Groans filtered through the air.
“You will read and decipher each point, then present your section to the class by midnight. There will be no break today, as it’s clear you all enjoyed your fresh air a little too much yesterday and the day before. We’ll have a quiz instead that will cover all of the presentations, so I suggest you pay attention and be thorough in your translation.”
Ugh, academic punishment, I thought glancing down at my section regarding Paradox Fae time manipulation laws. This wasn’t even related to Midnight Fae at all. Well, except for the bit about how it was illegal to work with a Paradox Fae to change a timeline. But that was the case in all the realms.
I blew out a breath that turned into a vibration between my lips. Ella snorted in response.
And so began our very long day of reading, deciphering, and articulating into essay form. Because yeah, that was the test method Headmaster Vayera selected.
“She’s just evil,” Ella said as we entered the residence hall several hours later.
Tray stood waiting for her at the stairs, his eyebrow cocking upward at her statement. “Who?”
“Headmaster Vayera.” Ella drew out the a on a long groan. “She made us read Midnight Fae ordinances, Tray. Then she quizzed us on it afterward, and it was awful.”
His lips quirked upward. “Sounds like my childhood.”
“Ugh, not the same.” She walked into his open arms and accepted his hug. “It felt like law school,” she mumbled into his chest. “Not that I’ve been, but it’s the hell I imagined.”
“Mmm,” he hummed, holding her close and kissing the top of her head. “Need me to make it better, baby?”
And that was my cue to keep moving. “You two have fun,” I called, racing up the steps to the third floor and heading toward the gargoyle at the end.
“Sir Kristoff,” I greeted.
“Abomination,” he returned in his chilly tone. It didn’t help that the stones churned together in his mouth every time he spoke.
At least he allowed me to enter. I suspected if he had a choice, he’d close off all the doors and keep me trapped in a room with no entrance or exit. Similar to his master.
I scowled at the memory of the Council dungeon and moved through the threshold into the suite. Kols and Zeph were inside, their attention snapping to me as their conversation came to a halt.
“Don’t stop talking on my account,” I said, noting Kols’s flushed appearance.
Blood, I realized. It’s from drinking blood. Zeph had the same look about him, suggesting they’d both gone into the Human Realm for a snack. And probably sex.
Fine.
Just fine.
We were mates, but we hadn’t discussed anything about being committed. I mean, they betrayed me not twelve hours after biting me. So. What did that say about our bond?
I snorted and stomped off to my room, not wanting to talk to either of them. If they wanted to seek pleasure elsewhere, I couldn’t stop them. I didn’t even want to sleep with them anyway.
At least I knew why my dreams were vacant the last few nights. It wasn’t out of respect for me or their way of giving me time. No, they were too busy playing with mortal females and using them for blood and pleasure.
My bedroom door slammed behind me.
“Not my business,” I muttered to myself.
Who was I to even judge anyway? I had three mates. There was one of me. Of course, I wouldn?
?t be enough to satisfy them. Not that they’d bothered to try. But I didn’t want them to anyway, so this worked out well for all parties involved. They could mess around and leave me alone, and maybe we’d find a way to break this link between us.
I was a Quandary Blood, right? My gift literally unraveled magic. Why not try it on the mating connection?
I hung my cloak in my closet and stared at my reflection in the mirror Kols had affixed to the back of the door.
“What’s the point of any of this?” I asked myself. “Why am I even here?”