“Vox, Sol, and Titus,” he murmured. “The Academy is in need of strong mentorship. Particularly the Earth Fae, which is why they want Sol to take on a teaching role among his kind. As for Vox, Professor Helios is on the verge of retirement. They feel Vox is a suitable replacement but want him to mentor beneath Helios for a few years first. And Titus is the perfect replacement for the intramurals professor who fled before the battle.”
“So all three of them have to stay at the Academy.” I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. “What about me, you, and Cyrus?”
“I plan to reside here as well, having already proven to be able to effectively manage the Spirit Kingdom from afar. Not to mention, I want to be here when the Spirit Quad reopens. There’s going to be a lot needed to get it ready again. Fortunately, we have some time before the life cycle kicks in again.” His eyes lit up with the words, his relief flooding our bond.
Already, two Spirit Fae had fallen pregnant in the last couple of weeks, proving Elana’s hold over the death fields had been the cause of infertility.
“And Cyrus, he can mist between the Academy and his Water Kingdom. As can you,” he added, his palm sliding from my cheek to the back of my neck. “You can live here with us and still see Cyrus whenever you want. Which, I assume, will be often because I don’t see him going more than a day without your touch.”
“Where will we stay?” I wondered out loud. “The Spirit Dorms?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “No, baby. I was thinking of building a place for us out in the field.”
“In the forest?”
He nodded. “Unless you have another idea in mind. But I’d prefer to live off campus grounds.” His lips brushed mine before drifting to my ear. “Your rapturous screams are for your mates and no one else, Claire. Therefore, privacy is a must.”
Exos nipped my escalating pulse, the heat of his breath raising goose bumps along the back of my neck.
“What do you think, Claire?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Would you like to stay at the Academy? Help mentor some students and continue learning about your elements?” He kissed my cheek before pressing his forehead to mine. “If you think about, it’s the perfect place for you, surrounded by all the Elemental Fae. You’d thrive here.”
I shivered, my arms loosening to allow me to clutch his shoulders. “I want to be where my mates are,” I told him, locking my gaze on his. “I want to be whereyouare, Exos. And if that’s here, then I’ll be here. If that’s in Spirit Kingdom, then I’ll be there. If we all stay with Cyrus in Water Kingdom, I’m okay with that, too. I just want all of us to be together.”
“Spoken like a goddess,” he mused, pride beaming from his gaze. “I think they’ll all vote to stay where you are, Claire.”
“But being here would make them happy,” I added.
He nodded. “I think so, yes. Vox has always wanted to be a professor. Sol would thrive on the idea of helping his fellow Earth Fae through mentorship. And I don’t see Titus balking at the idea of taking over fae intramural athletic activities.”
My lips twitched. “No, I don’t see him rejecting that either.” In fact, I pictured him loving every minute of it. All of them would enjoy the opportunity. “And what would I be doing all day?”
“What you already do,” Exos replied. “Leading us all.”
“To where, the bedroom?” I teased.
His amusement tickled our bond. “If that’s where you want us to go, we’ll happily follow.”
“Uh-huh.” I smiled up at him. “I want to help you.”
“Me?”
I nodded. “With Academy responsibilities. While also being the conduit, or whatever you called me, for the Council.”
“Advisor,” he corrected, his grip tightening. “And I accept, Claire. You’re my queen, baby. We belong beside each other. Always.” His lips touched mine for too fleeting a moment, leaving me with a craving deep inside for more. The hardness pressing into my lower abdomen through his suit pants told me it was a yearning he shared. But the seriousness in his gaze warned that we weren’t done discussing important matters.
“Your mother,” he started, his hand finding my hip while the other remained against my neck. “While the Council is convinced of her innocence, they’re concerned about her mental state. Which is the other reason they recommend we remain on campus. Because they want to keep Ophelia here for the time being.”
“Why?” I wondered out loud. “She’s a Spirit Fae. Can’t she live in Spirit Kingdom?”
“She could, but the fear surrounding her is too great. Believing the truth is entirely different from accepting it, and unfortunately, the Spirit Fae have villainized your mother for so long that it will take time for them to see her in a new light.” His thumb stroked up the column of my throat. “Her mental state is too fragile to handle them right now.”
I sighed. He was right, of course. Most mornings she woke up screaming. Once she remembered her location and everything that had happened, she was usually fine. But some days, she walked around with a distant glow in her eyes, one that reminded me very much of death.
“Mortus has agreed to remain as well, to continue trying to heal her,” Exos added.
“Because that’s going splendidly,” I muttered.
Allegedly, they were archrivals in school, something being forced to bond only made worse. Because the link still remained, awaiting their true consummation. For years it was believed she’d died and Mortus had just chosen not to take another mate. Apparently, it was all a charade, because the Spirit Fae couldn’t bond with anyone else while my mother still lived.
