by Erin R Flynn
“You’ve been putting the space here,” I reminded him.
“I felt it here for a while and then with the thing with Mel—”
“You know, another woman would be pissed you didn’t side with your girlfriend and tell people that, but sure, snap at me that I went with Neldor without asking your fucking permission,” I bitched, shocking both of us from the way his arms loosened. I took the hint and pulled away. “I’m going to bed.”
“Wait, please wait.”
“You let me go.”
“I didn’t. I wasn’t.”
I shook my head and went for the door. Wasn’t he?
Weren’t they both?
I really didn’t fucking know anymore.
4
I slept because I was exhausted, my mind unable to calm down, so it was the fitful kind of rest that wasn’t all that helpful. I stumbled down the stairs after deciding against a shower to wake up and start my day since I didn’t know what the plan was. Plus, it was cold. I didn’t like having the heat on high in a big house and wasting energy, so it was colder than most would like probably.
And right then, I was whiney and suffering for it.
Which meant I was making cocoa with tons of marshmallows to start my day.
Instead, I found Craftsman cooking with the hobgoblins and my kitchen packed.
I sighed. Heavily.
“Good morning, love,” he greeted, coming over with an exceptionally large mug of cocoa and some sort of dehydrated fae fruit mixed in. There were so many marshmallows that there was a slim chance I’d make it to wherever I was sitting and didn’t drop at least one.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, blinking at the dedicant treat. “Nummy.”
“Yes, well, you’ve been having a very rough go of things and people haven’t been as understanding as they should be,” Irma said… While shooting death glares at Darby and Lucca.
So Lucca was there? Was he staying with me too?
I seriously needed to catch up on several things.
“Thank you for coming and helping,” I said to Irma and the hobgoblins. “Chief filled you in?”
“Yes, which is why we called a meeting this morning,” she explained.
The light bulb went off over my head and I relaxed some, focusing on Dean White first. “You’re not staying here?”
“No, I am currently the focus of my council and several other ‘important’ magical families. I thought it unwise that I reside here over break and risk any more attention on you,” she explained. “After I ignored the order to mate my previous lover who was more than willing to become a council dog, they realized I could be the lure to catch a bigger fish instead.”
“Oh, because they own you?” I drawled as I sat down at the table.
“Yes, of course,” she chuckled, her sarcasm level matching mine. “Several demands and orders have been issued and the best part is, they aren’t even discussing it with each other anymore. They are all doing their own selfish thing as if dictators and making power grabs. I currently have three orders to mate and ceremonies set I’m required to attend.”
“I have no words,” I whispered, disgusted down to my soul this was the world we lived in. “Well, let me know where you’re registered, and I’ll make sure to get you something.” I bit back a sigh when everyone simply stared at me like that statement made absolutely no sense.
Then pain filled my heart as it hit me Mel wasn’t there to get my humor, and she would have. I swallowed loudly and focused on my hot cocoa.
“It’s a human thing,” I mumbled. “They register at stores for what they want for weddings so everyone doesn’t get them the same typical gift. You go before the invitations are sent out and do a bunch of window shopping for exactly what you want to start your new life and those you invite get the list.”
“That’s really smart,” Izzy muttered, probably understanding why my mood went even darker so fast. She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. “No offense because you’re a great teacher, Doc, but what are you really going to do besides try to get Tamsin to forgive you? If the shit really hits the fan, you’re not a replacement for Mel, and certainly not Dean White.”
“He is actually,” White admitted. “His resume is longer than you know, and he’s shown many times that he’s quick and clearheaded in bad situations. Plus, you have Zack and Ray, along with a few others you didn’t last winter break.” She waited until I looked at her. “I might be more powerful, but he’s quicker on the draw than I am and no slouch. You know this.”
“I do,” I agreed, not willing to lie when we had enough going on.
“Sure, I’m not here or a factor,” Neldor quietly bitched.
I shot him a warning glance not to start trouble. “Like you wouldn’t use any situation to your benefit or to try and lock me in on something I wouldn’t otherwise agree to. We both know it, so don’t even try to deny it. That’s not help. That makes you something I will probably need protection from.”
Zack snorted. “And have.”
Exactly.
“I also want to work with you on a key to your portal, even when locked, in case there’s an emergency,” Instructor Larson interjected, finally jumping in. “And we came up with a plan to get you back on track.”
I nodded, but he wasn’t done.
“Adrian needs his mate, Tamsin.”
“Hey, uncalled for,” Zack snapped. “We do as well, but putting pressure on her isn’t—it won’t fucking help!”
“How do we know?” he challenged, glancing between the two wolves. “I also made a gentleman’s agreement with Prince Neldor that I’m going to do everything I can to get Tamsin to where she needs to be to start freeing people if he starts focusing on opening as much of Faerie as possible in paths.”
“What will that do?” Darby asked, but I had already guessed the answer.
“Let their wolves be able to find their mates,” I whispered, emotionally folding into myself. “I’ll do what I can, I promise.”
