He let out a lyrical chuckle that sent my heartbeat fluttering in my chest. “That sounds like a yes to me. I suppose that means I should begin making the proper arrangements. Don’t want to leave it all to the last minute, do we?”
I blinked. “What arrangements?”
“For our wedding, of course.” He winked at me. “You found the ring, and I don’t fancy you the bride of anyone else. I’m thinking a mid-Spring wedding would be best, no? Blooming flowers and sunshine. Plus, a wedding in April would give us plenty of time to get everything in order.”
He was messing with me. Or was he? With Finn, it was impossible to tell. Cheeks flaming, I lifted my chin and met his dancing green eyes. Two could play this game.
“Actually, I think May would be better. It’ll be a little warmer, and we won’t have to worry about all the April rain. Because we’ll need to have the wedding outside, of course.”
“Of course.” His grin widened. “Spring fae couldneverget married indoors. How terribly dreary that would be.”
“Not as dreary as this ridiculous conversation,” Rourke snapped.
I twisted to face my Autumn fae instructor, whose scowl was as deep as the blush on my cheeks. His golden gleaming eyes locked onto mine, and the sharpness of his features reminded me of jagged knives. How long had he been standing there? Had he heard every word? By Finn’s low chuckle, I had a feeling Rourke had heard everything. And I felt a horrible need to explain it all away.
“Rourke, we were just...” I trailed off, not knowing how to define it. Just like the time Finn had told me that having sex with him would cause the flowers to bloom all around us, I never knew when he was totally serious. As far as I could tell, the fae rarely outright lied. But make lighthearted teasing comments they didn’t mean? The jury was still out on that one.
“Joking?” Rourke arched an eyebrow. “I’ve already spoken with Liam. He told me all about the Barmbrack Ring. I know it was in your slice of cake. Hell, the entire Academy knows about it. It’s practically all the gossiping changelings can talk about.”
Rourke was not amused. That said, he rarely ever was.
A few whispering second-year students passed by and trailed into the nearest classroom, casting the three of us curious, furtive glances. They were, no doubt, discussing the stupid ring and what it meant. Receiving it had felt fun at the time, but I was quickly realizing that no gift came without consequences.
Finn’s grin, on the other hand, had only grown since Rourke’s arrival. “Looks like students are starting to arrive for class. I better get to work. Enjoy your day, Norah.”
And with that, he disappeared into his classroom, leaving Rourke and I staring at each other in the hallway. Rourke was different than the others in a way that was hard to define. In some ways, he was the embodiment of the Autumn fae. He was often cold and calculating, and his intelligent eyes saw far more than he ever said. I’d never forget how he used me as bait to trap a pooka after pretending it was a training exercise for me. He was tricky and sly, but I was convinced that there was a warmth to his heart underneath that icy exterior. And he was nothing like the Queen his fellow fae served.
“We really were just joking around,” I said, biting my bottom lip. “Finn and I aren’t getting married.”
Right?!
Rourke pursed his lips. “That is yet to be seen. Liam is convinced the ring was wrong, but the magic of it is ancient and great. The truth is, you will likely find yourself a bride within a year’s time. Though whose bride you’ll be is still a question.”
My heart rattled. A part of me wanted to ask if he thoughthe’dbe the one getting down on his knee, but I didn’t dare voice the words aloud. Out of all four of them, Rourke had been the least vocal about our bond. He was colder than the rest. More withdrawn. And much more cloaked in shadows. Shadows I had yet been able to penetrate.
One day,I thought.One day, I’ll figure out what makes Rourke tick.
But until then...
Head Instructor Alwyn strode down the hall, her deep golden hair flowing behind her dainty shoulders. Rourke turned, as if sensing her presence, and held up his fingers in question. Her glittering eyes caught his before they flicked my way. It was almost impossible not to shudder under the weight of her glance. Alwyn, I’d decided, didn’t like me. Probably because I kept creating problems for her.
“Alwyn, can we have a moment, please?” Rourke asked, though the inflection in his voice said that this wasn’t a request or a question. It was a demand. “I need to speak with you about...the course plans.”
The course plans, my ass. I wasn’t an idiot.
“Of course, Rourke,” she said, tearing her sharp gaze away from me so that she could give my instructor a curt nod. “Come with me to my office.”
She turned and strode down the hallway, and for a moment, Rourke hesitated with his hand hovering inches from my elbow. I tensed, breath caught in my throat.
“I’ll see you later, Norah. Try to keep your thoughts about the ring to yourself. If the other changelings hear you talking about your...uncertainty...it might cause some issues. Understood?”
No, I didn’t understand. Why would it cause any issues?
But before I could ask, he was halfway down the hallway, his golden cloak billowing behind him.
Chapter Four
“Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to another semester at Otherworld Academy,” Alwyn Adair said from her perch behind the podium at the front of the raised dais that loomed over us all. After lunch, our instructors had rounded up the entire school for what appeared to be a last-minute gathering in the Great Hall.
