Raven stiffened in Zane’s arms, and we exchanged a look of confusion. Did Raven not want to see her family? From what she’d told me, she’d been raised by good people. Isolated from humans and other magicals, for sure, but not abused. So why did she seem unhappy about the idea of seeing her guardian again?
“Great.” Raven’s lack of enthusiasm spoke volumes. Polly frowned, but a mage approached, so she made her excuses and left.
“What’s wrong?” Zane leaned in to hear her reply, but just as she opened her mouth, the music died and a disembodied voice requested that all students head out to the marquee for the speeches.
I tucked Raven under my arm as we left the hall, glaring at anyone who got too close. I noticed the other students gave Zane a wide berth too. News of his vicious assault on the wolf shifter must have spread already.
If it had been any other student, one of the mage faculty members would have locked him up for the evening until Montgomery could deal with them. But Zane seemed immune to petty punishments. Probably because nobody wanted to trigger a psychotic meltdown.
I suspected the Supernatural Council had adopted a ‘wait and see’ approach to the incubus. If he became an asset, they’d grant him hisfreedom. But if he caused them problems, or descended into madness like his father, he would likely face execution.
The minute we stepped out of the hall and paused under the portico while other students dashed toward the marquee, Raven stopped dead and stared off to the side. I spotted a male in a long robe under the shelter of a tree with a female behind him. They were facing the marquee, so hadn’t seen us yet.
“Is that your guardian?” I whispered.
“Yes, that’s Adam. I better go over.”
“I have to go sit with the other staff. Take Zane with you,” I directed.
She shook her head. “Go inside out of the rain. I’ll be there shortly.” She smiled at us both, but something about seeing her guardian had her on edge, and I wasn’t sure why.
“Don’t be long or I’ll come looking for you,” I growled, my bear not liking the anxiety emanating from my mate.
“I won’t.” She ducked out from under my arm and dashed across the quad, taking care to steer clear of a group of shifters. Zane watched her through slitted eyes.
“I’ll stay with her,” he said.
“Since when did you take on the role of Raven’s protector?” I scoffed, still not sure why he hadn’t sealed the bond. Raven didn’t need a mate who refused to commit. She had one of those already. Two, actually.
“Since I decided she was mine.” He winked and sauntered back toward the hall, melting into a pocket of shadow around the corner. A few seconds later, a bird flew into the stormy sky and headed for the tree. I watched it land on a branch high above Raven and her guardian.
As much as it pained me to leave her, I couldn’t miss the speeches without jeopardizing my job here. The headmaster had alreadywarned me that my bond with Raven must not affect my position or hers. If it did, he would end my contract, making my life extremely difficult.
My bear grumbled in my chest, desperate for me to free him so he could go to his mate, but I forced him down. Unleashing my Kodiak would cause panic.
Ignoring his whines, I rolled my shoulders and walked toward the marquee. For now, I had to play the part and pretend I actually wanted to teach entitled students. Even if that was the last thing on my mind.
58
Alaric
Watching the witch dance with the incubus had caused an unexpected storm to hit the campus. Not even the witch weed joint Arron had slipped into my pocket when he passed helped calm me. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to smoke it until later. After an unfortunate accident involving a stoned mage, the school had banned witch weed, and any students caught smoking it in communal spaces faced expulsion.
I almost laughed at the idea of Montgomery trying to expel my ass.
The only silver lining to my evening so far was that I’d not crossed paths with Kinara. No doubt she was still troweling on her makeup. Like many witches who dabbled in dark magic, she suffered from skin problems.
Dark magic was basically death magic. If you used too much of it, it led to cell necrosis. The hands and the face were the first to be affected. Witches who chose power always paid the price. Kinara’s mother disguised her ravaged looks with heavy-duty masking spells, as did my stepmother. Younger witches like Kinara who used it mostlyrelied on makeup, but it wouldn’t be long before expensive makeup no longer concealed the necrotic patches on her face and hands.
Did I want to share a bed with a half-dead corpse?
No.
Lightning crackled high above as dense clouds swirled while rain hammered the marquees placed on the quad for the speeches. I headed outside, desperate for some fresh air, only to spot my father talking to a guy in a weird robe.
The closer I got, the more my magic sparked. Dad was so engrossed in whatever they had going on that he failed to notice me.
“The seal is failing!” the other man hissed, but my father seemed unmoved by his passionate statement. He scoffed before glancing at his watch.
