Chapter 28
XTC
Sinta
“So pathetic.” They sneer.
“What a waste of Fae blood.”
“You must be so ashamed, Aletha.” They croon. “Having to share a womb with that.”
“Lady Fate can be so cruel.” Aletha simpers, grinning along with them.
“Maybe we should put it out of its misery?” One of them suggests.
“That’d be too kind. No, I have a better idea.”
I screamed as they poured chemicals in my wounds.
“Scream, snake. Scream all you like.” They cackle. “No one will save you. You’re not worth it. Pathetic.”
“Be quiet, Sinta.” Aletha sighs. “You’re only making it worse for yourself.”
No. No.
I didn’t want to be here. I wanted this to stop.
I wasn’t there anymore. I knew I wasn’t.
Make it stop.
“You never should have been born.” Aletha mutters. “It would have been kinder.”
They all laugh.
No. Please no.
Startling awake with a gasp, I clutch my middle and groan.
Pain rips through me. It shreds my abdomen.
Cursing, laying back down to curl into a ball, I muffle my whimpers in my pillow as it spreads into my chest. Then outwards to my limbs.
My room was still dark, so it was either late at night or early in the morning.
I’d been getting these kinds of pains in short bursts for a while now, but usually throughout the day. I’d never been woken by one.
And it had never felt like fire forging my bones into brittle glass that shattered on repeat.
Gasping, moaning, I stay like that for hours or minutes and breath through it one big inhale at a time.
But no matter how much I breathe it doesn’t dissipate.
Trying to distract myself, I reach out for my phone.
Only one thing comes to mind.
I bring up a music app.
And give into the temptation to search Rapid’s name.
A band pops up with his, Tomashi’s, and two other guys names featured on the cover.
XTC.
I snort at the play on letters. XTC = Ecstasy.
Selecting their number 1 viral song, something called ‘Revelry’, I lower my phones volume and settled back into my blanket.
Since Rapid and I had already hashed out our mutual love for old-school rock, I shouldn’t have been surprised the song opened with a stunner of a guitar rip.
But the music, the lyrics…… the absolutely orgasmic artistry that followed was a magic all on its own.
Caught between gritty rock like ‘Nickelback’ and lyrical genius like ‘Imagine Dragons’, I let the rhythm carry me away.
Eventually, I fall back asleep.
But the pain follows me into my dreams and throws me head-first into a realm of horror.
I didn’t want to go down to breakfast.
To the point that I was procrastinating in my room even though my stomach was screaming for food. And I had to get to class.
But all of the guys were down there.
Rapid and Tomashi were down there.
Thinking about the situation since my eyes opened this morning made me realise I hated confrontation.
And yet, I had to confront them.
Or at least tell Rapid not to flirt with me anymore – which I was now sure he had been doing.
Had he not been involved with someone, I would be swooning right about now. Instead, I felt upset, hurt, and a little guilty.
This would really explain why Tomashi hated me so much – his man kept flirting with a female right in front of him.
But that also left me wondering why he hadn’t just said something. I wasn’t vindictive or catty; I would have backed off immediately.
Groaning, I suck it up and grab my jacket and the basket of laundry I had to get done this afternoon.
Making my way down the stairs like I was on my death march to the gallows, I step down into the kitchen and rush past them all to the laundry room.
“Morning.” Fade calls after me.
“Morning.” I chirp back and continue on to dump the basket beside the washing machine.
“Hey, Sin.” Rapid greets, and I squeak.
“I have to get to class.” I rush out, ducking past him.
“Sinta!” Rapid calls after me.
“You do not want breakfast?” Fade questions, following me to the door.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you!”
And then I’m out the door and speed walking my way along the path.
So much for confronting them. All my bluster flew out the damn window.
I needed to visit the Wizard and ask for some courage.
“May I accompany you?” Fade asks.
Jumping, I curse my distraction. I knew better, dammit.
I should have been more alert than this.
“Sure.” I agree.
“I did not mean to scare you.” He murmurs in that lush sexy accent of his.
“I’m just jumpy. It’s been a long week.” I dismiss, tucking my hands into my jacket.
He nods.
It’s quiet as we continue on. Too quiet.
Normally the rustling of leaves in the wind and the gentle calls of birds would be relaxing.
Right now I wished for some thunder. Or an earthquake.
