by Lexi C. Foss
“Good. Can you smell anything? Hear anything?” Cyrus had lowered his voice into a soothing tone, one he probably thought helped, but only served to irritate me more. Introducing my fist to his face would be a remarkable experience and far more fulfilling than the slap against his cheek.
Regardless, he was right.
Exos is alive.
And knowing that settled my soul.
I sighed, content with his known existence while also worried about where he might be.
Damp.
Dark.
Dungeon.
I shook my head, not recognizing anything from the sights to the smells to the sounds. “He’s definitely underground.” My nose twitched, the scent of moss and rust apparent. The murmur of machinery followed, some sort of constant crank, and the cackle of a male voice. I pressed deeper, trying to hear more, only to be shoved out by an unseen force so heavy it sent me to the ground in a whoosh.
Cyrus grabbed me, his hands foreign on my exposed shoulders, his words gibberish over the rising volcano inside me. So hot. Too hot. I gasped, energy swimming over my skin and clawing at my being. I couldn’t discern what was happening, the inferno overtaking me until a sudden wave took me deep under water.
Choking, I sputtered, coughing up a mouthful of the sea, Cyrus’s palm a steady beat against my back.
“What the fuck?” Titus demanded.
I couldn’t stop gagging, ice suffocating me from the inside out. If Cyrus answered, I couldn’t hear him, the sounds of the ocean thick in my ears. Everything swam before me—the moon, the stars, the buildings.
Exos’s spirit brushed mine, a brief hint of concern in that soft touch, only to disappear behind a wall of ivy I couldn’t penetrate.
Someone is trying to break our link, I realized, my eyes flying open. My mouth tried for words, but all that came out was more water.
Titus was shouting.
Cyrus was hitting my back.
Chaos, I thought deliriously, trying to regain control of myself and my surroundings.
Deep breath, someone said.
I listened.
Now exhale.
I did.
Cyrus appeared above me again, his irises glowing with power and determination. His spirit felt foreign, unwelcome, his charming face one I never wanted to see again.
He smiled as if hearing my thoughts, his thumb brushing over my cheek. Only then did I realize I was in his lap, cradled against him like a baby.
Ugh. Not where I wanted to be. At all. I tried to squirm, but his arms were too strong, his grasp harsh.
“You tried to burn me alive, little queen,” he murmured, amused.
What? I did no such thing.
“So you tried to drown her in response?” Titus demanded, sounding furious. “You almost killed her!”
“I merely reminded her of her place,” Cyrus replied, his eyes still on mine. “Or rather, I informed whoever attempted to control her that I won’t be going down so easily.” He searched my face, spirit swirling in the depths of his gaze. “Whoever has my brother is tied to spirit and is very powerful indeed.”
I blinked. Was that what I felt force me out of Exos’s mind? The person trying to distort our link?
Cyrus nodded. “Yes, someone tried to use your bond to get to me.” Had I spoken out loud? Or were the comments in my eyes? “Which explains why my brother tried to cut you off,” he continued. “That’s the pain you felt hours ago—Exos trying to close the link, to keep you safe.” He ran his fingers through my hair and sighed. “That’s going to make it more difficult to find him, but I understand his choice.”
“So a Spirit Fae has him,” Titus translated.
“It would appear so, yes. A powerful one.” Cyrus continued to pet me, confusing me greatly. Mostly because I liked it.
No. No way. I would not be attracted to this jackass.
First, he was Exos’s brother.
Second, he was a dick.
Third, I really needed him to stop looking at me as if he cared. As if I amused him in some way.
He chuckled. “I’m starting to see the appeal,” he murmured, that head of his tilting. “She’s much more pleasant when silent.”
Yeah, I hate him. I started to squirm again, but those arms of steel held me in place. “Let me go,” I managed, my voice a rasp I hardly recognized.
“No.” He glanced up at Titus. “There are very few Spirit Fae in existence who could subdue my brother and reach me through her bond.”
