I coughed. “— him was the only one I had. ”

Maeve frowned as she wrote it down. I was almost too afraid to ask what she was doing, but whatever it was, I trusted her.

“We’ll keep track of the nightmares. We know they indicate you coming into your power, and that anchoring your magic is supposed to alleviate them. But with the way your mate bonds have been established, I’m not confident about whether that’s going to be the case.” She set the pen down, re-clasping her hands in front of her. “We won’t be here long, but I think we should prepare.”

A lump formed in my throat, and a wave of fear washed over me. “Prepare for what?” I asked, shifting uncomfortably as Maeve sighed.

“Prepare for your return to Avalon. Our enemies are everywhere, and we suspect they have infiltrated the highest positions of power. You aren’t safe here in the mortal world without the protections our world has to offer, but I fear you aren’t safe there, either.”

I swallowed thickly and nodded, heart racing. “And I’m about to attend a ruthless academy full of people who would rather have my power.”

Maeve remained silent, but that was all I needed to confirm her fears were right to be there.

I was totally fucked.