Anything to dispel the tension around us.
“Thank you for walking with me.” I murmur. “You guys normally just disappear after breakfast.”
“Oui. Second year is very busy, but I wanted to spend a little more time with you.” Fade gives me his signature smooth smile, full of charm.
I smile, but it does nothing to get rid of the awkward tension I’m feeling.
It was one hundred percent coming from me.
He was calm, strolling along beside me, his ridiculously handsome features looking extra sexy in the rare sunlight we were getting today.
I think I was nervous because I liked him. More than liked him.
He, Elijah, and Rapid had been very clear in their interest.
I’d chosen to ignore it because I didn’t know how to deal with it.
But now Rapid was very obviously off limits. And it’s not like I’m a nun….
I’d never been in a relationship, and now I was thinking about four different guys.
Three different guys.
Whether I liked it or not my mystery male from Angel’s Fare was still firmly in the back of my mind. But he also wasn’t here.
And Rapid was taken.
So I had to figure out how to navigate between Elijah and Fade without hurting either of them or screwing up.
Or if I was even going to be with one of them.
I was becoming a little too good at overthinking things.
“Are you okay, gorgeous?” Fade inquires, giving me a concerned look.
I’m sure I look confused. “Yes?”
“You groaned.” He tells me, his smile curling up into a grin.
“Oh. Whoops.”
“Is there something you want to talk about?” He asks after a few moments of quiet.
“You’re very straight forward.” I mutter, kicking at the ground as I walked. “And astute.”
“When I want something, yes.” He agrees.
I don’t look up to gauge his expression, thinking maybe I should take a page out of his book instead and just come out with it.
“You have been flirting with me.” I blurt.
His answer is immediate. “Oui.”
“Because you want to date me, or because you want something more……. Casual?” I force myself to get the sentence out, the words hesitant.
It takes a moment this time, but he sounds amused when he finally answers. “Yes, Sinta. Elijah, Rapid, and I are interested. I am interested in whatever you want to pursue.”
I nod casually, like he hadn’t just confirmed he was into me.
I played it cool. Stopped myself from bouncing around like a lunatic chanting ‘he likes me, he likes me’.
But knowing I could and actually doing it are two completely different things.
“And you would……” Clearing my throat, I try to search for the words.
“Yes?” Fade prompts.
Pausing, lifting my head and watching him swerve to stop before me, I force myself to look into his gorgeous eyes and ask, “Envisageriez-vous de sortir avec moi?”
:Would you consider dating me?:
His eyes lit up, flaring with a quiet joy.
I let him take my hand when he reaches for it, watch as he brings it up to his lips and presses a gentle kiss to my knuckles.
“Oui. J’en serais honoré.” He breathes, his smile small but incandescent.
:Yes. I would be honoured.:
My grin was embarrassingly huge.
“The man is supposed to ask, you know? Chivalry is not all dead.” He teases.
I shrug, boldly lacing my fingers through his and squeezing. “You took too long. Better luck next time.”
He shakes his head, squeezing my hand back. “You Americans and your love for speed. Vous pouvez parler fran?ais.”
:You can speak French.:
“Oui. J’ai appris au lycée.” I confirm, liking that it seemed to make him so happy.
:Yes. I learned in high school.:
“I do not have many people I can speak my native language with. I’m glad I can share it with you.” He murmurs, the words filled with tangible emotion. “Votre fran?ais est très bon.”
:Your French is very good.:
“J’aimais le fran?ais à l’école. J’ai envie d’aller à Paris un jour, de visiter le quartier des artistes.” I tell him.
:I liked French at school. I want to go to Paris one day, to visit the artists’ district.:
He smiles again. “An artiste. Maybe I’ll take you one day, show you all the local spots.”
“You lived in Paris?”
He laughs at my excitement, holding my hand as I dance from foot to foot. “Oui. A few blocks from the Eiffel Tower.”
“We’re going one day. I want to know all the good spots, and you have to take me to one of those huge art stores they have.” I insist. “I want a fancy brush set that costs hundreds.”
“Can we have a date first?”
“I’ll be generous and let you plan it.” I tease.
“Merci, Magnifique.” He croons.
:Thank you, Gorgeous.:
Smiling, feeling like I was floating with happiness, I stare at his perfect face and have a moment of complete and utter disbelief.