“Mortus,” Titus replied.
Cyrus nodded. “He is a potential candidate, yes, but he’s not strong enough on his own. Regardless, I suggest we keep an eye on him.”
“Or corner him and demand he tell us what he knows.”
“That would be the rookie approach, of course. But I play in the land of fae politics, Fire Fae. We need to go about our business as if everything is normal, continue training Claire, and prepare her for the battle to come. If we accuse anyone too early, we risk Exos’s life, and that’s not a mistake I’m willing to make.”
“How is tracking down Mortus and demanding Exos’s location going to risk your brother’s life?” Titus demanded, taking the words right out of my head. Well, sort of. I had a few additional curses and commands woven between my thoughts. Like, Let me go, you asshole. I’ll talk to Mortus myself and get Exos back.
“Mortus is old and wise and won’t break easily. By the time we learned anything from him, Exos could be dead. There’s also the possibility he’s innocent and knows nothing at all.”
“Can’t you just mind-fuck him like Elana did to the mean girls?” I asked, my voice slowly recovering from whatever the hell had happened.
“Mortus is too powerful. While I could break him eventually, it would take weeks, if not months, and a lot of energy.” Cyrus shook his head. “Going about our business and putting him at ease is the smarter play, because ultimately, he’ll lead us to Exos. Assuming he’s the culprit, of course.”
“I heard a man laughing,” I whispered, recalling the cackle of sound.
“Another clue, but not enough for us to be certain. And as I said, he won’t break. So even if I charge him with kidnapping my brother, we still risk not finding Exos in time.”
Which meant fae could die. I’d never actually asked how that happened, too busy trying to learn all about this new world. “Is that why I could smell rust?” I wondered aloud, more to myself than to Titus and Cyrus. “Fae don’t like iron, right?”
Silence met my query, followed by a soft voice saying, “It’s a common myth on Earth.”
River. He must have felt the use of water outside.
I finally looked around, noting the destruction Cyrus and I had caused. Singed ground, a new pond in a formerly dried-up crater, all the flowers destroyed, and the buildings charred.
Well, shit.
“Iron does not kill fae, little queen,” Cyrus said, his voice oddly gentle. “A fae dies when the spirit dies, which will happen to Exos if he’s left underground too long without a lifeline.”
“How long?”
“A few months. For a fae as strong as Exos, maybe a year,” he admitted as he finally shifted me off his lap.
I scrambled backward to get away from him as fast as I could and didn’t stop until my back met Titus’s legs. Instant satisfaction rolled over me, the rightness of his touch causing my shoulders to slump.
“Well, I think that was enough for one night,” Cyrus said, not looking at me. “You’ll take her to classes tomorrow. Resume her schedule. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye on Mortus.” His demeanor seemed to shift, as if I’d hurt his feelings with my stark rejection.
Impossible, obviously. Because the fae was a colossal jerk.
Titus bent down to help me stand, his arms circling my waist. “Are you okay?” he whispered, his lips at my ear.
“She’s fine,” Cyrus replied, some of his earlier distaste returning. “Stop coddling her, Fire Fae. She needs to learn how to fight, not cower.�
�� His cold gaze met mine. “You’re powerful, Claire. Hiding from it only makes you weak, and weakness will get you killed. It’s time to grow up and assert your place in our world. Otherwise, you’ll die.”
With that beautiful proclamation, he stalked off toward the Spirit Dorm.
“I really don’t like him,” I muttered when he was out of hearing range.
“Yeah, I take back every negative thing I ever said about Exos. He’s definitely the more likable of the two.” Titus brushed his lips against my temple. “Come on. Let’s get you dried off.”
The Earth Fae and Vox stood just inside the entrance, their expressions grim.
“Why don’t you go grab some of your things,” Titus suggested softly. “We can regroup after class tomorrow.”
Vox nodded. “Is she going to Fire Quad?”