“You are,” Ray growled. “If people would stop adding shit to your plate and shoulders, they’d see that you do tons all the time.”
“Agreed,” Larson and White said together, but Larson continued. “We are not denying that. I think you have done amazing, Tamsin. No one could have done what you have and stayed alive—gotten as far as you did on your own. I include Prince Neldor in that. You did amazing. It’s simply time for the kick in the ass that Melody would give you in training when you hit a plateau.”
That was fair and I acknowledged as much.
“We also need Adrian to keep you safe and this whole multiple distractions plan going. And I’m telling you as his friend, he’s losing steam. He’s losing faith and he needs it. I could see in his aura that he’s scared his mate is dead. We can’t tell him we found Cluym but he’s frozen. We can’t. So we need you better and to get over this hump.”
“That means handling some other shit first or you could hurt her,” Zack interjected, glaring between Lucca and Darby.
“Oh, on that we agree,” White chuckled darkly, both of the guys flinching. “That’s also why Craftsman is staying here. Someone needs to be on Tamsin’s side as opposed to the three who want to judge and control her.”
Lucca let out a slow growl. “Are you seriously comparing us to Neldor?”
“You’re acting fairly like him, so yes.” White smirked at him when that seemed to piss him off. “I’ve heard you say several times you disagree with Tamsin and how she handled matters. Both of you. You’ve said it publicly and in front of ears that would use that against her. Yes, I put you in the same problematic, judgmental category I put him in. You’ve done that. Not her.”
“You’re right,” Darby muttered before Lucca could reply. “You were right last night and I’m sorry. Any other woman would have already smacked me all over the place for not being on their side and keeping my disapproval private. Upset with me for not keeping private matters private. That’s not being loyal or—”
&
nbsp; I couldn’t even handle this or hear it yet. “Where do you want to start?” I asked Larson, to the shock of everyone. I shrugged. “Saving my people, unfreezing them from that caustic hell is more important than the men in my life and their crap. Or the crap of the guy crashing with me who gives himself too much importance in my life. I’m over it.”
There was a quiet snarl that I ignored, knowing it came from Lucca.
What I couldn’t ignore were the gestures Zack and Ray were making that I knew meant they were telling me to smack his bear around and into place. I mentally sighed, not wanting to flex, but apparently it was time.
And not just for him. I knew Neldor had done what he did to help give me a kick in the ass, but he had also lied that he wouldn’t manipulate me. I wasn’t pissed, but any motivation or pushing someone was a form of manipulation.
I simply wouldn’t trust his was full of good intentions or only for my benefit.
I wasn’t stupid like that.
“I’m glad to hear you are,” Irma praised as she set down some food in front of me with a wink.
I wasn’t sure what that meant until I saw the special energy bars she’d made me for the Power Playoffs. They were full of fae goodness and meant to give fairies a supportive kick in the ass.
Well, the hobgoblins were on board with me not taking shit anymore. Nice.
I realized I had some questions of my own when Craftsman set down an overloaded tray of everything I could ever want, including a full English he’d made for me. “How are you going to be able to help with this when you’ve got teaching for the continuing education program?”
“The program I’d have to teach runes for because you suggested changes to the idea,” he accused, smirking at what he saw in my aura since I didn’t have my charms on yet. “I deserved it. There were some problems with my being involved, and those juggling it all agree I not teach anymore.”
I ground my jaw as I stabbed into my food harder than needed. “Yeah, all the fawning female students must be disruptive when you don’t shut it down.”
“He did, and somewhat abrasively, which was part of the problem,” White corrected, giving me an amused smirk when I froze with my bite halfway to my mouth. “The main problem was witches who had their education trying to use the chance to learn from the Craftsman savant and misusing the system as a refresher course instead of its intention.”
“And not caring they were taking spots from actual deserving people who needed them,” I seethed. “How did that get approved?”
“A slight loophole in the admission paperwork that some interpreted as improving their education, not completing it. It’s been handled. It wasn’t caught fast as it was ten at the most and not at the same time.”
“Which is a kind way to say the main branch of Craftsmans used the system to get their mating candidates a chance to seduce me,” Julian muttered from the stove. “It wasn’t until the fifth that I caught on and recognized her from the profile I’d been sent. I did immediately shut down the flirting and reported them when I learned they had finished their educations.”
“Yes, so in reality, they helped us collect a full year of fees to pay for what the school needs, but got booted for their bad behavior,” White added. “The one handling the complaints against his attitude wasn’t someone who knew the situation or really cared about witch-warlock politics. That made it harder to put it all together.”
“But I made it clear that I wasn’t on the market and involved with someone,” Craftsman said quietly.
“Oh? Who is she?” I mocked, smirking at him as I took a sip of juice.
“The woman I love very much and has not just my heart, but my soul, and I’m trying to win back anyway I can, no matter how long it takes,” he whispered as he kept my gaze.
Larson groaned deeply. “That explains so much. Well, this is a fucking nightmare.”
“You’re a bit late to catching on there, mate,” Izzy teased him. “Even I figured it out faster than that. Well, Mel busted them, but yeah, you’re late there.”