People always say college is the time to discover and explore.
Does that count when you attend an Academy?
“Are you sure you want to date me?” I check, wanting no misunderstandings.
No boyfriends or a bed buddy hiding in the shadows.
I had to find a way to apologise to Tomashi. Maybe then he’d stop staring at my throat like he wanted to rip it out with his teeth.
Stepping close, clasping my hand between two of his, ducking his head to stare deeply into my eyes, Fade gives me a firm nod. “I am absolutely sure. I had been planning to ask you out in a week or so – I wanted to give you more time to settle into the Academy. But it appears Lady Fate had her own plans.” Bringing my hand up to kiss my knuckles again, his thumb gently rubbing, he murmurs, “We’re going to get to know each other first, but soon I will spoil you with everything and anything.”
“I don’t know about that.” I laugh, blushing. “I’m not really the spoiling type.”
“Only because you have not been spoilt properly. There is an art to it, Mon Magnifique.” He purrs. “I promise, you will enjoy it.”
I blush crimson. This male could wield sensuality like a blade.
I found I liked it immensely.
He kisses my hand again, and I give in to the urge to brush a fingertip over his sharp jaw.
“Tu es trop jolie pour être réelle.” I whisper, smiling.
:You’re too pretty to be real.:
He grins, the epitome of male ego. “Je sais. Je pourrais vous dire la même chose.”
:I know. I could tell you the same thing.:
I was sure I was grinning like an idiot.
“Sinta! Sin, you ready?”
Turning, I spot Kenya waving manically from the doors of the Academy’s main building.
I also see all the people watching us. Some of them taking pictures.
Waving back with my free hand, I turn back to Fade. “I have to go to class.”
“So do I.”
“I’ll see you at dinner?”
“Oui.”
“Then I have to go now.” I giggle.
I don’t know what it is about this male, but he made me feel so very feminine in the most girly of ways.
Rapid made me feel sexy and sensual. Elijah let me feel vulnerable and soft without feeling weak. And Fade could reduce me to a pile of giggling mush and have me wanting to put on the prettiest dress I owned.
I liked the different ways each of them made me feel. Like they each complimented a different part of me.
But Rapid had Tomashi. And I couldn’t date Elijah when I’d just agreed to be with Fade.
“Au revoir, magnifique. Have a good day.”
“You too.” I murmur, turning to walk to Kenya.
He tugs on my hand, spinning me back into him, somehow making the move graceful even with my two left feet.
“Do me a favour, Mon Magnifique?” He murmurs, cupping my cheek.
“Yes?”
“Rapid, Elijah, and I are all interested in you. We agreed that should you wish to date one or more of us, we would all be okay with it. Would you consider accepting my brothers?”
Accepting his brothers…… He’d talked to Rapid and Elijah about dating me?
They’d all discussed it?
More than that, Rapid had talked about dating me, knowing he had Tomashi?
Did Fade know about Tomashi?
“I—”
“I understand if it is too much, but we three are enchanted with you.” He says. “Please, think about it. I will see you for dinner.”
Before I can blink, he dips his head and presses a burning kiss to the corner of my lips, lingering for a moment.
“C’est ainsi que nous disons au revoir.” He breathes.
:This is how we say goodbye.:
There he goes again, wielding that sensual knife.
“See you tonight.” I breathe.
“Au revoir.” He bids.
“Au revoir.” I farewell and watch him strut away.
I don’t even feel guilty when he catches me watching his ass and grins.
How the hell was I supposed to focus on my classes after that?
Hurrying over to a waiting Kenya, ignoring the watchers, I glance around as I go and do a double take when I spot Penelope – the girl that Grande humiliated – watching me from beside the fountain.
I can’t decipher the grim look on her face and decide not to, frowning at her as I reach my friend.
She stares at me as I greet Kenya, her eyes burning with a hatred I didn’t understand.
Did she think I was Aletha? My sister had wronged her pretty bad.
“You have some serious explaining to do.” Kenya scolds. “Was that Fade Mortique?”
“Yeah. I’ll tell you on the way to class.” I tell her, having a sudden overwhelming urge to leave.
I loop my arm through Kenya’s and lead her away, checking over my shoulder every few feet.
Penelope didn’t move.
Even after she was out of sight, I swore I could feel her eyes like twin daggers lodged in my spine.
