Solutions
IGNATIUS
“ W hat else did we learn today?” I ask as we dig in. “The disappearing bad guy in Lucas’s room can’t be the only news from our first day back.”
Morgana frowns, her brow creasing as she grumbles, “I ran into that chick from Wally World. Remember her, Lucas? The one I had to smack down when we went shopping, while you were recovering? It didn’t go well.”
The bear looks irritated as fuck, a rumble echoing in his broad chest as he leans in. “I knew we should have beaten her ass.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, cub. Neither you nor Morgana were going to physically assault someone in a grocery store.” Liam chuckles, shaking his head as he sips his margarita. “Especially not with you in that condition.”
“And when it’s a girl,” I mutter.
Morgana snorts, giving me a smug expression.
“I will beat a bitch into the ground if need be, Ignatius Briarton, but Liam is right. It wasn’t the time or the place for that.
She was making a scene in public and I’d barely been here a week.
I would have burnt bridges I didn’t need to and drawn press attention. ”
“Boy, howdy, you would have,” Slade says with a wicked grin. “Fights are spectator sports in this part of the country and two women fighting? You could have charged an entrance fee.”
I blink at his saucy remark, but Morgana’s eyes light up with delight. She reaches over, patting his leg as she replies, “No thanks, babe. I’m not interested in crowds bigger than the ones I have at home.”
That’s good for me, right? I think it is.
“Regardless, we’re agreed that solving the problem with violence—at least, where people can see it—wasn’t the solution then or today,” Slade says with a shy smile. “I had to stay neutral at the shop because I didn’t want to stoke any rumors, but I tried to mitigate it as best I could.”
My head whips around to look at him suspiciously. “Why did you do that today? Was the woman worse than before?”
“She was angling for something film-able, I think,” Morgana sighs.
“It was a busy time at the coffeehouse and there were many people present. Slade was right to play the de-escalating employee without bias. We have no idea who might have been filming, that we weren’t aware of.
I, however, laid the law down when she attacked an employee.
It might be good for me; we’ll have to wait and see. ”
“You can’t go anywhere without one of his cronies coming for you,” Lucas growls low. “I hate it, but until you work your way through shit Chan-Chan can make a list…”
Our woman shrugs a bit and gives us a half-smile.
“Exactly. My meetings today weren’t all horrid, so I may pick up some interested people who could end up being allies.
They just need to see I’m serious about rooting out corruption.
If I can get them to believe that, they’ll help me send the assholes packing; I’m sure of it. ”
Tapping my fingers against my lips, I nod. “I think you’re right, particularly in the departments Magnus gave the short end of the stick. You won’t get a lot of resistance to ousting his unqualified dipshits from their payroll, nor will you find them antagonistic once they’re better funded.”
“Everyone’s motivated by money,” Lucas says before he takes a massive bite of his tacos. Once he chews, he shrugs and mumbles, “Even hoity-toity, principled folks will bend the knee for the almighty dollar. They don’t like it, but they will.”
“I don’t think we want people to do that because of funding, though.
” Liam looks thoughtful, and I bet he’s thinking of his court at home.
“That will open the door to more corruption, so using money and prizes to reward behavior we deem ‘acceptable’ will only compound your issue by creating a different vein of false loyalty.”
He’s sharp as hell, and when he breaks down strategy so easily, I see why he’s in line for a throne.
“Perhaps the answer is to clean out their rot, be kind and listen, and wait until the dust settles before re-allocating any money or upgrades. Hold off until you’ve done a thorough review and see who continues to be helpful or supportive without being given what they want.
” I take a drink of my marg, twirling the stem of the glass in my fingers.
“It won’t make you popular, per se, but it might reveal the staff who are open to you despite not getting their way. ”
Morgana nods, leaning back in her seat as she groans.
“I love academia—always have. The political part is my least favorite thing and now I’m just swimming in it like shark-infested waters.
It’s stupid as fuck, and the only people who suffer are the students.
Professionals playing games like this affects them in so many ways, and most aren’t even aware of it, nor are their parents. ”
“That’s education in late stage capitalism, Lady M.”
We all look at the polar bear, who rolls his eyes. “Dudes, I read. Don’t be ridiculous. Nana would skin me if I couldn’t speak intelligently about current affairs and shit. Big, fancy parties full of rich people my whole life, remember?”
Looking sheepish, I nod. “Sorry, man. It’s hard not to fall back into the ‘dumb jock’ image that this campus has sunk into its marrow, you know? Most of your contemporaries—regardless of the physical sport—aren’t so erudite.”
“No shit,” Slade mutters and I shoot him a sympathetic look.
Arts majors get a lot of shit from the athletes, and it’s no rose garden, even for higher-level students like him.
It’s part of what happens when a campus funds huge sports franchises better than their actual study programs—the jocks are put on a pedestal and they buy their own hype.
Meanwhile, the actual scholars at the school suffer through outdated equipment, lack of funding, and poor treatment.
