Page 80 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

We both startled. I twisted my body, shielding Azriel from the gaze of the person who had just come in. Seb stood at the entrance, staring at us with an expression I couldn’t read. Azriel shifted beneath me, one hand reaching out. For a crazy moment, I thought she was going to invite him to join us. I’d have agreed.

But she only snatched her undershirt and pressed it over her chest. “Get out.”

Seb blinked and his face contorted with anger. “I followed your scent. I wanted to talk to you.”

Azriel threw the pillow at him as I moved off her, still trying to block Seb’s view of her. “I said get out!”

He batted the pillow away, his gaze shifting to me. His dark eyes darkened further as his aura pulsed out. Fuck! I scrambled to my feet, preparing for his attack. He let out a roar and charged me.

Chapter 35 - Azriel

Seb’s fist crashed into Jasper’s jaw, sending him flying backward. I cried out in protest, jumping to my feet. As I scrambled to pull my undershirt back on, they started fighting. Jasper parried and struck while Seb kept going after him, no matter how many times he was shoved backward.

“Stop it,” I cried, but I didn’t dare try to jump between them. They were going too fast, too hard.

Magic crackled in the air. Should I run to get help? Would the faculty even intervene? Images from their duel when they’d nearly strangled each other to death flashed through my mind. Seb looked utterly hateful now, and Jasper was back to his blank face. They kept hitting each other, and when they started grappling, I was certain they were going to kill each other.

“Stop!” I yelled again, leaping forward.

Before I could reach them, Gareth was there. Magic crackled in the air, forcing the two of them apart. Gareth put himself between them. One of his hands grabbed Jasper by the shoulder, the other wrapped in Seb’s collar.

“Enough,” he snarled, his voice rippling with power.

I stumbled, grabbed my tunic, and held it to my chest. My heart slammed into my ribs, and I felt fresh tears burning my eyes. All I’d wanted was to feel connected, a distraction from what happened. I didn’t want this to happen!

Gareth’s green eyes landed on me. Surprise crossed his face, followed quickly by anger. “Get out of here.”

I backed toward the tunnel leading to the library, shaking my head. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I didn’t want to cause trouble. I’m sorry.”

“Get. Out.”

I turned and fled. In the library, I tugged my tunic over my head with shaking hands and started to run. I had to get away from here as fast as I could! I didn’t think that would happen. Even if Seb found out, I didn’t think he’d be so angry! I wasn’t important. Why was he angry? He said he didn’t want to have sex with me. He said—

Gods! None of this made any sense, and I wanted to stop thinking.

I was in tears again by the time I realized I was heading for the Alegro room. I slowed, not wanting to face Silas and Freta with my guilt, but … but Penry would have wanted us together at her funeral. The aching chasm in my chest opened freshly.

Freta was asleep on the couch when I entered. Silas had a glass of wine in his hand that he stared at blankly. Neither of them stirred as I padded to an empty chair and sank into it. The silence was almost too much to bear, but the thought of speaking was even worse. I glanced at Silas, and wondered what he’d say if I told him about what I’d nearly done with Jasper. What I had done with Seb.

Part of me wanted to crawl into his lap and kiss him, too. Guilt settled like lead into my stomach and I looked away again. What was wrong with me, that I kept feeling this way? Was I just trying to drown my grief, or was I really just selfish?

The three of us stayed like that for some time, until finally Silas set his untouched glass aside. “We should go. It’s time.”

Freta opened her eyes. So she hadn’t been sleeping at all. I dragged myself to my feet and offered her my hand. Her lip trembled, and she started to cry as soon as she accepted my help.

The cemetery, such as it was, was on a secluded part of the grounds. A large obelisk stood in the middle of a walled area. A low altar lay before the obelisk. Penry’s body lay on the altar, along with the other victims of today’s trials. How could all of this have happened in just a few short hours?

Atira and Thatcher were the only teachers present. A handful of other students, no doubt coming to say goodbye to their friends, gathered around the edge of the wall.

The altar lit with white flames, which quickly hid the bodies inside. Freta let out a sob and turned her face into Silas’s shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, tears tracing down his cheeks. Our eyes met over Freta’s head and I saw my guilt and fear reflected in them.

Who would it be next? If it was Freta, would her family take her back to bury her? If it was him, would I be strong enough to comfort Freta while we watched him burn?

My sobs came hard, making me feel like I had been torn open. I’m sorry, Penry. I’m so sorry. “Goodbye. I will never forget you.”

***

One week passed. Then a second, and a third. Before I knew it, it had been a month since Penry’s death. Freta stopped crying all the time, but she didn’t smile. Silas was distant and rarely would look in our eyes. I stopped seeing Seb for mentoring lessons entirely, and Jasper avoided me. Gareth had sought me out, once, to warn me to stay away from them. I’d nearly asked him to bend me over and take me.