“Hold on.” Aedan took my arm before we entered the headmaster’s office, halting our advance.
“What? You have been dragged into trouble with me so many times that I’ve literally lost count. You should be used to the drill by now, especially after the last four years at the academy. You are not chickening out now, are you?”
His mouth twitched, but he narrowed his eyes at me. “Please, I’m the only reason you are not tied up in some dungeon in a castle somewhere.”
“Or in the crazy house,” I admitted freely.
We both snorted at that. It was funny cause it was true.
Aedan was my voice of reason. The little Faery on my shoulder reminding me to behave. The grounding presence in the back of my mind.
Holding my shoulders, he straightened me up, then dragged his fingers down my still wet pink hair, from the top front to the ends that fell to around my hips, making sure I was presentable.
A slow grin curved my lips as I looked up at him. “You are such a mom.”
“Shut up.” With the words, he suddenly yanked the door open, turned me around, and pushed me inside.
Traitor.
I stumbled into the room, instantly seeing a fuming and very red Cara standing near the left side of the headmaster’s desk. Literally. Her face, neck, and arms were full of swollen and red patches from her struggle to scrub the enhanced, green lily pollen off her skin… unsuccessfully.
Cara’s glare sent daggers my way while I cringed at the sight. Ooops!
The headmaster cleared his throat. “Miss Bloom…”
I pasted a captivating smile on my face. “Mr. Kavanagh, it’s so good to see you! How long has it been since we last visited? Five, six months?”
“A week,” he answered, unimpressed by my act.
“Right.” I cleared my throat. “Well, how are the wife and kids? And have I mentioned you look very handsome today?”
A hint of humor crossed his expression, but he did a great job at hiding it. His brow furrowed as he regarded me from behind his desk. “Inappropriate, but thank you… I guess.”
“Sooo…” I held both hands before me, slightly rocking on my heels. “What brings us here today?”
Wrong question.
“What brings us here?! What brings us here??? You painted my skin green!” Cara shrieked, jerking toward me like she wanted to pull out my eyes. The headmaster’s hand lifted, stopping her mid-way without even touching her.
“Miss Lynch, I’d appreciate your collaboration to keep things… civil.”
Held by his invisible force, and embarrassed by her outburst, she nodded. “Sorry, Mr. Kavanagh.”
Sighing, the headmaster lowered his hand, releasing her. “Now, I’m certain Miss Bloom’s act was not premeditated. There must be an explanation behind this, um, incident.”
“It was an accident,” I assured.
“It was no accident!” she growled, hands fisting at her sides. “She is getting back at me for losing last month’s battle trial.”
“Please,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “I couldn’t care less that you totally cheated, trapping me in the ever-changing maze so you could win,” I lied. It was definitely payback for last month. “I mean, you knew there was no way Aedan would go forward and leave me trapped, and that eliminated your only other competition. But who’s keeping track?”
“I didn’t cheat!” she defended her case to the headmaster. “I happened to figure out the combination to the ever-changing maze faster than them, and honestly, I’m not sure why it went haywire after I was out of it. It must have been a magic glitch or something.”
I rolled my eyes. “You are just as bad at lying as you are at strategy.” I snorted, focusing my attention on Mr. Kavanagh. “And that’s how I know she cheated.”
“Shut up! I didn’t—”
“Enough.” The headmaster didn’t even have to yell, the power reverberated from his deep voice with the single word. “Miss Bloom. Explain.” His intense light blue eyes bore into mine.
I knew that look. Everyone knew it, and no one at the academy dared to mess with it.
Straightening, I dropped my arms to my sides. “I’m sorry, Headmaster Kavanagh, I truly am. As you know, creating florae weapons is not my forte. Even though I'm a descendant from the House of Flùr, without my innate magic, mixing earth elements doesn’t come as easy to me as it should. It was supposed to be just a momentary cloud of green mist, like the one used in the graduation tournament, but I guess Aedan’s formula was stronger than I realized, and I messed up the combination. As you know, I’m more of an action kind of Faery.”
The headmaster mulled over my words for several moments, his keen gaze instinctively falling to the collection of golden ribbons on my right wrist—one for each battle trial my mastered warrior abilities had successfully won. When his gaze landed on Cara’s two ribbons, he let out a burdened breath and nodded.
“Please be more careful next time, Miss Bloom. Given your skills, I understand the desire for recreating the powerful Sgòth Blàir, but take into consideration that kind of magic is on a level only graduated warriors have reached.”
“You can’t possibly believe her. She’s not even pure like we are!” Cara spat the word like it was filth in her mouth, hands fisting once more. “Impures have no place here.” She sent a burning scowl my way, but I refused to let her offend me.
“We do not condone the use of derogatory terms in this institution, Miss Lynch.” The headmasters voice thundered. “Or bullying. You’ll do well to remember that… Also, when disciplining a student, I have to take into consideration both the allegations and the student’s record,” he explained, sending a reproaching glance her way. “Just as I did last month when Miss Bloom accused you of cheating…”
He didn’t elaborate, but the meaning behind his words was clear. He hadn’t believed her, but without proof, he had no other choice but to issue a warning, like he did to her then. That probably meant I was getting away with it.
