Page 113 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

The tables of the fifth-year students pounded their fists on the table and whooped in excitement, but it was all so muted the sound barely traveled.

“The test is whether your fae self can climb back out of the beast. If you are weak, you will surrender to the darkness and become the very creatures that next year’s students will fight during the trials.” Quincy’s gaze flickered to Freta and lingered there. She dropped her head. He smiled, as though her reaction pleased him.

I clenched my fists. If she died, I’d kill him. I would skim any face I needed to get close, and I would cut out his heart.

“You will be forced to release the self. Will you be able to find it again?” he asked, and he lifted his gaze to sweep across the hall once more. “Those who survive will find themselves as true parts of the fae world. Those who die were never fit to be part of it in the first place.”

The heaviness of Flora’s gaze landed on the back of my neck. My skin prickled and my hair stood on end. At first I tried to ignore it, but why should I? I twisted and stared right into her gorgeous eyes. As ethereal and lovely as she was, today she seemed less than usual. Maybe because it was the first time I saw real fear in her face, no matter how she fought to hide it.

“You don’t have anything to worry about,” I said without thinking. I wasn’t trying to comfort her, only point out how ridiculous it was for her, of all people, to be afraid. “You’re one of the most powerful fae in our year. You’ll survive.”

Next to me, Silas shifted and glanced toward me.

Flora gave me a brittle smile. “What makes you think I’m afraid I’ll die?”

I shrugged, unwilling to continue the conversation, and turned around again. As Quincy described the process by which we would undergo the Surrender, I sensed the worry from my three mates increasing. Jasper deliberately didn’t look at me, but Seb kept shooting me unwilling glances and Gareth rubbed the back of his neck, something he only did when he was trying to soothe himself.

“Eat. Drink. Fuck. Whatever you want,” Quincy called as he finished his speech. “Soon you’ll surrender this human form and be nothing more than your bind.”

As he sat back down, the full implication of what he was saying struck me. I didn’t have a real bind like the others. So what would the Surrender do to me? Would I simply not change, or would I turn into that formless thing the books said shape-thieves were made from? Either way, I’d be exposed to everyone.

“I thought we’d have more time before the Surrender,” Freta whispered. “I don’t think I can…”

I pulled Freta and Silas into my arms. My three mates talked to each other in low voices. Quincy watched us again, looking vaguely dissatisfied. When I caught a glimpse of Flora’s face, she looked utterly shocked, as though she fully expected Seb would fold me over the table. I ignored her, focused on my friends.

“We will survive this,” I said, though I had no idea how we would.

A couple started having sex on the table behind us, so I pulled them both to their feet and walked to the doors to wait. The golden boys followed us over, with Flora joining them. She walked close to Seb but made no attempt to talk to him. Red and Savannah hovered nearby. Savannah kept shooting Flora worried looks, but Red looked even more surly than usual. He watched the couples having sex with a mix of jealousy and lust.

When the doors were opened, we stepped out straight into the forest. It was cold and dark. Our group stuck together at first, making our way through the trees.

“Is this really what we’re doing?” Red finally exploded. “We’re just going to throw our lot in with a half-fae, an unbound, and a little princess who can barely hold her beast? I’m out of here.”

“Red,” Flora called.

He sent her a glare. “Do you really think that Lord Sebastienne will prioritize your safety like I will, Flora?”

She shivered, then wordlessly followed him into the trees, breaking away from the group. Savannah hurried after them, looking relieved.

We soon came into a clearing where Rusco stood along with a handful of the same students that attacked Gareth and me that day. Seb quickly grabbed me by the arm and dragged me back into the trees, leaving the others to follow after. Rusco hadn’t seen us. His attention was focused on a huge fifth-year student I’d seen around bullying the younger students.

“Ah, Jacob of Court Oslo.” He rubbed his hands together. “The trial has begun, and it is time for you to die.”

“Time for death is right,” Jacob bellowed. He shifted into a giant moose and charged at Rusco.

Seb tugged my arm again. I followed after him as the sound of fighting crashed through the forest behind us. Our group of six moved quickly with Gareth leading us. He slipped through the brush on a path that I couldn’t even see, but he clearly knew intimately.

The bellow of the moose behind us cut short suddenly.

“Never did like Jacob of Oslo,” Gareth muttered. “Arrogant prick. Killed my favorite hunting dog when we were kids.”

Soon the sound of more battles came from ahead. Gareth hesitated before diverting us onto another path. Freta clung to my arm, breathing heavily. Her eyes were wide, the whites reflected in the dim light that filtered through the trees. Silas crowded in behind her, alert and protective.

I stumbled and Silas caught my arm, steadying me, before Seb could. Seb’s jaw tightened. I gave Silas a thankful smile that was lost in the darkness. We continued with Gareth leading us and Jasper taking up the rear.

“Would we move faster if we took our beast forms?” I finally asked. “Jasper’s big enough that Silas could—”

“No,” Jasper said flatly. “Nobody rides me.”