“Iron does not kill fae, little queen,” Cyrus said, his voice oddly gentle. “A fae dies when the spirit dies, which will happen to Exos if he’s left underground too long without a lifeline.”
“How long?”
“A few months. For a fae as strong as Exos, maybe a year,” he admitted as he finally shifted me off his lap.
I scrambled backward to get away from him as fast as I could and didn’t stop until my back met Titus’s legs. Instant satisfaction rolled over me, the rightness of his touch causing my shoulders to slump.
“Well, I think that was enough for one night,” Cyrus said, not looking at me. “You’ll take her to classes tomorrow. Resume her schedule. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye on Mortus.” His demeanor seemed to shift, as if I’d hurt his feelings with my stark rejection.
Impossible, obviously. Because the fae was a colossal jerk.
Titus bent down to help me stand, his arms circling my waist. “Are you okay?” he whispered, his lips at my ear.
“She’s fine,” Cyrus replied, some of his earlier distaste returning. “Stop coddling her, Fire Fae. She needs to learn how to fight, not cower.?
?? His cold gaze met mine. “You’re powerful, Claire. Hiding from it only makes you weak, and weakness will get you killed. It’s time to grow up and assert your place in our world. Otherwise, you’ll die.”
With that beautiful proclamation, he stalked off toward the Spirit Dorm.
“I really don’t like him,” I muttered when he was out of hearing range.
“Yeah, I take back every negative thing I ever said about Exos. He’s definitely the more likable of the two.” Titus brushed his lips against my temple. “Come on. Let’s get you dried off.”
The Earth Fae and Vox stood just inside the entrance, their expressions grim.
“Why don’t you go grab some of your things,” Titus suggested softly. “We can regroup after class tomorrow.”
Vox nodded. “Is she going to Fire Quad?”
“Yes.” Titus ran his fingers down my spine, causing me to shiver. “I’ll be with her all day.”
The Earth Fae snorted. “Good. That means we don’t have to worry about her.”
I frowned, unsure of how to take that. We hadn’t even met yet. Not formally, anyway. “Sol, right?”
His brown eyes met mine, a hint of hesitation in his gaze. “Yes.” No elaboration. No welcoming comment. Nothing to go on. Just a flat response accompanied by a grimace.
Great.
“I’m sorry to meet you under these circumstances,” I told him softly. “Hopefully, I can improve your opinion of me later. You know, when I don’t resemble a drowned rat.” I pointed at my head for emphasis.
Vox’s lips twitched. “It’s not your best look.”
“Thanks,” I replied, returning his grin. “But I like leaving lasting impressions. Obviously. I mean, I created that disaster of a vortex when we met the other day. Tonight, I met Sol after surviving what felt like a tidal wave. So tomorrow, maybe I’ll just go up in flames during class and burn off all my clothes. Should be fun, right?”
“Your uniform for Fire Quad is fireproof,” Titus reminded me, smiling. “But I would enjoy that show.”
Sol didn’t seem nearly as amused.
But at least Vox chuckled. “Never a dull moment with you, Claire,” he said softly.
I nodded. “Well, thank you both for, I guess, moving in.”
“Not by choice,” Sol pointed out, his arms folding across his thick chest. The fae was built like a linebacker, his well-over-six-foot height dwarfing mine.
I swallowed thickly, glancing up to meet his gaze again. “I… I can talk to Cyrus and excuse you from the guard, if tha—”
“That’s not going to happen,” Cyrus said, walking in with just a towel wrapped around his hips.