by Alex Lidell
“A pleasure to have you join us as always,” Arisha mutters.
Coal gives her a dark look, then surveys us all, his blue eyes heralding back reality even before he speaks. “Master Zake proved to be rather cooperative once we started a conversation. Han is a shifter, with human as his animal form. The long and short of it is that the Night Guard and their minions—which includes many of the new serving staff—have us surrounded. The attack will happen during the closing ceremonies to the Prowess Trials, when everyone is in the arena for the awards ceremony.”
“You were right all along, Lilac Girl,” says Tye. “I—”
“You need to get back out to the exams like a good little athlete,” I say, disbelieving my own words. Ignoring Tye’s vigorously shaking head, pull his golden uniform shirt off my back, stuffing it into his hands. “I’m off the team now, maybe even out of the Academy if I can’t find a way around it, so you will be the only one able to stay close to the royals. Looks like you’ll be getting your glory days spinning around a bar after all.”
“Lera—” Tye says.
“She is right.” Coal hands me his own blood-crusted shirt to replace Tye’s, his suddenly bare, rippling torso making Arisha look away with an eye roll. “Go, Tye. Plus, I think the mortal wants to yell at me just now, and you are in our way.”
Sliding the uniform over his muscular body, Tye pats Rabbit’s shoulder and leaves, his green gaze holding mine until the door finally shuts behind him.
With Tye gone, Coal leans his shoulder against a bookcase and cocks one brow. “Yes, I stood idly by and watched while that human stain tried to make mincemeat out of you—and vice versa, ” the male says evenly. “And no, you won’t be getting an apology. But if you’d like to take a swing at me over it, now would be the most opportune time for it.”
Brilliant.
I snort. “On the contrary, Coal. Given how wonderfully it all worked out, I think I’ll simply keep it in reserve to use in your own nightmares.” My brow rises to match his, heat flooding my sex in spite of myself. “But not now. I just want to make sure I’ve the time to enjoy it.”
“You’ve an evil streak to match Minion’s.” With a shake of his blond head, Coal snatches me into his arms, his lips hovering a breath away from mine. His teeth flash, the blue in his eyes blazing. “You scared the hell out of me, mortal, so don’t mind me if I take a moment to account for all the pieces of you.”
An exaggerated barfing noise sounds at the other end of the room, quickly followed by Arisha and Gavriel herding Rabbit from the library.
Coal runs his hands down my sides with more pressure than necessary and up my back, under his shirt, hesitating on the raised welts left by Zake’s belt. I suppress a flinch, looking him clear in the eyes, daring him to say something.
“Anything missing?”
“All there,” he says roughly.
Before the last of the silver door bells finishes its chiming, Coal’s strong hands slide down to grip my backside. Lifting me easily to his eye level, he plunges his mouth over mine, the primal need echoing through the bond between us, making me worry for the fate of Gavriel’s precious library.
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Finish the GREAT FALLS ACADEMY adventure with episode 8, Prowess Trials and episode 9, The Last Bell.
Also by Alex Lidell
Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance
POWER OF FIVE (Reverse Harem Fantasy)
POWER OF FIVE (Audiobook available)
MISTAKE OF MAGIC (Audiobook available)
TRIAL OF THREE (Audiobook available)
LERA OF LUNOS (Audiobook available)
GREAT FALLS ACADEMY (Power of Five world)
RULES OF STONE (Audiobook available)
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (Audiobook available)
SCENT OF A WOLF (Audiobook available)
CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT (Audiobook available)
DUNGEONS AND DREAMERS (Audiobook available)
HIDE AND SEEK (Audiobook available)
ENEMY TYES
PROWESS TRIALS
THE LAST BELL
Young Adult Fantasy Novels
TIDES
FIRST COMMAND (Prequel Novella) (Audiobook available)
AIR AND ASH (Audiobook available)
WAR AND WIND (Audiobook available)
SEA AND SAND (Audiobook available)
SCOUT
TRACING SHADOWS (Audiobook available)
UNRAVELING DARKNESS (Audiobook available)
TILDOR
THE CADET OF TILDOR
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About the Author
Alex Lidell is an Amazon KU All Star Top 50 Author Awards winner (July, 2018). Her debut novel, THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013) was an Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist. Her Reverse Harem romances, POWER OF FIVE and MISTAKE OF MAGIC, both received Amazon KU Top 100 awards for individual titles.
Alex is an avid horseback rider, a (bad) hockey player, and an ice-cream addict. Born in Russia, Alex learned English in elementary school, where a thoughtful librarian placed a copy of Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA in Alex’s hands. In addition to becoming the first English book Alex read for fun, ALANNA started Alex’s life long love for fantasy books. Alex lives in Washington, DC.
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