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“Why are you following me everywhere?” Because it could no longer be ignored. “Should I be worried?”
That bad-boy vibe…
“Are you worried I’ll do this?” My face tipped up before his lips descended on mine, and his hands gilded up to cup my cheeks and hold me in place. His kiss was firm but questioning, and my arms around his neck probably answered most of them. I was on tiptoe, giddy, and if he’d stepped back, I’d have fallen over because my knees wouldn’t hold me up.
He teased my mouth open with the tip of his tongue then slipped inside to dance with mine. I’d kissed a few boys in high school, but it was never like this. Never so heady and enticing. My nipples were so sharp I thought they’d cut through my bra, and heat coiled deep inside me.
Then, as soon as it started, it was over and he was setting me away from him, hands on my shoulders again, guiding me down to sit on a nearby bench I hadn’t noticed.
“Do you still want an answer?” His words pierced the fog he’d wrapped around my brain.
“To what?”
He chuckled. “You asked why I’m following you. It’s to protect you.”
“From what?” I hadn’t seen any ogres, not that it would surprise me.
“Anything and everything.” Bending, he brushed another kiss over my lips. “Don’t stay here too long. The headmistress uses this every afternoon for some private time.”
“Are you leaving? Will you be around?” I only stopped from reaching out to him by clenching my fists in my lap.
“For you, always.” And he was gone, crunching over the gravel path and ducking to enter the low doorway.
I turned to face the fountain and watched the birds for a few minutes. If I had wings, presumably I’d be flying, right? I hadn’t seen anyone doing it, which seemed odd, but why else have wings? That seemed like less of a conundrum right now than the fact I was crushing on two guys at the same time. Two very different guys…
Chapter Twenty-One
The weeks went by, and slowly I began to feel more comfortable with my surroundings, although I did wonder what it would be like in the fall when there were so many more people around. Full staff and a whole lot more students I was given to understand. Then, one day as I strolled the common area, I heard the strangest sound. The fluttering of birds…so many birds. Lifting my head, I recognized the error of my assumptions.
After all, it was odder that I hadn’t seen this sight than if I had. In this very strange place where I only understood about half of the things people alluded to, and there was a shimmering veil on the back of campus, it made perfect sense that Maeve would fly by, wearing leather armor and wearing a quiver filled with arrows and a bow. Followed by a dozen or more students in similar gear.
Perfect sense.
I still stumbled back and landed on my tush. Then on my back to watch them fly over. They weren’t doing any maneuvers or anything, just headed toward the field for practice, apparently, and once I got my feet under me again, I tore off after them. I had to see this!
Running isn’t nearly as fast as flying, of course, partly because they didn’t have to dodge around obstacles like trees and staring students and fountains and scramble over walls. Well, I could have gone around, but I was so afraid to miss whatever was going to happen. Would the targets also be floating in the air? How would they make that happen?
I got most of the way to the field, could see it in the distance through the trees, when I had to stop and bend over, hands planted on my knees, to breathe. My heart was thudding and I wished as hard as I could for my wings to make an appearance. This would be perfect timing…I pictured the beauty of the few sets I’d seen so far, glittering, shimmering, almost indescribable colors, not that I’d expect mine to be that gorgeous, but maybe pink or something? White?
Then something inside me vibrated. Deep in my back, I thought…I hoped.Please. If I’m a fairy, don’t let me be the only one without wings.
“Endy…what are you…I thought I saw…” Alara’s voice cut through my concentration.
I stood up, breathing a little better but so disappointed. I’d thought maybe I was getting somewhere. Titania did say I had power. “I…what did you think you saw?”
“Wings. A dark outline of wings.” Her tone was hushed and a little odd.
“You mean I almost have my wings? That’s good. I’ll keep practicing.”
Her face said even more than her voice. “Yeah, it’s great. I’m sure when they finish coming in, they will be gorgeous. Maybe silver!”
There was more to be said, something she was holding back, but I was so overwhelmed with joy at the appearance of any wings, I wanted to jump up and down and celebrate. Fully rejuvenated, I grabbed Alara’s hands and spun her around. “Maybe by fall we’ll be able to fly together!”
“Yes, I’m sure we will.”
“I was going to watch the flying archery, want to come?”
She nodded. “Sure. I’m hoping to get good enough to do that, but, as you’ve seen in class, I have a ways to go.”
