“Is she bound?”
“Who is her mentor?”
“I heard she’s hot!”
Growling, I found River leaning against the entrance and brushed past him. “Since when do you play lapdog to Ignis?”
He shrugged, a little sheepish. “She’s a little scary, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Oh, I’ve noticed.” Damn female had bitten me last night, too. Leaving her claim proudly on my neck. “She’s—”
“You,” Exos interrupted, his sapphire eyes trained on me. From the state of his shredded clothes, he’d been in a battle or two—on the losing end, for sure.
My eyes widened. The Royal Prince of Spirit Fae was a legend, his connection to Spirit magic the strongest anyone had ever seen, his affinity for fire besting several of my brethren. “Yes?” I asked him, unsure if I should bow or refer to him formally. “Uh, Your Highness?” What are you doing here? I wanted to ask.
Then it struck me.
He’s here because of the Halfling.
Exos leveled me with a powerful gaze. “I need you to come with me.”
I didn’t ask questions. When a Royal Fae issued a demand, everyone adhered to it. Especially when that Royal Fae was a legendary Fae Warrior. Like Exos.
He led us—me and River, who had insisted on tagging along—deep into the forest surrounding the Academy, having already shown us the destruction at Chancellor Elana’s home just off campus. In a quick debrief, Exos had informed us that he’d been put in charge of the Halfling’s protection, and lost her.
Which was why he needed me.
The girl’s affinity for fire had left a string of smoky notes in the air, too faint for him to catch. And I was the strongest Fire Fae within immediate reach.
“Keep up. I need your proximity to sense her,” Exos said, his feet moving quickly over the exposed roots and fallen leaves.
Great, giant boughs seemed to sway away from Exos as we followed the faint scent of the most powerful fire magic I’d ever felt—and that was saying something. “You’re sure she only just came into her powers?” I ventured, struggling to keep myself from sprinting past the fae. Not only was I strong, but I was fast, too, and now that I had her trail, I wanted to follow it.
“Yes, and so far, I sense multiple elements from her. Spirit and Fire, of course, but also Air and Water.” He glanced back at River, who trailed behind us. “Is he going to be up to the task? The Halfling is powerful.”
I nodded, confident in River’s ability. When his head was on straight, he was strong—stronger than even he realized. “He’ll be able to help.”
Exos gave a curt nod before reaching out a hand to stop us. “Good, because she seems to enjoy playing with fire.” He sounded disgruntled over that, which explained some of his singed attire.
“Hold on,” I said, my nostrils flaring as I picked up the tendrils of her smoky power. “She’s near.”
“Lead us” was Exos’s reply, his vigilant gaze sweeping the grounds.
My eyes darted across the clearing we’d stepped into. It presented a calm facade, an oasis that now descended into dusk with the softness of purple butterflies lazily lingering over the sleepy meadow. But I sensed the Halfling, her exquisite aura of molten iron mixed with a tornado of power that dared me to take a single step closer.
Exos eyed me warily as I followed the tug that seemed to grow straight from my chest toward a heap of flowers with the shadow of a curled form hidden beneath the colorful earth. Was that her?
I inched closer, studying the sleeping Halfling lying on a makeshift bed of roses. Her skin glowed with inner embers that seemed to react to my presence, making me suck in a breath at her beauty.
Fuck.
I’d never seen a creature quite like this. Soft blonde strands draped over a delicate face marred by little brown spots that gave me the peculiar urge to stoop down for a closer look. Fae didn’t have flaws, but humans did. It made her endearing, gorgeous, and exotic.
Without thinking, I crouched beside her and trailed my fingers up her arm, smoothing over the volcanic heat that called to me. She shifted in her sleep, her eyebrows knitting with a surge of discomfort before she quieted again, seeming to accept me. My touch went up to her rounded ears, so different from my own.
Then her eyes opened and the most alluring blue irises trapped me in a piece of heaven.
“Hi there, beautiful,” I whispered, smiling.