Page 24 of Fae Trials

Everybody stopped talking and turned to the entrance.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the Royal Fae Academy,” she said in a loud, clear voice accustomed to public speaking. “We have a new student whose wings are glowing. Which one of you fine gentlemen will answer her mating call?”

Heat burned my cheeks. She made me sound like a cat in heat, howling to mate.

Lady Aster flicked her wrist, sending out a gust of wind that knocked a few of the pixies aside. At the end of the dining room, a door opened, revealing a group of dragonfly-winged half-bloods standing around the table, arranging food.

My brows drew together. Could one of these kitchen staff be my fated mate?

“Hey,” said a copper-haired girl from one of the tables. “You don’t have to—”

“Be quiet,” Lady Gala snapped. “Just because you’re not fated to marry anyone, it doesn’t mean you have to ruin things for the halfling.”

Halfling. I tried not to roll my eyes. The sooner I met this mate, the sooner he could direct me to a library or better still, the nearest entrance to the Mound.

A large faerie stepped out from the kitchen area. He wore white overalls with the muscular build of a farmworker, but that was the only thing pleasant about his appearance.

Brown fuzz with occasional flecks of orange covered his entire face, giving him the appearance of an overgrown moth. I swallowed hard. With the butterfly shape of his wings, he was clearly a high faerie, but the rest of him indicated that he was also something else.

“Come here, Puke.” Lady Gala placed her hands on her hips. “Meet Unity, your fated mate.”

He walked behind the tables toward us, the orange flecks on his wings glowing brighter with each step. A cold chill snaked down my back, making me shudder so hard, my teeth chattered.

Pain flashed through his eyes, and my insides shriveled with shame. Judging him by his looks made me no better than Lady Gala, who bullied others because they were human. Still, the chill continued to permeate my bones, making me wrap an arm around my middle.

Forcing my features into a smile, I held out my hand, “My name is Unity Quayle, and I’m honored to be your mate.”

The Fated burst into peals of laughter, then the rest of the students joined in, filling the dining hall with the sounds of mockery. Some of the younger students stamped their feet and broke into a round of applause.

Lady Gala shook her head and strolled past the crestfallen faerie to a white table with silver seats. The other Fated followed after her.

I took another look at the guy who was supposed to be my fated mate. He stared down me through sad, beetle-black eyes. Up close, he had handsome features, if anyone cared to look past that awful fuzz.

Leaning into him, I asked, “Why’s everyone laughing?”

His broad shoulders drooped. “Lady Gala does this to all the new girls who come in with glowing wings.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not your fated mate,” he said with a sigh. “The Fated made my wings glow just to laugh at your horrified reaction.”

“Oh.” Annoyance tightened my skin. Didn’t these faeries care that they’d made this poor guy endure rejection for their amusement? I hated Lady Gala before, but now I despised the rotten cow. “I’m really sorry—”

The male raised a large hand. “There’s no need. I’m used to it.”

From the hurt in his eyes, he obviously wasn’t, but I wouldn’t make him feel worse by pointing that out. Instead, I held out my hand. “Well, then, I’d be honored to be your friend. What’s your real name?”

“Pokeweed.” His gaze flickered toward Lady Gala, who had already settled in her silver seat, presumably no longer interested in humiliating either of us. “I’d better return to the kitchen.”

My shoulders drooped as he scurried through the dining hall. I should have guessed by the look of glee on the Fateds’ faces that this had been a set-up.

A large hand landed on my shoulder. “Well done, Unity,” said Gladiolus. “You handled that situation with grace. I’ll walk you over to the remedial tables, and—”

Someone screamed from the direction of Lady Gala’s table. I turned to find Lady Aster pointing at us with a hand clapped over her mouth.

“What?” Lady Gala shot out of her seat, letting the silver chair clatter to the marble floor.

The entire dining room fell silent, and everyone stared at Gladiolus and me. No, they were looking at what was behind us.