I wondered what my twin had done to inspire that kind of emotion in someone.
“Oh, sunshine, how I’ve missed you.” Kenya sighs, laid out on the grass and enjoying the rare spot of cloudless sky we were getting today.
The wrapper of the baguette she’d devoured lay next to her, ants already crawling on it.
“You are such a country girl.” Natalie snickers, sitting on her jacket and eyeing the grass for bugs.
“The sun is nice, though.” I hum, munching on a stacked BLT.
“The rumour mill is working overtime. That photo of you and Fade is already on Elite Addict.” Kenya chortles, waving her phone about. “I wonder how long it will take them to figure out you’re living in Rising House?”
“Forever and a day.” I grunt.
We’d originally planned on eating in the cafeteria, but one look at the drama happening in there had changed our minds.
Grande had been hosting some sort of spectacle, sitting atop the stairs in an ornate chair, Aletha stood at her side, with Fae lining up before her.
Said line spanned all the way down the stairs and curled around the room.
The minute I’d spotted Aletha I’d ducked back outside, and Kenya had agreed to grab some lunch for me.
Both Natalie and Kenya seemed to know what was happening, and had clearly wanted no part in it.
“I asked the Librarian how often it storms out here. She said it’s practically storm season all year round – it just switches between humid and freezing temperature-wise.” Kenya murmurs. “Something about the magic of the island creating constant tension in the air.”
“Faerie can be like that. Because it’s a purely magic realm, it can be sunny and gorgeous one moment, stormy and dark the next. I went camping with friends once, we went to sleep in this cute meadow – we woke up in a swamp with toads and everything.” Natalie tells us.
“Like someone moved you in your sleep?” I question, not understanding her.
“No, the terrain in Faerie can change right before your eyes. Only sacred places and claimed territory tend to stay the same. Heading into the wild forests is a test most Fae fail – you essentially court death by entering.”
“I can’t wait to finally see it. It sounds amazing.” Kenya sighs.
“It is beautiful.” Natalie murmurs and opens her container of nachos.
“I think I’d like to see it one day. I’ve looked at some of the paintings and tapestries hung in the halls. They are all beautiful.” I muse, eating the last of my sandwich. “So, what was all of that in the cafeteria?”
“You mean Grande’s Tithe?” Natalie snorts.
“Tithe?” Staring at the Lady Fate fountain nearby, I think back to my high school English literature classes. “Isn’t that a medieval word for Tax?”
“It’s exactly that. In Faerie, each major Lord and Lady pay Tithe to the Kings and Queens of their respective Houses.” Kenya explains. “But on earth, Grande is infamous for demanding Tithe from her court at the start of each year. Since she was starting the Academy this year, word spread that she was waiting to do it here – so that all young Fae in attendance could give tribute.”
I wrinkle my brow, my nose scrunching. “Like money? She just expects people to give her money?”
“Money, spells, gifts, or something as simple as pledging allegiance.” Natalie says. “Most people will gift her things, because if they don’t the automatic expectation is for them to pledge allegiance. It’s why we grabbed food and quickly ditched.”
“Yeah. It’s even worse if you have offended her somehow. Poor Penelope was a perfect example of that this year.” Kenya mutters.
“Because she lost her position, right?”
“Not just that. Penelope was the first person Grande demanded Tithe from. She commanded Penelope to give her the title deed to every building Penelope’s dad runs his business from. Then she tripled the rent.” Kenya winces, her face dripping with sympathy. “It won’t be long before they go bankrupt. Grande will make sure Penelope suffers before she stops.”
“She can do that?” I gape.
“Of course she can, she is their Princess.” Nat sneers. “Grande could command Penelope and her family to give her everything they own, outright, but it would’ve been too quick. She is punishing her slowly, painfully, and making her family regret it as well.”
“Vindictive bitch.” I hiss.
“Very. Penelope is likely furious – She’s as crazy as Grande and can be meaner than a cut snake.”
I glance at Kenya, still lain out on the grass, her eyes closed as the sun shone on her face.
“Do you think Penelope might blame Aletha?” I ask quietly, watching the people making their way to and from classes around us.
There was a group of bears – a sleuth – rolling around in the gardens a fair distance away.
The plants moved like they were alive and tried to attack the bears, but the huge animals just swatted them.
