She bit her cheek, then shook her head slowly. “I just don’t see how exacting revenge will help me in the long run.”
“Maybe it won’t help you, but it’ll help the next person they bully. And it’s very likely that whoever their next target is won’t be nearly as strong as you.” Actually, I could guarantee it. Ella had endured enough torment to last a lifetime. It strengthened her in ways that would benefit her in the Midnight Fae Realm, assuming we could figure out how to unlock her gifts.
“I’ve never thought about that,” she said quietly, lying down on her side once more, facing me. I copied the motion, my hand sliding to her neck. “I’ve always focused on escaping, not what would come next for them.”
“They’ve existed in a world where they can do whatever they want to whomever they want, without punishment. I can only imagine the wickedness in their future. It won’t be pleasant for whomever they target.”
“Unless we find a way to teach them a lesson.”
Oh, I wanted to do more than that. They didn’t deserve a mere lesson, but a complete life change—one that put them in their own personal purgatories. However, I would follow Ella’s lead in this. She could decide the level of punishment.
“There are still several months left of the school year,” I murmured. “The longer it
takes for our relationship to develop, the more time we’ll have to plot against the supposed royalty of Darlington. Plus, in the interim, I can teach you more about the Midnight Fae and our Academy, and we can explore the binds on your abilities.”
“So you’re planning to come back to high school with me,” she said, a wry note in her voice. “Sounds like you’re punishing yourself.”
I smirked. “Trust me, I’m not.”
“Uh-huh.” Her eyes twinkled. “You’re saying you enjoy being my little fairy god—uh, well, no. Not godfather.” She scrunched her brow. “I guess a guardian angel, except not.”
“I’m a fae, not a fairy,” I corrected. “And I’m definitely not an angel.”
“It’s from a fairy tale,” she said. “You know, the fairy godmother? Helps the chick get ready for the ball? You pretty much did that tonight. Although, you failed to get me back by midnight.” Her eyes widened. “No, you brought me to the Midnight Fae Realm. Holy crap, I’m…” She shook her head. “Yeah, never mind. I need to sleep now.”
Given all the gibberish she’d just spouted at me, I couldn’t agree more. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
She huffed a delirious little laugh and rolled around in the blankets, creating an adorable little nest on her side of the bed. I loved how small and protected she appeared, engulfed by satin and cotton. She closed her eyes, her head burrowing into the pillow.
I sent a spark of magic to the lights, dimming them to a dusk-like glow. The blackout shades would slide down in about an hour. Something told me she’d be too exhausted to notice.
“Tray?” she murmured.
I glanced at her, but her eyes were still closed. “Yeah?”
“You can sleep under the sheets.”
Chapter Fourteen
Ella
My stepmother didn’t notice my absence. Or maybe she did and just didn’t care. All my chores were done before school this morning, which seemed to be her only concern in terms of my existence.
I blew a stray strand of hair out of my face and waited for my English class to begin.
It was surreal sitting here after everything I’d learned over the weekend.
Fae are real.
Tray drinks blood.
Tray kisses like a god.
I shivered at the memory of his hands roaming up and down my sides and the way his thigh had lodged between mine as I pressed up against him. My experience wasn’t vast. Dash had kissed me a few times, pawed at my boobs outside my clothes, and grabbed my ass on several occasions. Nothing exciting and certainly not like what Tray had done to me.
“Daydreaming about me, dove?” Tray asked as he sauntered toward the back of the classroom. He’d been busy shooting the shit with Charlie near the classroom door—a task I was sure he’d despised, yet somehow pulled off with an easy smile the whole time.
I batted my eyelashes up at Tray as he stopped in front of me. “I am, actually. I just stabbed you through the heart and it was glorious.”