“Yes.” Titus ran his fingers down my spine, causing me to shiver. “I’ll be with her all day.”
The Earth Fae snorted. “Good. That means we don’t have to worry about her.”
I frowned, unsure of how to take that. We hadn’t even met yet. Not formally, anyway. “Sol, right?”
His brown eyes met mine, a hint of hesitation in his gaze. “Yes.” No elaboration. No welcoming comment. Nothing to go on. Just a flat response accompanied by a grimace.
Great.
“I’m sorry to meet you under these circumstances,” I told him softly. “Hopefully, I can improve your opinion of me later. You know, when I don’t resemble a drowned rat.” I pointed at my head for emphasis.
Vox’s lips twitched. “It’s not your best look.”
“Thanks,” I replied, returning his grin. “But I like leaving lasting impressions. Obviously. I mean, I created that disaster of a vortex when we met the other day. Tonight, I met Sol after surviving what felt like a tidal wave. So tomorrow, maybe I’ll just go up in flames during class and burn off all my clothes. Should be fun, right?”
“Your uniform for Fire Quad is fireproof,” Titus reminded me, smiling. “But I would enjoy that show.”
Sol didn’t seem nearly as amused.
But at least Vox chuckled. “Never a dull moment with you, Claire,” he said softly.
I nodded. “Well, thank you both for, I guess, moving in.”
“Not by choice,” Sol pointed out, his arms folding across his thick chest. The fae was built like a linebacker, his well-over-six-foot height dwarfing mine.
I swallowed thickly, glancing up to meet his gaze again. “I… I can talk to Cyrus and excuse you from the guard, if tha—”
“That’s not going to happen,” Cyrus said, walking in with just a towel wrapped around his hips.
Yeah, he and Exos were definitely brothers.
Chiseled.
Perfection.
With a dusting of hair that led—
“My brother may have allowed you to make the rules before, but I can assure you, I am not Exos.” His icy gaze captured and held mine, a warning radiating from his pupils. Leaving me speechless, he shifted his focus to the others. “Sol and Vox, go grab your shit. I expect you back in an hour. We’ll go over some things for tomorrow. Titus, give Claire a bath, fuck her, do whatever it is you need to do to feel content with your mate. I don’t want to see her again until after her classes.” He gave a wave as if he expected us all to follow his orders.
And shockingly, the fae did.
Sol muttered under his breath, yanking Vox out the door without saying goodbye, and River trailed along with them.
Titus gave me a calculated look, his vexation stirring embers between us. “The sooner we find Exos, the sooner that jackass leaves.”
“It’s like you read my mind,” I replied.
“I did,” he admitted. “Now, how do you feel about starting a fire in the bedroom? One that might spread a few doors down?”
My lips curled. “Seriously, it’s like you’re in my head, Titus.” Because that sounded like a fantastic idea.
“Glad we’re on the same page, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Let’s give him a shower. One littered in ash.”
“I love you, Titus.”
“I love you, too, Claire.”
Sol
“I told you that you should have stayed away from the Halfling,” I muttered as I ripped clothes out of his dresser and tossed them onto the bed. “Now we’re stuck in the thick of it. She’s a loose cannon, and the Spirit Fae she attracts are no better.”
Vox sighed and cast a breeze over his tousled things, brushing away loose stones I’d managed to conjure. I tried not to irritate him with debris everywhere, but my power and I never got along very well. It was part of an illness I’d been born with.
An illness caused by the Spirit Fae.
And by the Halfling’s mother.
Vox’s black eyes glimmered with a ring of silver that made him stand out from other Air Fae. “You’re just being possessive. Now I have another student, but you want me all to yourself.”
I frowned because that was partially true. I didn’t like the idea of sharing Vox. He’d helped me come so far, and more than that, I was on a mission to help him as well. “If you graduate with honors, you’ll be able to clear your family name.”
