“Right. Of course. I know. It’s just—”
“Becoming my betrothed impacts more than just her,” I finished for him. “Yes, I know. That’s precisely why she and I won’t be moving into the betrothed state anytime soon.” I envied Titus for being so much easier on her senses. She would have nothing to consider where he was concerned, and everything to worry about with me.
“And Titus?” Vox pressed.
“Is officially engaged to her fire,” I said, smiling. Around anyone else, I would have kept that detail to myself. But as I suspected Vox to be one of Claire’s future mates, I divulged the detail.
“Like, as in, right now?”
I turned the corner of the Air Quad and nodded. “Yes.”
“You can sense that?”
“Yes. Her spirit is linked to mine, which means I can see her potential bonds to all fae.” I narrowed my gaze at him. “Such as you, Vox.”
His light eyes widened. “Oh, no. I’m not. I mean, yeah, her air is similar, but I’m not getting involved in that mess. I’ve never… It’s just not… Look—”
“What’s more, I feel a duty to vet any potential mates for her other elements. Because only those who are strong enough to protect her should be allowed into the inner circle. I’m sure you understand, right?” I didn’t give him a chance to reply, my mind already made up where Vox was concerned. He could try to fight it all he wanted, but we both knew his power had flirted with hers earlier today. And the Air Fae had liked what he felt. “Now, tell me about this energy signature.”
We’d been tracking it for almost an hour, but it kept coming and going. Vox had commented on how it didn’t feel right.
Based on what I sensed earlier, I agreed. Something about the essence seemed manipulated or forged, yet familiar. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
He cleared his throat and pointed at a nearby dorm. “It honestly reminds me of Aerie’s affinity for air. But not quite. As I said—”
“It’s been manipulated somehow,” I interjected. “I know.”
“But that’s not possible, right? Like, I should be able to follow it back to the source.”
“Could you identify it earlier?”
He shook his head, his long hair escaping the clasp at the back of his neck. “It was dark and ominous.”
“And not at all like Claire.”
“Exactly.”
“But you couldn’t determine the source?” I pressed.
“No. Not exactly. But I memorized it.”
“Because you intended to hunt it later?” I would admire him greatly if that was his plan. It would show promise in his intentions for Claire.
He pinched his lips to the side. “No, more because I am constantly mapping out signatures.”
Ah. Well. Still a useful trait.“Which is why it reminds you of Aerie.”
“Right. She has this spirally air wave around her that I sensed in the vortex, but she’s not strong enough to have created it. Her aura is also not thatblack.”
I leaned against the wall of the dorm he’d pointed at moments ago, scratching my jaw. “Maybe she’s working with someone?”
“It’s possible, but she seemed just as alarmed by that tornado as everyone else.”
“Could be an act,” I pointed out. “Gave her cause to attack Claire.”
“True. But…” He shook his head again. “It’s not completely right.”
I understood what he meant. My instincts said we were missing something important, some key component to the explanation. “We need a trap,” I decided, thinking out loud. “Now that we know we’re dealing with someone manipulating the elements to frame Claire, we need some sort of event to prompt them to act while we observe.”
