A delicious ache curled in my lower belly at the thought of him rutting with me again, but I reminded myself we still had so much to do.
I bathed quickly, then went to the wardrobe, which Jax insisted I now callourwardrobe, and slipped into a long-sleeved top and simple black leggings.
Jax, dressed in breeches and a tunic, then came up behind me and kissed me on the neck. Hands settling on my hips, he whispered huskily into my ear, “When this is all said and done, mate, I’m locking you in this chambers and fucking you for a week straight.”
I shivered, and he nipped at my ear. “Promise?” I whispered.
His fingers dug into me. “Oh yes, mate. That’s a promise.”
Reluctantly, we both slipped into boots, then Jax retrieved a portal key. The jar that Quinn had produced of the small magical keys was now half empty, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he could procure more since they certainly made traveling easier.
My eyebrows rose when Jax clasped my hand. “The others aren’t joining us?”
“Not yet. We’ll go to the Isle of Song first and then take Bastian home. After that, they’ll join us when we go to Faewood.”
“I’m so excited for Bastian to finally get back to Anna.” A grin bloomed across my face, and knowing that Bastian could finally return to his life made my smile widen even more.
Chuckling, Jax whispered the words to activate the key, and the realm tilted around us. The portal transfer crushed and stretched us in a discombobulating way until our feet landed on solid ground.
The great university loomed in front of us. Salt kissed the air, the sea’s breeze whipping around us. Tall swaying grasses swished by my hands, and above, the pale-green sky was filled with stars. This island’s strange way of commanding time never ceased to amaze me.
In the nighttime, the building’s exterior looked even older than I remembered. Crumbling rock infused with ancient magic waited before us. The heavy throb of it slid over my skin like a ghostly touch.
“You truly spent six weeks here?” Jax asked, gazing down at me.
“The longest six weeks of my life.”
His jaw locked, and his guilt bled into our bond. I knew he was thinking again of what we’d discussed last night—that he was no longer going to be the Dark Raider so I would never be put in a position like that again.
I still wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I didn’t want to rob him of that role, but I also knew it was pointless to argue. Jax had always put my safety first, and I knew that once his mind was made up, it wouldn’t change.
Together, we climbed the steps and headed toward the tall, imposing doors. Like the other time I’d been here, they opened automatically. Inside, the familiar pillars and torches waited. I’d spent so much time in this school, and everything looked so familiar.
“Ready?” Jax asked.
I nodded, and hand in hand, we stepped over the threshold and were swept away to Master Fistideeous’s chambers.
It all happened so fast, as though we were in the entry and then in the small chambers in a blink. Despite experiencing transfers like that for weeks on end when I’d stayed here, I still wasn’t used to it. So much magic infused this place.
I blinked and acclimated myself to our new surroundings. Pristine books and tomes graced all of the shelves, and standing near the far wall was the four-foot scholar.
“Ah, dear Elowen, you’ve returned!” The gargoyle swirled on his clawed feet to face us. Dark eyes gazed our way, and his lips lifted in a terrifying smile. “And I see you’ve brought your mate with you, which means you must have twisted fate after all.”
Jax dipped his head. “Indeed. It’s nice to see you again.”
Master Fistideeous’s smile widened. “Likewise, my prince.”
Confusion filled me, and I froze in place. “Wait, you remember me?” In our current reality, I’d never met Master Fistideeous before—unlike Jax, who met him months prior when he’d been searching for ways to locate his brother. But since I’d changed the course of our realm, I figured the gargoyle scholar wouldn’t know who I was.
Master Fistideeous’s smile dimmed. “Unfortunately, no, I don’t actually remember you, Elowen. But the ancient magic here told me that a lorafin by your name had been tutored by me and that you were returning today to share what you learned.”
Jax and I both glanced at the walls around us. Ancient magic pulsed in this land, and the rock this building was constructed of had stronger magic than I could fully comprehend. The same powerful feel filled the supernatural court’s building and other buildings of our realm forged of similar stone.
Whatever the gods and goddesses, who had once walked our realm, had done to these rocks and parcels of land had left a lasting impression that stood the test of time. Their magic was so complex I doubted few could fully comprehend it. If any could.
Shaking off that mesmerizing thought, I rolled my shoulders and approached my former tutor. “You’re right. Even though you don’t remember me, I certainly remember you, and I’m here to share what I learned by twisting fate.”
“Very good. This way.” He led me to a low bench at the end of the room and opened a scroll, then nodded toward a crystal sphere. “Place your hand on the sphere. The magic will siphon the knowledge from you.”
