I lifted my head and met her gaze. “Don’t say that. You can’t blame yourself for what happened to him. The only person at fault is the person who did it. Not you. The dream was just acoincidence.”
But was Sophia right? Was my chaos-filled nightmare some sort of strange warning? Was the magic of this world trying to tell me something? And, if so, what did it mean? Who was in danger? And could I warnthem?
I hoped I never had to findout.
* * *
The next morning,I met my instructors in the library as per usual. After our little trip, I hadn’t received word that our schedule would change, so I’d showered and brushed my hair and tried to make myself as presentable as I could. Luckily, they were allthere.
I strode over to the usual table and dropped into the chair next to Finn. My face flushed just seeing him. I hadn’t been able to get his seductive words out of my head, regardless of the nightmare that had plagued me, repeatedly, for the rest of thenight.
Liam braced his hands on the table and peered into my eyes. “You look exhausted. Is everything okay? Do I need to healyou?”
I lifted my eyebrows. “Can you heal someone of sleepdeprivation?”
He quirked his lips. “Not likely, but I can certainly try if you’reinterested.”
With a wink, he slid his hand closer to where I tapped the table in a frantic beat. My finger slowed and then stopped when his skin brushed against mine. Everything else in the world dropped away. Even though my pinky barely touched his hand, Liam drove me a wild. Everything about him burst forth that burning passion in mygut.
“Liam.” Kael’s voice held a warning. “I thought we all made an agreement notto…”
He trailed off when I pulled back my hand and turned my gaze his way. I frowned. What was he talkingabout?
I tapped my finger on the table again. “What agreement? I don’t remember coming to some sort ofagreement.”
Kael cleared his throat. “You know. Alwyn. Therules…”
“You’re a terribleliar.”
Finn leaned back his chair, kicked his feet up onto the table, and then gave me a sheepish grin. “The four of us may have agreed that we wouldn’t touch you until your training is over. None of us. We thought it would be the best for us to get through this time at the Academy without any issues from Alwyn or the other students. The Academy has the resources we need. If Alwyn sends us all away, it could really limit our ability to get you tothe—”
I narrowed my eyes. “So, that’s why you didn’t want to take things further last night. It wasn’t because you thought it was the wrong time. It was because you made some dumb agreement with the others not to touchme.”
Liam shoved back his chair and stood. “Finn. What is she talking about? What happened lastnight?”
Kael’s glittering eyes flicked from Finn to me and back to Finn again. When he finally spoke, his voice was as cold as ice. “Yes, what did happen last night, Finn? When you followed Norah, you said you were going to calm her down. You didn’t mention that you were going to do it with yourlips.”
Rourke just sat there quietly, watching the exchange with narrowedeyes.
Finn chuckled. “This is getting blown out of proportion. Norah and I had a talk. Nothingmore.”
“Yeah, because of your dumb agreement,” Imumbled.
And, of course, it all made sense. If one of them gave in to how we felt, then it could threaten our ability to study here at the Academy. So, they’d all agreed to stay away. It was logical. But that didn’t mean I didn’t hate it. Alwyn had been keeping us apart for far toolong.
“Right. I want this stupid agreement to end.” I stood from the table and crossed my arms over my chest. “And until you’ve sorted it all out, I’ll be training on myown.”
* * *
Ifounda punching bag in the gymnasium and took my anger out on it. Truthfully, I wasn’t all that angry at my instructors—at my mates. I was more angry at Alwyn than anything else. I was angry at myself. And I was angry at the fact I didn’t have the guts to step forward and present myself as the Queen of the realm. Because, as much as I hated to admit it, Alwyn had been right about a fewthings.
I was happy enough to adopt some of Marin’s heritage—like the fact she had a harem and the fact she was able to harness the powers of all four seasons—but I wasn’t bold enough to take the responsibilities that went along with everything else. I’d come a long way since I’d first arrived in Otherworld, but I still had a long way togo.
How could I rule? How could I sit on a throne and give otherscommands?
Bouncing on my feet, I threw my fist at the punchingbag.
I was strong. I was powerful. And I wasn’t as meek and afraid as I oncewas.
