Page 107 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

The problem was, the other students didn’t target me. They targeted my friends. It was clear that the high fae didn’t believe I was worthy of breathing the same air as the heirs to Laurel and Thunderwood. Even Jasper was considered too good for me, despite his wrong beast.

When the rumors got particularly bad, the four of us were called to Headmaster Quincy’s office. He looked stern as he demanded to know the nature of our relationship.

“Exactly as we’ve been saying,” Seb answered. “Azriel was assigned as my mentee, and she has a wolf beast and so belongs to Court Laurel. I have put my protection over her, and my friends are standing with me.”

“You are denying a sexual component to your relationship?” Quincy asked directly.

All three of them nodded and Jasper spoke, “Such a thing is forbidden for me. I have no desire to move up my surgery. Not when I am confident I can correct my beast.”

Quincy tapped his fingers on his desk, then gave me a pointed look. “I will not question the word of these three. But you, Miss Azriel, should be aware that pregnancy in your case will not excuse you from the binding trials.”

I almost pointed out that it sounded like he was questioning their word, but instead nodded meekly. The headmaster dismissed us, looking unhappy with how things went. As we headed back to class, I wondered how long we could keep up this ruse. I hadn’t even considered what the consequences of the rumors would be.

Our relationship was sexual. That much was true. But how many accusations could Jasper field before someone pressed the issue?

We’d just gotten to the second floor when a ruckus drew me out of my thoughts. A bunch of second- and third-level students were standing in a knot, blasting magic toward a target. My stomach knotted, but I started to walk by with my mates. I couldn’t intervene in someone else’s tragedy.

Until I heard a scream. I froze. Gareth grabbed my arm, but I shook him off. The crowd shifted and I saw the two being tormented. It was Silas and Freta.

Because of me.

I grabbed Seb’s arm. “You have to stop them!”

Seb tugged me toward the classroom door. “It would be too suspicious. Your friends will have to deal with this themselves.”

I wriggled my arm from his grip and turned to Jasper. His cold expression was in full force as he turned toward the classroom. Gareth once more tried to take hold of my arm, but I stomped on his foot, making him let out a yell. I slipped from his grasp and raced for the knot of upper-level students.

“Leave them alone!” I screamed, flinging out a spell of my own with a sweep of my arm. The magic weakly ruffled the tunics of the other students.

It got their attention, and when they turned to see who it was, I slipped between them to join Freta and Silas. Both of them had bloody noses and various bruises rising up on their bodies. Freta leaned weakly into Silas’s arms. When she saw me, she groaned and hid her face.

I planted my feet as the upper-level students hesitated, uncertain if they should attack. I took the opportunity to strike out with the same spell as before. Only this time, I put a punch behind it. The magic spread out, driving them all backward. Silas’s hand came to press between my shoulder blades. Magic flowed into me, strengthening my next spell as I cast it.

But the other student recovered, and while the spell knocked a few of them aside, most of them pulled up shields that blocked the spell. Their leader, a thin woman with black hair, lifted her hands. Flames coated them and she gave me a wicked smirk.

Before she could attack, Gareth grabbed two of the other students and knocked their heads together. Jasper kicked the feet out from another one, and Seb stepped through the fight and planted himself in front of me, staring the third-year woman down.

She smothered the flames on her hands and fell back a step. “Lord Seb.”

“Did you not know this girl is under my protection?” Seb asked. His voice was so flat and dangerous it made me shiver. He sounded so hot when he spoke like that. It made me want to climb him and have him take me against the wall.

The woman glanced over his shoulder at me. “I was not aware,” she lied weakly. “I didn’t recognize her. I was merely having a little bit of fun with these two when she intervened. Are they also under your protection?” the question was pointed, and I felt Freta flinch behind me.

Seb snorted. “What does it look like?”

Jasper and Gareth flanked him, shielding us all. My heart swelled as the upper-level students bowed and simpered and fled. They were powerful, these three. And they were mine. I grinned, even when Seb turned and started to chastise me for putting myself in danger.

He sighed heavily and shook his head. “You’re not listening to a word I say, are you?”

“No. Sorry,” I said.

Seb shook his head again. “Fine. Let’s just get to class. And you two,” he said, glancing at Silas and Freta, “try to stop making yourselves targets.”

Chapter 47 - Azriel

After classes were done that day, I insisted to my mates I needed time with my friends. All three of them seemed a little on edge, as though they didn’t like for me to be away. I wasn’t sure if it was protectiveness or possessiveness, but either way, I stood firm. So that was how I ended up in the Algero room with just Freta and Silas.

It felt bizarre to be back here in my regular seat. Being here with my friends had been so normal, and now everything felt off. When I looked at the spot where Penry used to sit, my chest hurt, but I didn’t have the same surge of fear, regret, and anger that I’d dealt with before.