An epiphany hit me like a truck then, and I grinned. This would be easy. If Rage was missing from class today … he was my mate. And if he was there, my mate was Justice. I’d find out once and for all whohewas and then confront him.
Everyone grew quiet. I got dressed and forced myself to finish eating. As the morning progressed, a weight settled beneath my breastbone, echoing my fears from last night. My movements felt like walking through quicksand, and icy depression settled over me like a heavy blanket. Not knowing who my mate was but knowing he was a Midnight prince should’ve made me happy, but the confirmation only unsettled me, making me feel melancholy.
I didn’t need a Ph.D. in psych to know that beneath my anger was fear. Fear that either Rage or Justice was ashamed to be mated tome, and that stung hard. I understood the rules, that we couldn’t be public about it, but for him to not even tell me? His distrust stung the most.
When I opened the door to my Fire Studies class, Master Carn looked up from his desk, but the rest of the room was empty. The lack of Rage’s presence sent my heart into my throat.
“Where’s Rage?” I blurted, louder and far more demanding than respectful.
Master Carn furrowed his brow and straightened in his chair. “Off-island with his brothers.”
Brothers? “They’reallgone?”
He rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you hear one of them was injured in the attack last night?”
My whole body tensed as I nodded. “Yes, but which one?”
“That is something you can gossip about with your friends on your own time.”
Frak frick fook!
“Butallof them went off-island?”
Of course they did. I would too if I had a sibling injured.
“Maybe you should stop worrying about boys and start focusing on your studies for the midyear test. It’s only a month or so away.”
I nodded. Time to eat humble pie. “Yes, Master Carn.”
He gave me a curt nod. “Good. Then when you’re done with your studies and dinner service for the day, meet me here.”
“Why?” I studied him, looking for a hint of something.
“It’s a surprise.”
I hated surprises,especiallyhere, because none of them were ever good.
I nodded and then settled into my coursework, feeling the absence of the giant douchebag I’d come to miss. I hoped was okay.
The day dragged on with a special torture. Justice, Honor, Noble and Rage were all gone from lunch and dinner. Now, I had to meet Mr. Carn for my “surprise” when really, I just wanted to inspect the Midnight princes for shoulder wounds.
I headed down the hallway just as Master Carn stepped out the door.
“Ready?” he asked.
Before I could respond, he walked off, taking massively long strides further into the building.
Okay.
Please don’t lead me to the king’s dungeon and kill me.
We traversed the hall, and every snatch of conversation I overheard was regarding the attack or how one of the Midnight princes was injured. The one bit of news—or rumor—that caught my ear was that the attacker was a rogue wolf from the mainland.
Shady.
My thoughts were so deeply consumed that I bumped into Master Carn when he came to an abrupt stop.
“Sorry,” I muttered, backing away.
