Since I’d arrived at Arcanea University, I’d given up my life to fight for Ethan. I’d sacrificed everything to chase after him and keep us together, despite all the secrets we were hiding. I barely knew who I was anymore because of it. In the fight to love him, I lost myself and who I was in the process.
I would not lose myself again. From this moment on, I fought for myself.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ethan
It seemed no matter what we did, Gabby and Elijah were always five steps ahead.
I paced angrily in the courtyard while the others watched me. Odette sat by the water and dipped her fingertips into the pool, transfixed by the movement. Delmare and Kiara had taken a seat on the stone bench, and Theo and Alexei were talking in soft tones in the corner, sending glances at me every so often.
Stefan leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed, giving me the dirtiest look he ever could. I ignored him. I knew I’d screwed up tonight. He didn’t need to rub it in.
“Where is she?” I raged. “She should be here by now.”
“Calm yourself. You’re rampaging around like a beast,” Stefan said. He was quite fed up with my behavior.
“Can you blame me?” I whirled on him. “This night has been a disaster.”
“You were out of control!” Stefan pushed off the pillar and got in my face. “I told you this would happen, and now Emma has suffered the consequences. You hurt her!”
“Don’t you think I know that? I want todiefor what I did!”
“How do we know you’re not going to hurt her again?” Delmare accused. Her fingers curled, like she wanted to choke me out.
“Why can’t you understand it was a case of mistaken identity? Do any of youeverthink I’d lay a finger on Emma otherwise?” I hissed at Delmare.
“Don’t go after my mate.” Stefan’s voice was a threatening growl, and his body quaked as he threatened to change.
Theo got between us and pushed us apart. “I recognize both points of view,” he said. “Ethan thought he was protecting Emma by attacking the White Rose. He couldn’t have known it was Emma the whole time.”
Theo shook his head. “But on the other hand... Ethan, you have a thirst for blood. No mercy was shown on this night from you. If you had hesitated, things would’ve turned out differently.”
“An Arcanea doesn’t hesitate. That’s how you end up dead,” I said.
“We aren’t monsters, Ethan! We’re your friends!” Alexei yelled. He rubbed his temples, like the high emotion in the area was giving him a headache.
It was then Emma entered the clearing. Relief flowed through my veins, along with a gnarled pit of agony. I sensed whatever we had to talk about, it wouldn’t be good.
All eyes turned to her. Odette shook her head, as if she had to snap out of it, and set her attention on us.
Emma went to speak, but Kiara stopped her. “Wait.” Kiara stepped forward. She twirled her arm in the air, and thin bands of light pulsated through the courtyard, settling around us in a circle.
“An illusion charm,” she explained. “Anyone trying to eavesdrop will hear something else instead of what we’re actually saying.”
That was a good idea. Campus closed in a week, as exams were nearly finished and most students had already gone home, but we couldn’t take the chance of being overheard.
Emma crossed her arms. “Gabby’s been dealt with. I showed her the video, and told her if she doesn’t keep quiet about Ethan being the Phantom, we’ll send it to everyone.”
“We should show it anyway. I deserve death. I’ve committed crimes,” I argued. “Let them execute me, so long as Gabby and Elijah are taken out of power.”
“No,” Emma said. “We need to work together on finding the Crystals of Harmony.”
Shock and anger rose through me. She didn’t want those two bastards to give up the crown? “What madness is this?” I asked. “How can you agree to let them stay in power?”
“We don’t have a choice, Ethan. It’s better for the fae to live under a dictatorship than to go completely extinct,” Emma said.
“That’s where I disagree with you. Preserving freedom is more important than saving lives,” I said.