Satisfaction rushed through my chest, a smile attempting to curl my lips, but I pushed it down as far as it would go not to jinx it.
Cara swallowed, and realizing the same thing I had, she remained silent.
“That said, I’ve decided Miss Bloom shall be suspended from classes until tomorrow.”
“Wait, no!” I protested, all feelings of triumph replaced by dread. Any other class, I wouldn’t have cared. After all, who didn’t want a day off from school?
“Come in, Mr. O'Connor!” he called, knowing Aedan waited outside while my heart slammed against my chest with each beat.
I glanced back to see the door open, but I had more important things to worry about than my best friend’s grand entrance.
“Please, Sir. I’ve waited all year to get to the underground tactics lesson, and that is happening today. There will be a test on it next week—” My words went unheard when an honest smile stretched the headmaster’s lips, his attention settling behind me.
“Headmaster Kavanagh,” Aedan greeted, and I turned just in time to see his eyes widen the second they landed on Cara. “Shite!” Laughter caught in his throat, a snicker or two escaping him before he could fully restrain it. “I’m so sorry.” He lifted both hands to her in apology, but a distraught expression captured her face at his reaction. “Sorry, Cara. I was just caught off guard. Please forgive me.”
She nodded her acceptance of his apology, sadness encumbering her features as she dropped her head. Hands reached for her lemon-colored hair, using the strands to cover herself, and I instantly felt bad… but then I got over it real fast, remembering her every attempt to make my life impossible at the academy during the past four years.
I wasn’t the type to just sit there and take it.
Holding both hands before him, Aedan focused on the headmaster, who we caught trying to stifle a laugh of his own brought on by my friend’s reaction. “Sir…”
“Mr. O'Connor, Miss Bloom tells me the formula to the magical lily pollen weapon she used during the battle was yours?”
“Yes, Sir. Though I was not aware it was used in an attempt to replicate the Sgòth Blàir, otherwise I would have warned her against it,” he masterfully lied, having clearly heard my excuse through the door. “I’m sure there was no malice behind her use of it, she just wasn’t aware of the reaction her combination would cause.”
“Does that mean you can undo the effects left on Miss Lynch’s skin?”
A gleam of hope entered Cara’s eyes when I glanced at her, but she quickly turned away before Aedan could see her face.
“I’m afraid that will be nearly impossible, Sir. First, I’d have to get the details from Célest about the additions made to my formula, then figure out where it went wrong so I’d be able to create something to counteract the effects.”
“And are you willing to try?”
Aedan briefly side-eyed me, silently asking if I wanted to rid Cara of her punishment.
Hell no! The bitch deserves every ounce of misery being green with envy, literally, gets her. She’s been terrible to me ever since I got to the academy… For no reason! She literally just called me impure!
I conveyed through our non-existent mental link. We didn’t really need one, he always knew what I was thinking. He knew me too well.
With a silent okay, my friend faced the headmaster.
“Of course I’ll try to help, Headmaster, but I can’t promise I’ll be successful. Though, I can assure it will fade on its own. It will just take a bit longer than desired.”
“How long?” Cara asked, voice filled with dread.
“About a week.”
“A week?!” she screeched, glaring at me in a way that said she was planning my demise.
“As long as you are willing to try…” Mr. Kavanagh went on, deciding not to acknowledge her outburst. “A week will pass faster than you realize, Miss Lynch,” he offered a distraught Cara. “Perhaps during that time, we can all reflect on the consequences of our actions.”
The subliminal message wasn’t lost on my archenemy.
“My parents will hear of this!” With a very unladylike growl, she whirled around and stormed out of the office.
“Not looking forward to that conversation…” The headmaster mumbled, rubbing his temples, and I had to bite my tongue not to laugh.
The moment his scowl landed on me, all humor left me.
“Let me be clear about something, Célest,” he began, addressing me informally since Cara was gone. “The only reason I’m not giving you a harsh punishment is that I’m almost convinced Miss Lynch cheated to take the victory away from you or Aedan. But if you ever pull another stunt like this because of that silly rivalry of yours, I will be forced to make a permanent mark on your record. And we both know what that would mean, don’t we?”
Daingead!
My head fell with the warning. “Yes, sir.”
A permanent mark on my record would automatically disqualify me as a viable candidate for the queen’s guard—the only reason I was even here—regardless of how many battles I’d won or how many outstanding grades I got.
Silence descended in the office as I glanced at the five golden ribbons tied to my wrist. One for each of the battles won in the last eleven months. Aedan had been awarded four, while Cara held only two. My best friend and I had been tied until today, and if one hadn’t been stolen from us, I was pretty sure we’d be tied again.
A heavy sigh left Mr. Kavanagh, and he walked around his desk toward us, placing a hand on my shoulder and calling my attention to his face.