“We know she does. You don’t listen to gossip much, do you?” Natalie snickers.
“I thought you knew, or I would have said something.” Kenya squeaks, leveraging up onto her elbows. “Aletha and Penelope had a confrontation yesterday; they both take Social Relations with Grande. Penelope ambushed Aletha and tried to humiliate her, but your sister is powerful. Not only did she kick Penelope’s ass, but she did it spectacularly, and then Grande rubbed it in ten times worse by declaring in front of everyone that Aletha was her new handmaiden.”
Natalie nods, setting aside her half-eaten food. “It was all people could talk about in the Dorms. I don’t think anyone slept a wink.”
“The video is all over the internet. Elite Addict did a whole page on it.” Kenya adds.
“By the Gods.” I breathe. “What did Penelope even do? It must have been big if Aletha was able to have her ousted and punished like this just by telling Grande.”
“That’s what’s strange. No one knows – there aren’t even any rumours about what it might have been.”
“That alone tells you it’s bad. Grande must have enforced a vow of silence on her court if it still hasn’t gotten out.” Nat muses.
“What the hell is Aletha thinking.” I whisper.
I thought I’d known who my sister was. Obviously, I was very wrong, because I never thought she’d be suicidal enough to become mixed up in something like this.
Handmaiden to the Princess Heir of House Earth and Bronze.
She’d essentially signed herself up to a life of deadly games and a tombstone that read ‘I was stabbed in the back’.
“Your classes are going well?” I ask them both, rearranging to lay on my stomach.
“Not too bad. Could do without a few asshole teachers, but other than that.” Nat gives a careless shrug and stabs an ant with her fork.
“I’m loving my classes. They’re so good even the ones with bad teachers don’t faze me.” Kenya beams. “I can’t wait until next year. I already have a list of classes I’m going to apply for.”
“Is it fifty pages long?” Natalie teases.
“No.”
Both Natalie and I raise our brows.
“Maybe two pages. I don’t know, I haven’t counted.”
“How does your brain even fit in your skull?” Nat snickers.
Kenya pulls a face and lays back down.
I mimic her, balling my jacket up under my head and sighing.
I hear movement and see Natalie doing the same, tossing her long inky hair into a bun before gingerly settling onto the grass.
“This is great. We should just stay here forever.” I murmur into the comfortable silence.
They both hum an agreement.
“Fucking bitch!”
“Or not.” Natalie huffs, sitting up to see what the commotion is about.
“What’s going on?” I mumble, not willing to look.
“Two females are having a duel on the other side of the courtyard – over a guy I think.” Natalie answers, screwing her face up as she watches them.
Popping her head up, Kenya eyes the action then drops it with a tortured groan. “They live in my dorm – two rooms down. I can’t believe they are fighting over that sleaze bag.”
“Elite?” I guess, giving into temptation and turning my head.
One a redhead and the other a beautiful dark-skinned female, the former was wielding vicious swipes of wind and the latter blocking her with rocky earth shields.
Beyond them a group of males stood watching, smiling as the female’s screamed insults and battled.
The one in the centre caught my eye – his smile seemed just a touch more smug than the rest.
“The guy in the middle with the black braided hair?” I check.
He was tall, at least partly Asian, and had green swirls covering one of his arms.
“Yup. He’s basically Tomashi’s second – or would be, if Tomashi had a second. He’s more like a henchman.” Kenya mumbles.
“A sleazy playboy asshole of a henchman. He probably lied to them and said they were exclusive until the females found out otherwise.” Natalie scoffs.
Tomashi had a henchman. I wasn’t at all surprised – he needed someone to clean up the kills he bragged to me about, after all.
“We’re not a fan?” I summarise.
“Wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole if he was the last male on earth.” Natalie sneers.
“Public enemy number one. Understood.” I chuckle.
“More like hazardous waste.” Kenya mutters.
Flinching as something rips into the ground a foot from us, we all gape at the large chuck of earth that rolls to a stop.
The two females have graduated from a small confrontation to full-on battle royale – hurling magic like they were going for an Olympic medal.
“We should probably move…….” Kenya murmurs, reaching for her stuff as she sits up.
We all duck as another chunk sails overhead.
Moving all at once, we scramble to snatch up our things.
“Duck and sprint.” I yell.
We race for the building’s entrance and don’t look back.