Hell, my department is only spared by the massive amounts of donations sent from the big magical covens and families to keep their progeny trained by the very best.
Morgans clears her throat, and we turn back to her as she frowns. “Alright, let’s address the carcass in the corner.”
“Interesting twist on the cliche, but which carcass?” Liam asks with a chuckle. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
“Your dickhead bodyguard has been MIA since you arrived, and he’s not answering anyone. I know he’s a ‘loner’ and used to doing his own thing to protect you, Li… But it’s pretty shitty to do it without a single word to anyone. What the fuck is he up to?”
“Are we going to have to rescue his ass again is the better question.” Lucas arches a brow before he finishes another fish taco in one bite. “I hate fighting on a full stomach, so I hope to hell not. Not eager to possibly blow chunks while we’re kicking random supe ass.”
I tilt my head, then shrug. “I could enchant you to quell that if need be. I have your back.”
The bear beams thankfully, and when I look away, I see both Morgana and Slade looking pleased.
If that’s all it takes to rehabilitate myself, I can definitely start being more amiable to everyone.
Well, everyone but that damn dragon who keeps pissing off our woman.
He’s walking a very thin tightrope with a small, prince-sized net, and he keeps wobbling the line on purpose.
“That’s fucking cool, man. Thanks,” Lucas says as he holds his fist out. I have to force myself not to puff up as I bump it with my own. “Now, back to the asshat and his bullshit. Li, what’s his fucking problem?”
Liam sighs heavily, looking up at the ceiling as if he’s deciding what he wants to say.
After a moment, his gaze returns to us and he speaks.
“Kaspar has… past trauma. We’ve mentioned it a little, but his issues haven’t been a problem for many years.
I suppose this particular situation is exacerbating the fact that he’s never truly dealt with them in a healthy manner.
Since I was inadvertently part of the problem, I didn’t feel like I could pressure him about it, and now I’m regretting that choice. ”
Nice to know, but it doesn’t explain his running off like a dumbass.
“I’m not asking you to betray a confidence, Liam, but…how does that relate to him disappearing?” Slade’s expression is curious, but not nosy, and I smile at his diplomacy. He’s always been able to calm things down, even without using his gifts.
“Well, he has a lot of latitude to do whatever the hell he wants in the name of keeping me safe. Because we’re friends, he tells me more than any other bodyguard for the crown would ever tell their charges.
I’ve kept him my whole life because his loyalty has always been to me, not the court.
But… the traumatic incident caused a rift that put a small gap in that tightly bound trust, and ever since, he occasionally goes off on his own when he’s working things out. ”
I shake my head. “That explains the night he was attacked, but not tonight. Why would he go rogue today?”
“That’s a good question, but not one I have an answer to,” Liam says with a rueful expression.
“He wasn’t bent out of shape at the dorm, but for our inability to figure out who or what had been there.
That was a shared frustration, though, and it had nothing to do with the thing that’s a sore spot. At least, not that I know of.”
“He doesn’t have to tell everyone everything, Li, but he can’t disappear with no word,” Morgana says quietly.
“Even if he hates me, the entire family can’t be worrying that your friend is being attacked or hurt again with no way to prevent it.
Whatever his damn ‘thing’ is, he can’t just flit off again, or he’s going to answer to me.
And it won’t be pretty because I’ve been far too lenient as it is.
This is about all of us, not just his damn allergy to me. ”
Good for her. She should give that dick a piece of her mind, especially since I’m doing my best to fix my mess—or trying to.
“ Mascushla , you’re right. I agree one hundred percent with that assessment.
I’m just… I don’t understand why he’s ignoring me completely.
” Liam’s brow furrows, and he adds, “Normally, if he’s off on walkabout, he will at least text back that he’s fine and will return in a specific timeframe.
This is odd, even for him, but I do not sense that he’s in trouble. ”
“Not helping, Prince,” I say as I take in the worried expressions of the others. “I know you don’t mean to make the situation worse, but knowing that he’s not in danger but is still giving us the finger is salt in the wound.”
Lucas sits up, putting his elbows on his knees as he leans in. “Right. Do we need to go hunt the fucker down? Because I’m game. I don’t like my people looking like they’re waiting for a call from the po-po or the coroner. It sucks all the fun out of Taco Night.”
Slade laughs softly, and the bear dips his chin as my roommate beams at him. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Lucas. But… we’ve all been drinking. No one’s really drive-ready.”
“I can help with that!” Feeling useful again, I hold up a finger as I head to the cabinet of supplies he and I stowed here after Liam assisted with the magical bubble around this haven.
“It’s not something we like to do all the time because you feel like a trained seal, right?
But most magic users can whip up an alcohol, speed up enchantment with little effort.
Should edge the buzz out pretty quickly. ”
It occurs to me that the Prince knows this, but when everyone looks at me happily, I note the subtle wink he gives me—I guess he’s rooting for my comeback, too.
Nice.