“Clean it up,” he demanded as he stood.
“Of course, sir,” the apparition breathed, her words ghosting through the air and leaving a chill in their wake.
Rather than follow Zephyrus, he headed toward the front entry, exiting through the threshold without a single word or glance back.
The dishes rose above the table, vanishing before my eyes.
I caught the contents of my dish just before the plate disappeared into the strange vacuum.
Then the translucent female form turned to air with everything else, leaving me alone and cold in the living area with a random shroom loaf clutched to my chest.
Silence.
Stillness.
Nothing.
Not even a breath—because I’d stopped inhaling and exhaling.
How had everything gone so wrong in one day? I stared down at the food in my hands.
Tomorrow would hopefully provide new opportunities.
Or possibly be a whole lot worse.
Yeah, probably that.
“I have a supply list,”Zephyrus said as we left Kolstov’s suite the following evening. The Midnight Prince was nowhere in sight, and I suspected I wouldn’t be seeing him again until next week.
Assuming I’m still here.I sighed, shaking my head.Who am I kidding? Of course I’ll be here.
The Earth Fae relied on me to uphold the connection to the earth source, which meant blocking any and all dangers. Including myself. And I couldn’t deny that the potential binding of my abilities to Shade jeopardized my ability to lead.
What if he can access my elemental gifts?I wondered, following Zephyrus down the stairs. “Does my collar keep Shade from tapping into my earth source?” I asked out loud. “Or is he wearing one, too?” The thought of that actually had my lips twitching.Oh, I really hope they collared him…
Zephyrus paused to glare at me. “Were you over there daydreaming while I’ve been speaking?”
I grimaced. Hehadbeen talking. And, uh, yeah, I’d not heard a word of it after his supply list comment.
The look he gave me confirmed that the answer was written across my face and he didn’t approve. His hand wrapped around my throat, his opposite palm going to my hip, as he pushed me up against the wall. My feet awkwardly found purchase on one stair, holding me upright while he captured my gaze with a lethal stare.
“When I speak, you listen. Understand?”
I swallowed. He stood over a foot taller than me, just like Kolstov. And Zephyrus also possessed the muscles of a man who had spent most of his life hardening his exterior.
Warrior Blood, I recalled from our earlier conversation. While I didn’t know the complete definition, I could garner the importance of that distinction. Along with his comments about being a Guardian.
MyGuardian.
This was not a male to piss off, and yet… “Do you manhandle all your students in this manner?” I asked him, tilting my head to the side.
His chest crowded mine, and his thighs—holy crap, those thighs!—pressed me harder into the wall. “I don’t know. I haven’t started my new job yet. Ask me again next week.”
“You’re a new professor?”
“Headmaster,” he corrected. “And yes, it’s a recently assigned post.” His tone held a note of bitterness to it.
“What was your previous post?”