“Célest, I know you haven’t had an easy life, but you must learn to rise above those who wish you to fail.”
“I want to, but she makes it impossible. Cara has hated me since the moment she saw me because I am not ‘pure’ like everyone here.” I did air quotes at the word I hated more than anything. “A fact she apparently realized with one look at me.”
My insides burned with both anger and sadness at the reminder. My entire life I had been judged, not for who I was, but for what other people assumed of me. I was sick and tired of it.
Being “Pure” meant being born from two Elemental Faery parents, and before the attack, other types of Faeries used to travel to our kingdom, some staying and making it their home too. Since I had no clue who my father was and I’d been raised by a single mother, I’d immediately been branded “Impure”. Treated like I deserved nothing the Pure Ones did.
Who was righteous enough to decide that anyway?
When I was a kid, Mom would tell me my father was an Elemental Faery, and he had died fighting for the queen while overseas in the Winter Court, but I suspected she only said that to alleviate my hurt. She didn’t want me to feel inferior, and now that I was grown up, I didn’t. At least not until people looked at me like Cara did.
Scratch that. I didn’t feel inferior when she looked at me from over her perfectly pointy nose, I felt like kicking her ass.
“Focus on your true self, child. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves, and keep working toward your goal, everything else will fall away by its own weight.”
“Yes, sir,” I answered without looking at him. I respected Oran Kavanagh more than I could express.
“And you are not an Impure,” Aedan reminded, protectively bringing me into his side. “If you were, you would not have those gorgeous gossamer wings. It would be virtually impossible.” He kissed my cheek in a way that said that was that, and he was not discussing it anymore, which brought a smile out of me. “Right, Grandpa?”
Mr. Kavanagh nodded with conviction. “That’s right, Aedan.” The love he felt for his grandson exuded from his voice, although he reserved that feeling only for when strangers were not present.
No one at the academy knew that Headmaster Kavanagh was actually my best friend’s maternal grandfather, and that was exactly how they wanted it. That way no one would accuse him of having favoritism toward his grandchild and devalue Aedan’s accomplishments.
“Regardless of who your father was, there is no doubt you are as pure as it gets, Célest.” He cupped my cheek tenderly, expressing almost as much love as he felt for his grandson.
“Thank you,” I offered them both sincerely.
Their family had become my family before I could even walk. Every memory I had revolved around them, and they’d helped my mother stay afloat when life, work, and motherhood became too much for her to handle alone. I appreciated them for helping her more than they could imagine.
“Sorry, but I have to leave.” Aedan squeezed me, then let go. “I’m super late for class.”
Tears almost fell from my eyes at the thought of missing Advanced Master Strategy class, until I decided not to be so dramatic and nodded instead.
“I’ll walk you to the bridge then go to my room. I guess I can always read today’s lesson and try to understand as much as I can from it.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take triple the notes so you don’t get behind.” He winked at me.
“No. I’m afraid you can’t go to class either,” his grandfather announced and we both scowled at him.
“Oh, come on, Aedan had nothing to do with it!” I complained, mostly because I wanted the notes. “This time…” I mumbled.
“Yeah, thanks for that.”
Mr. Kavanagh’s lips twitched at our interaction. “Neither of you can go because I have an extra punishment for you.”
Walking to the wall behind his desk, he pulled one of his paintings from it, and waving a hand over the dull gray surface, he revealed a safe behind it. The mechanism clicked when he whispered the secret code, and once it opened, he took two small vials from it.
“I want you two to go welcome the younglings from the Bright Wa—”
“Are you serious?!” I squealed in excitement before he could even finish. “You want us to do the Bright Warriors Academy Tour?
Each year the senior with the most outstanding record was chosen to give the Bright Warriors tour, so that was no punishment. It was an honor.
“Yes, I’m serious,” he replied indulgently, stopping before us.
“Aaah!” I jumped him, squeezing the life out of him with my hug before he could react.
Laughter escaped the headmaster, and he placed a grandfatherly kiss on my head. “Do you remember the first thing you told me after you found out you had gotten into the academy?”
“Yes. That I wanted to do the tour once I was a senior.”
“And what did I say?”
I pulled away from him, emotion swelling in my chest. “That I would have to work harder than anyone else in the school if I wanted to be awarded that honor.”
A brilliant smile illuminated his eyes, making their blue hue as bright as the soft streaks within his silver hair. He nodded. “And you have.” His gaze shifted to his grandson, patting his cheek in appreciation. “For the past four years, you both have exceeded every expectation, and I’m so very proud of you.”
Grinning like idiots, Aedan and I high fived each other.
“I expect you two at the academy’s entrance in twenty minutes. Make sure you are dressed in your best suits.” He offered a vial to each of us, and I immediately recognized what they were. The most valuable thing to an Elemental Faery—Solara’s magic.
“Is that for us?” Aedan asked, shocked.
“A full dose for each of us?” I echoed in absolute awe.
His grandfather grinned knowingly. “Make those kids experience something they’ll never forget.”