Page 5 of The Nixie and the Frost Elf

"A date it is," I respond, already starting to plan what the perfect date is going to be to convince her that we can have fun together. And we'll figure out the other parts when we're ready, because if there's one thing I know about Lexi, it's that she's worth it.

Chapter 3

Lexi

The party is in full swing by the time I arrive through the passageway that leads to one of the many secret rooms within the walls of Rosewood Academy. I don't really know why we have to have parties in secret when the youngest students are already twenty, but apparently, this is a centuries-old tradition that no one wants to mess with.

Music flows through the room from some magical speakers, allowing those in the middle to dance. Even the people at the edges of the room who are too busy with their conversations for anything like dancing, are moving along with it without realising.

I head over to the makeshift bar to get myself a drink, opting for something not too strong. The last few parties I've been to lasted for hours, I need to pace myself, or I'm going to regret it.

There are so many people that it's hard to get a sense of what's going on, and it isn't until I've looked over most of the room that I realise I'm disappointed that I haven't found Edur among the guests. I know I shouldn't let it bother me so much, especially when we already have a date planned, but I'm disappointed not to get to see him.

I push the thought to the side as I spot a purple-skinned demon waving me over. I weave through the party-goers until I get to her, flashing my friend a smile and trying to ignore the slight hint of imposter syndrome that comes with being friends with a princess. No one would know it from hanging out with her, but I've heard too many of the other demons at Rosewood refer to her by her title for it not to be true, even if she insists on it not being used.

"Hey," Sophia says brightly.

"Good party," I say.

She shrugs. "I haven't been here long enough for that. Lucas and I had a date before we came."

"Oh? Where is he now?" I ask, looking around for her boyfriend.

"Getting us drinks." She lets out a sigh.

"That's sweet. So everything is okay after the whole secretly-being-your-bodyguard thing?"

She wrinkles her nose and leans back against the wall. "I'm getting there. But we've got a mate bond, and I feel better around him than I do around anyone else. When I first found out about it, I didn't want to talk to him, but after I thought it through, I realised I'm angry at my parents for not trusting me, and for taking advantage of the fact he needed the money to come here, rather than Lucas."

"That's very considerate of you."

"He's also really good with his tail, if you know what I mean."

I snort. "Sure." Though not having slept with anyone with a tail, or having any desire to, I'm not sure exactly what she means.

"That's not really it, though," she admits. "I mean, it is fun. But I wouldn't be with someone just because of that. It's just that he's sweet, and he feels bad about what happened."

"Probably because it is bad."

"Yeah, but mostly on my parents."

I nod in agreement. I know I wouldn't be happy if my parents had secretly hired a bodyguard to watch over me while I'm studying. But then again, it would be weirder for my parents to do that when I'm not a princess.

The conversation is cut short by Lucas approaching Sophia and handing her a drink. He wraps his tail around her waist and pulls her closer. She smiles and leans into him, causing a pang of longing to travel through me. Not towards Lucas, but to have someone be like that with me.

Except that I might do. All I have to do is trust Edur with the mate bond between us. I reach up to touch my necklace, rubbing my fingers over the two charms attached to it. The water plant and the snowflake might seem like a strange choice to most people, but not to me.

The sound of a familiar voice catches my attention, and I look up to find Edur greeting Sophia and Lucas. He looks over, his whole face lighting up when he sees me and making my stomach all kinds of fluttery in response. "Hey."

"Hi," I respond a little breathlessly.

"I see introductions aren't necessary," Sophia says.

Edur chuckles. "No, Lexi and I are old friends."

"Ah, this is who you've been talking about," Lucas says, giving him a knowing look.

"I feel like I'm missing how you all know one another," I say, looking between them.