“Why are you so chatty today?” His grip tightened around my neck. “I think I preferred your moping from last night.”
“I was not moping,” I gritted out, my eyes narrowing. “Let me go.”
“Make me.”
“This is not proper behavior for a professor.”
“Headmaster,” he corrected again. “And I haven’t technically started yet. Right now, I’m just your Guardian. Which means you’ll do whatever I tell you to do, whenever I tell you to do it.”
“And you make that point by strangling me?”
His lips curled into a cruel smile. “Trust me, this is nothing compared to what I can do.”
I believed him. Yet, for whatever reason, I didn’t fear him. His callous exterior presented an ominous front, his cold green eyes just as harsh as the rest of him, but my instincts told me to push back.
“I might be weaker with this cuff around my neck, but I’m still a Royal Fae. That said, I apologize fordaydreaming.I was thinking about how my bloodline is tied to Shade and wondered if that means he can access my gifts, too. If he can tap into the earth source, I have much larger problems than buying books or school uniforms.” Which I guessed was part of hislist.
A glimmer of respect brightened his emerald orbs. He released me and stepped back, his cloak billowing around his ankles. The lapels were laced with green ink that sparkled beneath the firelight. I studied them, wondering what theymeant, when Zephyrus turned on his heel and continued down the stairs.
“The collar around your neck should prevent him from accessing your elemental gifts. It acts as a door, and when it’s clasped, that door is shut and blocks your soul from accessing the elements. Which means Shade is also locked out.” He reached the bottom level and glanced up at me. “Satisfied?”
“Now you’re starting to sound more like a professor,” I quipped, giving him a smile. “Thank you,Headmaster.”
His pupils flared, heat momentarily sparking in the emerald depths. “Hmm” was all he said before turning again and leading the way outside.
Rather than lead the way toward the main gates, he took a left that directed us into the heart of the campus. Fire flickered on lampposts, gently lighting the charcoal-stoned paths. Obsidian bricks and other types of rock provided the foundation for the buildings, and gothic arches and stained glass lent the scene a palatial appeal that I had to admit was quite pretty.
Burning thwomps and other foreign plants graced the grounds, including black flowers that reminded me of roses and a series of purple-laced ivy that glowed with fiery bugs.
I bent to get a better look, only to be yanked back by Zephyrus. “Don’t.”
“Why?” I asked, studying the buzzing insects. “They remind me of pixies.”
“Fire gnats are disgusting little jackasses who bite. Don’t provoke them.” Zephyrus released me. “Our wildlife isn’t like yours. We coexist because we have to, not because we want to. So trust me, you do not want to touch anything in this realm. Especially not those.”
I shivered at the warning, then gasped as a phoenix landed not three feet away from us. Its massive wings billowed in the flames, the eyes predatory.
“Case in point,” Zephyrus muttered. “Fuck off.” His words seemed to be for the bird, not for me.
The beautiful creature tilted its head, his red irises focused and intelligent. A curious little caw left its throat, causing my lips to curl. Oh, I had no doubt this being was dangerous, but I could respect its gorgeous existence. Not that I had any intention of feeding the bird or stroking it. I knew better than that.
Just as I knew not to disturb the fire gnats.
Admiring nature didn’t require any sort of interference.
“You’re stunning,” I praised.
The phoenix preened as if it understood, his wings expanding to show off the variety of colorful flames.
Zephyrus stepped in between us, cutting off my view, and flapped his cloak in warning at the handsome being. “I won’t tell you again. Fuck. Off.”
A hiss of sound preceded the phoenix’s departure, leaving me in awe of the way it swooped across the grounds to a nearby burning thwomp.
“Let’s get something straight,” Zephyrus said, facing me once more. “As your assigned Guardian, my duty is to keep you alive. To do that, I need you to obey my every word. Let’s start with this: do not provoke the wildlife.”
I bristled at his tone. “I wasn’t provoking him.”
“Don’t engage with the wildlife,” he amended.