“They hide they’re in love normally, as they’re always watched at school,” he defended, gesturing between us. “But she’s not wearing any charms or runes—neither is he—and they both flare up bright as can be with love and so much pain, it’s obviously serious between them, like mates.”
“Apparently,” Neldor bit out. “And he can piggyback her magic which can be explained a few ways. Though to him, it means they’re mates, but that’s not how fairies gauge it.” He smirked at me as if he was shitting on my love or something, but I simply rolled my eyes.
“Oh no, you might argue with what fate wants for me. Not that. I would never go against fate or even what my own parents sold me into. I’m devastated.” I snorted and focused on my breakfast.
It was several beats before anyone reacted, Ray letting out a huge belly laugh and the others joining in after they got over their shock.
“How do fairies gauge it?” Craftsman asked him when people settled down.
“Don’t ask him important stuff like that,” I interjected. “And certainly not when it involves me. I’m not falling into his pace or getting indebted to him for any answers, especially when I won’t trust what he says.”
The sound of cracking filled the room and then the glass in Neldor’s hand broke. “That’s why you didn’t ask me anything about our people last night.” He ground his jaw when I kept eating and didn’t respond. “You asked me about their mates. I found Cluym to help you push past all you’re dealing with.”
Zack snorted. “Yeah, you’ve been that amiable how many times in the weeks since she saved you? There’s more to this. You have a play up your sleeve and are using this to your advantage.”
I gestured to Zack with my fork as if to say I completely agreed and had already figured that out.
“I found someone who would be neutral and you asked about first who—”
“Save it, Neldor. You already showed your hand last night. I’m not going to fight or bicker about this with you. It’s counterproductive and I’m not spending time on it.”
“No, we are going to have a discussion about this since you’re being unreasonable. Again.”
I pursed my lips and bobbed my head before glancing at the bars and then looking at Irma. She was bright red and gave me a firm nod, the other hobgoblins nodding as well.
Glad we were all in agreement.
“I’m so confused,” Izzy admitted as Craftsman brought over more food for everyone.
“I suggest you simply grab your popcorn and enjoy the show,” White muttered as she tucked into her breakfast.
It wasn’t bad advice and seemed to amuse everyone else there.
I kept eating as I listened to White, Larson, and Craftsman explain how they’d assessed the magic of the spell on each fairy. After some debating and several scans using different magical items, they came to a conclusion about how much magic it would take to unlock one fairy.
And they’d found me a much larger reservoir that would hold the same amount of magic. The goal was when I could hit that level in one shot, I was ready to try and unfreeze someone again. Safely. That was the part they were repeatedly stating.
Good. I wanted to do it safely too.
“What are we planning to do with the power in the reservoir each time I try?” I asked when there was a lull in the conversation.
“Don’t,” Darby warned Neldor when the dark fairy opened his mouth to say something that was clearly going to be shitty from whatever Darby sensed.
“We would like to put it in certain magical items Katrina acquired for us so we have better access to power in an instant should we need it,” White answered after a moment, glancing at Larson and Craftsman. “And I want to strengthen the wards at the havens and sanctuaries.”
“The new talk that I’m brainwashing supe women into wanting things they shouldn’t and it’s degrading their society?” I checked. I nodded when several people sighed. “Yeah, I’ve heard, even with
finals going on. It’s good stuff. Sure, protect them however we need.”
I listened to them discuss the best ways to handle that and possible ways to clap back against the assholes running their mouths. I didn’t think much of that would work since they weren’t willing to go to the mat and risk pushing buttons that could get us in trouble. I understood that, but to assholes, that would seem like us yapping in the wind, and that would do more damage than good.
Once I was done with the gobs of food, I ate the four bars Irma had brought me. My magic flared to a higher level while any emotional and mental exhaustion I was feeling was wiped away. The jolt of strength they gave me was exactly what I needed. I felt as if thousands of light fairies were standing behind me with their hands on me to give me their support and strength to take on the challenges I needed to.
And I would not let them down. Not ever.
I wiped my mouth and stood, shooting Irma a smirk. “Could you make some popcorn for Izzy? The pack can keep everyone warm outside.”
“Already done,” she chuckled, showing the air popper was going.
“Oh boy,” Izzy purred, going over to help.
I had something else to set up on my phone, syncing it up to the house speakers. I let out a whistle as I stepped outside, knowing Chief and the pack would come out from the garages and seconds later, they were racing towards me. I pulled off my sweater and set it on the table, leaving me in a sports bra and leggings, not worried about the freezing weather given I was going to get a workout.
“I’m ready to have that talk,” I informed Neldor as I loaded up Demi Lovato’s “Confident” and set my phone on the table.
He let out his normal heavy, demeaning sigh as he stormed over to me. “I meant an actual talk and—”
My fist colliding with his face shut him up. “No, you mean lecture, where you talk down to me, and I’m at my limit with that shit. So you got your say about how far behind I am, but I also haven’t been showing you everything. It’s time we talk and you get a better feel of how things really are.”
