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There’s a pregnant pause, and the voice I recognize as Grith huffs. ‘Here I was being kind and courteous to her, getting her to like me, getting her used to my touch.’ He tuts. ‘You aren’t going to let me have her now, are you, my friend?’
‘No. I know I promised her to you, but she’s too important.’
‘You’ve bound her again?’ Grith asks.
‘I have, and she’ll remain so whenever I don’t have need of her. Her power is … remarkable. There must have been over a hundred fae there, and she reaped them all in seconds. She wasn’t even tired afterward. No human girl will be able to control such a skill properly. She’s dangerous … but she’s mine. I’ll find a way to control her.’‘
Grith makes a noncommittal sound. ‘If only we’d had skilled fae like her in the Horde’s ranks, the war might have gone differently.’
Varrik is quiet before he says in a low voice. ‘None of the fae younglings, nor the human children who have received the Smoke have been anywhere near as powerful as this girl is. I look forward to finding out why this one is so special. Once I understand, I’ll be able to make more of her.’
I shift as my back begins to ache, and their voices go quiet.
I hear one of them walk away, and when I open my eyes, Varrik is watching me. There’s a look on his face that reminds me of my da, and it makes me sigh with relief. He cares about me. He’s proud of me.
‘Did I save the humans?’ I ask.
‘Yes, Thalia, you saved them all and countless more. You did so well.’
I preen under his praise and sit up, realizing I’m back in my room. ‘Will I go to the house with the others of my level now?’ I ask.
He sits on my bed and takes my hand. ‘No, Thalia,’ he says gently. ‘There’s no one of your level here. You’re very special and very important, but that means you’ll need to stay here away from the others.’
‘Can I still go to lessons with them?’ I ask hopefully.
‘If you’re good and do everything you’re told.’
‘I will.’ I nod vigorously. ‘I will … Father.’
CHAPTER ONE
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Yeith is staring again. I can feel his large black eyes boring into my round arse as I wipe up a glue spillage made by some careless student. The rough stone floor is hard against my knees as I attempt to get the congealing puddle up with my grubby apron before it dries. I know from experience that once it sets, it’ll mar the stone for good, and I don’t need my pay docked because of it.
I try to ignore the troll behind me. This isn’t the first time he’s shown an interest in my round body and wide, kit-bearing hips, but I’ve made it clear more than once that I don’t reciprocate his desires. He just doesn’t seem to understand. He thinks himself handsome for a troll. I know that much. Perhaps he is, and that’s why he can’t grasp my disinterest.
I grit my teeth as I stick to my task, knowing that I’m going to have to tell him again and that he'll probably take it badly. Why he’s so persistent, I don’t know. There are more than a few females of his kind living in the city. Why doesn’t he cut his losses and go bother one of them?
I resist the urge to glance back at him because … mixed signals. I mean, for all intents and purposes, I do look like one of them. I have the same large feet and stocky stature, the dark eyes and bulbous nose, the wiry black hair that’s pulled back into a messy braid around my big, pointed ears. I couldn’t fault him for his interest … the first time. I was nice to him, even on the second and third occasions that he pestered me. Therein lies my error. I see that now. If I’d been horrible to him after the time he’d cornered me and kissed me instead of embarrassed and understanding, he might have left me alone.
But I was kind to a male I didn’t and don’t want. The concept is clearly a difficult one for some of them.
Mixed signals, I suppose.
I finish soaking up the glue and rise, ignoring the low chatter of the students at the tables as they begin putting their books into their leather satchels. On cue, a moment later, the bell is rung to mark the end of the day’s lessons, and they start grabbing their things.
I wait by the thick wooden door respectfully out of the way as pupils of all races and creeds file out of the room. There are fae, some green-skinned orcs, smaller pixies, dwarves, a tall, thin goblin, and, of course, Yeith, a robust troll, in this class alone. The academy itself boasts centaurs, demons, witches, and even an ogre. No humans, though, of course. They’re not allowed within the academy walls even as slaves, I don’t think.
They all ignore me completely as they leave, their eyes passing over me in my black and maroon servant’s uniform, though I’m the largest creature in the room, bar Yeith and one or two of the orcs.
The troll is last, taking his time gathering his possessions as his eyes rove over me, and I decide that despite feeling lonely here sometimes, I’d take the students' disregard any day over this attentiveness he’s showing me.
His interest has been an annoyance lately, but this evening is different somehow. He seems to be getting bolder with me.
I’m not interested in you as a male! I want to scream.
Plus, there are rules about fraternization between the students and the help. Perhaps he believes the mandate doesn’t apply to him anymore since he’s in his final year and has begun to assist with teaching some of the lower classes.