Vox flinched. He did not like to talk about his royal ties—much less how an entire side of his family had been shunned and denied their heritage. He insisted that he wanted nothing to do with the royals, didn’t care about his heritage or fortune. All he wanted was to prove his place in society and become a professor at the Academy someday. It was a lofty goal, but it would take more than graduating with honors for that to happen. It was a miracle he’d been accepted into the Academy at all.
It was why he’d been stuck with me in the first place. What better way to sabotage a disgraced fae from graduating with honors and making his dreams come true than by pairing him up with an impossible case?
Except, Vox actually helped me and we made a good team.
Vox ignored me while he carefully folded each shirt before placing them into a neat suitcase. It drove me mad how meticulous he was with everything. We shouldn’t even be packing. We should be telling the king to go shove his orders up his ass.
But he hadn’t ordered me.
No, he’d ordered Vox, making this the Air Fae’s decision.
Of course, that didn’t mean I had to be quiet about my disapproval. “You know that no good can come of this.”
Vox shrugged. “Maybe you’re wrong. Claire isn’t so bad.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re attracted to her. I get it, but I’m not talking about Claire. I’m talking about the king.”
“I’m not attracted to her, even if my magic thinks I am,” Vox mumbled, plucking another stone that had somehow made its way into the suitcase. Perfection ruined, he took out one of the shirts he’d already folded and started over, making a low scream build in the back of my throat. “She’s just vulnerable, Sol. If she uses earth power around you and you’re forced to step in, then you’ll see what I’m talking about.” A wry grin took over his face. “I’ll bet you an entire month of credits that when that happens, you’ll fall for her—hard. You know what they say.” He winked. “The bigger the Earth Fae, the harder they fall.”
I snorted. “That’s an easy bet. My magic isn’t a wimp for a pretty face like yours is. You’re on.” I thrust out my hand.
Vox took it and we shook on it, my crushing grip encasing his lithe fingers. The Academy gave out credits once a day for standard purchases—namely, meals, amenities, and frivolous purchases I never bothered to save up for. I preferred to spend my credits on food and more food. Credits could also be earned through high scores in classes and winning intramural games between fae, although I never wasted my time on either of those. I had plenty of food to keep me happy.
Speaking of, I was starving. “Are you done packing yet? We can hit the cafeteria for a snack on our way back.” It was open twenty-four hours a day and would be pretty much vacant right now. Especially on a school ni
ght.
Vox groaned. “Really, man, the cafeteria is for those who can’t afford their own ingredients or kitchen supplies. I have more than enough credits to feed both of us.”
I eyed the damage I was already causing to the bedroom floor. “Maybe we should eat at the cafeteria today, since I owe you for property damage again.”
Vox glowered at me. “What’s the point of making a bet with you if I have to spend all of my credits on you anyway? Let’s get out of here so that the tab is on the Spirit King’s bill and not mine.”
Finally, he was talking sense.
My earth magic was raging inside of me, dying to get out. Doing some damage that the king would have to pay for sounded like fun to me.
After a snack, of course.
Exos
Fuck. My head ached, the world spinning behind my closed eyes.
I sensed him lurking in the darkness, waiting for me to wake.
No, that wasn’t right.
Not him. Except, yes, it was a male, but something wasn’t—
“He’s stirring,” a voice said.
I know that voice.
Why do I know that voice?
Fuck, I was dizzy. What have they done to me?
They, yes. Focus on the they.
Where’s Claire?
I tried to reach her and frowned. She was far away, her soul cut off from mine. Why? Oh, because I built a wall. Why did I do that?
My mind spun, searching for a reason, the voices growing outside my cell.
Dungeon.
I’m underground.
Why?
Because someone had knocked me out.
My eyes fluttered, my brain working, memories surfacing.
Oh, fuck…
I shot upright, needing to warn her, to tell her what I’d learned. “Claire!”
A blast of spirit energy hit me square in the chest, knocking me backward into the stone, my head landing harshly against the rock.
Claire, it’s not who we thought. It’s—
Claire
Exos!
