“Oh, I am part of the faculty, morsel,” the man replied, with what was probably supposed to be a seductive smile, but came off as creepy and leery to Wave.He was so sure she would melt at the sight of him that it made her hackles rise.
“May I see your identification, sir?”
“No need for formalities,” he said.
Wave held firm and let her smile drop.“No ID, no entry.”
“Wow, Mrs.Riverson has found herself a guard dog with a bite.What’s your name, morsel?”
“Pain in your ass,” Wave replied.“If you are not going to present a valid ID, I,very unfortunately, have to ask you to leave.”
The smirk wavered, and for a split second, Wave glimpsed rage.The man pulled himself up to his full height.“Listen, you little bitch.You don’t know who you are dealing with.I’m going to make your life hell, morsel.”
“You’re going to eat me up and spit me out and yada, yada, yada,” Wave spoke over him, faking a yawn.“Show me some ID or get lost.”
“Prince Irishen Sleethill,” a voice gasped behind Wave.The man’s smile turned evil as he looked at Wave.It seemed to say, ‘you are in trouble, morsel’.Mrs.Riverson hurried over to stand next to Wave and bowed.
Sighing deeply, Wave rolled her eyes and then gave a perfectly adequate seated bow to the asshole.While she was well trained in these games, she detested them to her core.Unless they benefited her.
“You need to train your guard dog a bit better, Mrs.Riverson,” Prince Iris-whatever said smugly.
“No ID, no entry,” Wave deadpanned, before glancing at Mrs.Riverson.“Unless you would like to vouch for his faculty status, Mrs.Riverson?”
The woman managed to keep her face admirably calm, even when her fingertips trembled.Whoever this jerk was, he had some weight, and for a moment, Wave regretted her attitude.She didn’t want to get Mrs.Riverson in trouble or lose this job.
Mrs.Riverson collected herself quickly and faced the prince.“I am afraid my assistant is right.You’ve been away for a while, and I haven’t been informed that you have access to faculty resources.If you could produce a faculty ID…” Mrs.Riverson trailed off as the prince’s face contorted.
“You have to be kidding me,” he roared.Icy air hit both women with his rage.
“I’m afraid not—”
“I’ll remember this,” the prince spat as he spun on his heel and stomped out.Wave held in her laughter until the door closed.
“Like a kid with a temper tantrum.”
“Wayla,” Mrs.Riverson hesitated.“Prince Irishen is a formidable foe.He’s the heir apparent to the Ice clans.”
“So, like a kid with too much sugar in his system, then.”
Mrs.Riverson gave Wave a weird look before shaking herself.Tiny ice shards rained down from her clothes, and her skin looked reddened.Wave jumped to her feet.
“The bastard hit you?”She reached out to wipe more ice from Mrs.Riveson’s shoulders.Mrs.Riverson stopped her shaking to look Wave over.
“Wayla,” she said hesitantly.“He blasted both of us.”
Wave looked down on herself, but there was not a speck of ice in her clothes, and she didn’t feel any different.She blinked and checked her shields.All three of them were intact.Sheepishly, she shrugged.
“I didn’t feel a thing,” she confessed.It was too late to fake the effects now.
“What?How?”
“Shield.”
Mrs.Riverson shook her head.“I’m wearing a shield.That’s why my skin is red, not raw.”
Wave bit her lip and looked around the place.“Okay.Three shields.I’m getting lessons from the Powerhouses.Please, don’t tell anyone?”Wave pleaded.Three shields were only part of the reason though.Stormbringers could bring ice storms, too.Ice was another form of water.Prince whatever would have had to really target her for her to have any effects, but three shields was the safer answer by far.
Still, it was a bit unsettling that she hadn’t felt a thing.
