Chapter 3
LOTTIE
The room is buzzing as the students of Rosewood Academy get to know one another.
I'm sure there are some people here from the older years who already know the lay of the land, but there are lots of first-year students like me.
People who have come to the academy with the hope of having a bright future.
I try not to feel too self-conscious about the fact that most of them probably haven't had to fight against their parents in order to come here.
I'm sure they'll have had their own challenges, but it won't have come in the form of their parents refusing to help with their applications or to support me coming here.
Luckily, I've been able to save thanks to the succession of part-time jobs I had while I was still at school, and then a couple of years of working full-time while perfecting my application.
I should hold my head up high. Not just anyone can come to Rosewood Academy, and I was successful in getting in, the first person in my family to go for further education.
It's a rare occurrence for fairies. Something Mum has reminded me of at every turn.
She thinks that I can just skate by on my looks and my charm, that I don't need more education than I already have.
But that's not what I want.
"Shall I get some drinks?" Sophia asks, gesturing towards the bar. "I don't think that they're going to have anything fun."
"What would count as fun?" I ask my new roommate curiously.
"Fire rum?" Her lips quirk up as if she's thinking of some kind of memory.
"I've never had it."
"We'll work you up to it," she responds. "Unless you don't drink."
"I do."
"Then I'll make sure to get my parents to send me a good bottle," she promises.
"Will they do that?" I'm surprised to hear that royalty will send her a bottle of anything.
"They'd rather they know what I'm drinking," she says with a shrug. "And they know they can't stop me. They got wise to it after their third child."
"And which are you?" I ask, realising we haven't done any of the preliminary questions about families yet.
"Fifth or sixth, depending on who you're asking. Archibald will say that he was born first, but he's lying."
I try not to respond to her brother's name, especially after meeting him earlier. "Does that matter?"
"For the order of succession, yes. For everything else? Not really. So, drink?"
"Sure. I'll have a fruit juice of some kind."
"Got it." She waves and heads over to the bar, making me wonder if I should have gone with her. And feel bad that I'm making royalty collect my drinks for me. I'm a little surprised that she's come to the party with me rather than ditching me for any of the other demons at the academy.
Several of them have already converged on her, though she seems to be brushing them off as she attempts to get to the bar.
It seems like it's going to take a while for her to get drinks. I look around the room, trying to work out if I recognise anyone. I find it unlikely. Most of my circle are fairies, and a lot of them think like my mother.
My breath catches in my throat as my gaze locks with a purple-skinned demon with a broad chest and a boyish charm.
Something deep within me stirs into life and whispers the word mate around my head, just like it did when I saw him earlier.
I dismiss it. Even if my response is correct and he has the potential to be my mate, he's not going to want to pursue that.
What would a Prince want with me? I'm a nobody.
A moth fairy from parents who make a decent living, but aren't considered to be special or interesting.
He's probably destined for the daughter of a Duke.
Then again, this isn't the Middle Ages, he's more likely to end up with some self-made gazillionaire who designs handbags for dogs.
The pull within me to make my way over is almost too much to ignore, but I manage. Sophia hasn't introduced us yet, and I don't want to ruin things with my friend.
"Hey, Lottie!" a familiar voice calls, breaking through my thoughts.
I turn around, surprised to find Drake heading towards me. It turns out that I do already know someone here, but he's not a fairy. Light reflects off his dark blue scales, but it does nothing to hide his boisterous smile.
"Hey," I respond. "I didn't realise you were coming to Rosewood."
"I even got my parents to let me stay here," he says. "I haven't seen you in years. How many is it?"
"Four," I respond. "I think we were seventeen when I stopped working at the restaurant."
"Oh yeah. Dad was sad to see you go, he said you were one of the best servers he had," he says.
"We moved away." But he knows that. We spent a good amount of time working together at his family's restaurant.
"So, I know we've only just got here, but my flatmates are having a party on Friday. Want to come?" he asks.
I frown. "How are you going to have a party in one of the tiny flats?"
He laughs. "I take it you haven't found out about the secret rooms yet?"
"No?"
"They're all over the academy," he responds. "We'll be using one of them. Are you using the same mirror?"
I nod.
"All right, I'll message you with the information. Bring your flatmates if they're cool."
I look over to where Sophia now has drinks, but doesn't seem to be getting through the demons surrounding her. They must know her identity and be trying to make a connection with her. I guess it's cool to have a princess as a flatmate. "I will do."
"Great, see you there." He grins, revealing his pearly white teeth. He waves and heads off to talk to someone else.
Sophia finally manages to get herself free from her admirers and makes her way back over to me, handing over a glass. "I could do without the fawning," she mutters.
"That bad?"
"They're worse at home," she says. "Oh, and now they've found Archie."
I look over to where her brother is. Sure enough, several of the demons who were hanging around her have made their way over to Archie. But he doesn't seem to be paying them any attention because his gaze is fixed on me.
I take a shaky breath, hoping that Sophia doesn't notice my reaction.
"So, who were you talking to before I got back?" Sophia asks, turning back to me.
"That was Drake," I respond.
She raises an eyebrow. "A dragon called Drake?"
"His sister is called Treasure, and their baby brother is called Blaze. Their parents were going for a theme." I feel for them, though.
Sophia grimaces. "I don't envy them."
"Me neither."
"So, how do you know him? You seemed friendly." There's no denying the curiosity in her voice.
"From a job I had a few years ago. He invited us to a party he's throwing with his flatmates on Friday."
"Oh, I never say no to a good party," she says. "Maybe I should pick your outfit again, you look great."
"Thank you." I smooth down the dark brown dress. I love how soft the fabric is, and the colour looks great with the brown of my wings.
"But, more important things. Come meet my brother." She gestures for me to follow her over to the other demon, and I swallow hard. Now I need to manage the situation without making it weird that I've already met him.
Archie straightens as we approach, smiling with easy charm that comes from confidence. It's not unearned. He cuts a powerful figure, and the white of his shirt only makes the dark purple of his skin stand out more.
"This is my annoying twin brother," Sophia says to me.
He laughs. "I'm the annoying one?"
"Yes," she responds immediately.
"I think we'll let Lottie be the judge of that," he responds, looking over at me. His gaze lingers a little longer than it should, making the voice within me that whispered mate get stronger.
Sophia looks between us. "You've met."
He chuckles. "At the library earlier."
"What were you doing at the library?" she asks her brother.
"Threatening to set fire to the books," he responds with a grin in my direction.
I laugh softly at the memory.
"Archie!"
"The books were fine." He lifts a glass to his lips with his tail, and I watch in awe as he does it.
I've never had a tail, so seeing the twin royals use theirs is an interesting experience.
He seems to catch me watching and switches the glass to his hand so he can wave at me with his tail, the conical point wiggling a little like fingers would.
A blush rises to my cheeks. "Sorry," I mumble.
"I told you, I don't mind you looking at my tail," Archie says.
"I shouldn't stare."
He shrugs. "It's not a big deal. I don't mind you looking, but other people might."
I nod quickly, knowing he's right, and trying not to watch his tail for any longer than I should.
Even though we've only just met, I'm starting to get the impression that it's going to be difficult for me to play it cool when I'm around the demon prince.