She doesn’t understand the bond.
I reminded myself of all the things the Halfling was likely going through right now. Today was going to be rough for her. She needed to see the Academy, and more so, she needed to understand how important it was for her to be here. The alternatives weren’t choices at all.
Isolation…
Death…
The sooner she faced the Academy and fae society, the sooner she would be equipped to deal with her new life. My needs were nothing compared to hers.
Before I could look at Claire again and spiral into the depths of our newfound bond, Exos blundered into the bedroom.
Claire snatched her knees to her chest and cried out. “Exos!”
I would have offered her the blanket to cover herself, but there was something in Exos’s eyes that said our nakedness was the least of his problems right now. “You two. Get dressed.” His gaze flickered to the doorway, and I sensed the low boom of the ground I’d missed a moment before. “Now.”
“News has spread that the Halfling is here.” Elana folded her hands in front of her dress and let out a long sigh. Vines budding with blue flowers wound through her hair, a living ornament that made her look ethereal and regal.
I frowned and bit my tongue—hard. The rumor was already on campus. River had been the one to tell me about the Halfling, but the fact that a bunch of unruly students were causing a scene right outside Elana’s estate? That didn’t just happen. Someone had told them Claire was here.
Not River, because I knew him and he would never do that, but someone had.
“What do they want?” Claire asked, her voice taut as her fingers clenched around mine. I shouldn’t be indulging her need to touch me, or my need to touch her, but somehow our hands kept finding one another without my permission.
Elana stared at Claire, her expression soft and wise. “Forgive my bluntness, but they’re protesting.”
“Protesting?” she squeaked and dug her fingernails into my skin.
I tugged at my borrowed clothes with my free hand. They were far too tight around my biceps and chest, and the agonizing frills ruffling around my elbows made me feel like a complete moron. Which, I supposed, was Exos’s goal when he gave me this pompous outfit.
His wry smile confirmed it. “Don’t worry, Claire. Everyone will be so taken aback by Titus in royal garb that you’ll be yesterday’s news.”
I suppressed a retort for the jackass, but Exos was right. This would help take some of the attention off of Claire, which was the least I could do considering her situation.
However, even my comical attire couldn’t win Claire’s attention. Her gaze was locked on the hall that glittered with motes that had drifted in with the morning sunlight. Low chanting sounded outside the door in our old language, which Claire wouldn’t understand, the words making my teeth clench.
Dooms-bringer.
Finish what your mother started.
Fae killer.
“What are they saying?” Claire asked as she tilted her head to the side.
Exos plucked Claire’s hand from mine and gave her knuckles a kiss, startling all of us out of our unease. “Nothing of importance, princess.” His eyes held hers for a beat before he bowed, releasing her as quickly as he’d grabbed her. “I, uh, need to ready our future accommodations.” He refocused on me. “I trust you’ll be able to give Claire a proper tour and bring her to the Fire Quad?”
“No one will touch her,” I vowed, not because Exos had ordered me to play guardian, but because my blood boiled knowing how many fae wanted Claire dead. Maybe it was just the courtship bond, but instinct told me to shred apart anyone who dared to whisper a threat within her vicinity.
Which was apparently half the entire fucking Academy, if the chants outside were anything to go by.
Exos leaned in, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Don’t kill anyone. Just show her around campus. Keep your head on your shoulders.” He gave me a once-over. “And your dick in your pants.”
That last part was totally unnecessary.
Okay, maybe a little bit necessary after last night.
But for fuck’s sake, the jackass really needed to cool it with all the damn orders.
“Come on, Claire,” I said, unable to muster anything more respectable than a slight bowing of my head to Exos. “We’ve been given our instructions for the day.”