“You’re assuming he can keep up.” Titus folded his arms and looked me over. “You up for the task?”
“Of tracking the energy source? Yeah.”
“No.” Titus smirked. “I meant, are you up for the task of managing Claire?”
“Oh, uh…” I swallowed. “To help manage her air?”
Titus nodded.
Exos said nothing, his gaze assessing me.
“I just came by to tell you it wasn’t her and to offer assistance in tracking down the culprit.” No, that wasn’t entirely true. A part of me had longed to check up on her. But that was just my mentor side requiring me to make sure the student I’d failed earlier today was all right. “However, yes, she needs a mentor.” I’d meant to say that to Exos as well, but the banishing comments from Sol had derailed my focus. All I’d cared about was expressing her innocence so they didn’t send her away.
Why do I care so much?
Because she’s innocent.
Right.
“She needs you as a mentor,” Exos replied. “You’re a good match for her. I felt it during class. And so you’ll mentor her.”
He uttered the words as if they were a done deal. “I’ll help you find one,” I offered. “A mentor, I mean.”
“No need.” Exos turned, walking down the hall. “She already has one, Vox. You.” He paused on the threshold, his blue eyes meeting mine. “Don’t leave. I’m just going to grab some proper clothes for us to hunt in.”
“But—”
“And I need to wake up Claire. Give me twenty minutes, Vox.”
I gaped after the Royal Fae as he disappeared through a door, leaving me unable to argue.
Titus chuckled. “Yeah, he does that. But you’ll get used to him.”
“I can’t mentor her,” I blurted out.
“And why’s that?” Titus asked, cocking his head to the side.
“I… It’s just… I have Sol and classes and…”
He arched an auburn-tinged brow. “I don’t know what a Sol is, but so far, all I’m hearing are weak excuses. Sort of disappointing, if you ask me. Exos is clearly wrong. Claire requires someone stronger. Don’t worry; I’ll talk to him. I mean, he won’t fucking listen, but if you’re not up for the task, then he’ll have no choice. Right?”
“No, that’s not what I mean.” Fuck. He’s right. They’re all just idiotic excuses. I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Her power calls to mine.” The truth sort of fell out of my mouth on a breeze of words I couldn’t catch. But what else could I say? Another bullshit excuse? No. She deserved better than that. And so did I.
Titus smiled. “Well then, welcome to the team, Vox. I hope you enjoy cold showers.”
Exos
I ran my fingers through Claire’s thick hair, reveling in the silky texture while I slowly removed my hold over her elements. Manipulating others was the darker side of my ability, and that included being able to put someone to sleep at will.
For Claire, it’d been necessary. Her eyes had been unseeing—wild—and her powers had taken on a will of their own. She probably didn’t even realize the sheer force with which she’d pulled Titus down onto the bed or the way her fire engulfed him in a sea of hot desire.
Clearly, all of us had some pent-up passion issues at the forefront of our minds.
I sighed and joined Claire on the bed, wrapping my arms around her as she began to stir beside me. Hopefully, her nap had cured the drunken spell Aerie had woven through Claire’s mind.
I could kill that Air Fae, I thought, furious. She’d attacked Claire in a moment of weakness, after she’d taken down that maelstrom.
A maelstrom Claire absolutely did not create.