Page 88 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

“Freta looks tired because she’s exhausted. We’re all exhausted. It’s been less than two months since our friend died and we’re meant to carry on as though nothing happened. You might be as cold as ice, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us are.” I didn’t bother lowering my voice as I spoke.

It carried, and several of our high-ranking guests turned my way. The chatter in the hall died off. Other students craned their necks, trying to find what had gotten the high-ranked courts’ attention. Freta’s eyes widened and Gareth laughed loudly.

Instantly, I dropped the potato and my gaze. I shrank into my seat, trying to hide from their looks. That had been impulsive and rash. Now that I thought about it, I’d been very impulsive and rash lately. I’d put myself at greater risk.

As much as I’d been telling myself it was for my friends, the truth of it was I wasn’t sure why I was acting this way. But this was only going to get me in more trouble if I didn’t start controlling myself.

“I apologize, Lord Jasper,” I said, and once more my voice carried.

His expression was cold and mask-like. With a snort, he picked up my water and dumped it over my head. “To cool your temper.”

He resumed his eating as though nothing happened. A few more people laughed; I recognized Flora’s voice among them. She sat on Seb’s other side. When I risked a glance toward them, she was trying to get his attention while his sister tugged his arm, looking vaguely distressed.

I wiped the water dripping from my hair and lowered my hands into my lap. Everything considered, it was actually suspicious for him to go so easy on me. A glass of water over the head was nothing compared to what someone like Flora would have done to me for that insult. The student on my other side leaned away from me, as though afraid of catching whatever disease I had that made me act out.

When the conversation had resumed its normal pitch, I cut a delicate bite of potato and nibbled on it. Jasper ignored me. Silas looked worried but didn’t maintain eye contract. Freta once more kept her head bowed. Seb had turned to Flora, but the smile plastered on his face was obviously fake. His fingers drummed impatiently.

Gareth hadn’t moved his eyes from me. He sat next to a tall, distinguished-looking man who looked so much like him, they would have been twins at the same age. His father. He asked his son something, and Gareth shrugged, his attention still locked on me.

“What do you want?” I muttered under my breath, angry and embarrassed all at once.

Jasper glanced at me. “Pardon?”

“I apologize, my lord. I was speaking to myself.” I forced a simpering smile and dropped my gaze again. Nobody was moving, except to shift in their seats, and enough attention kept being given to us students who were in the high-ranked space that I didn’t dare try to sneak out.

It wasn’t much longer after that when Gareth stood. He lifted his cup into the air. “Jasper! Come join us up here.”

Quincy scowled at this, but Jasper collected his plate and sauntered to the Thunderwood table. Gareth slapped him on the back with a wide grin, and his father shook Jasper’s hand. Loudly, Lord Thunderwood said, “Can’t imagine why they’d stick you over there. Someone offer you a bribe to humiliate Court Vespa, eh Quince?”

At this, the headmaster gave a small laugh. “I assure you—”

“Gareth tells me that your pairing ranked highest in the last binding trials. You got through faster than anyone else, with no injuries, too! Why then was your personal ranking so low, eh, Jasper?” Lord Thunderwood arranged the table so Jasper could sit between him and Gareth, and poured him a goblet of wine. “Sounds to me like someone has been undercutting you on purpose.”

“I wouldn’t accuse anyone,” Jasper replied naturally.

Something inside of me eased. I’d been wondering similar things, though I tried my damnedest to ignore them. Jasper was powerful. He was high-born. Even being disowned as he was, it was strange that he was getting such low marks. It seemed Thunderwood thought this was on purpose.

My guess was that Vespa itself was trying to sabotage him. Or rather, make him unappealing to Court Laurel as an ally for Seb. But Jasper had a good friend in Gareth. The three of them, it wasn’t just politics. Jasper would be taken care of, despite his wrong beast.

Gareth started watching me again. This time, I met his gaze. We lingered on each other for a moment too long before his father called his attention back to him. I didn’t know how to read his expression. I didn’t know what to name this strange beating in my chest.

Once Jasper was gone, the banquet grew worse. The food would have been delicious if I had any appetite, but I couldn’t pay attention to any of it. The tug I felt toward Seb and Jasper kept getting stronger as I sat here, alone. I wished I was with Silas and Freta. When I was with them, I could worry too much about their futures to pay any attention to the mate-bond pulling me in two directions at once.

Flora laid her head on Seb’s shoulder and his eyes darted toward me. His knuckles turned white on his cup. When his sister reached over to lightly stroke Flora’s hair, he quickly guided her hand away. He lowered his head toward Flora and whispered something. With a sigh, she straightened again.

“Lord Sebastienne,” one of the fifth-year students drawled. “Aren’t you going to call your mistress to come sit with you?”

I stiffened. It was Rusco of Court Manilow, the one that attacked Gareth and me all those months ago. Both Gareth and Jasper straightened, as though preparing to intervene. Rusco gestured toward me with a cruel smile on his face.

“You keep looking over at her. Why not bring her to your table and make it official?” Rusco asked mockingly.

Flora’s head snapped toward me. Seb’s sister looked confused, and both of his parents looked sharply at him. Seb turned toward me, his expression bored and arrogant.

“You’re talking about the flat-chested girl there? Lotmas assigned me to be her peer-mentor. I’m just checking to make sure she doesn’t embarrass me again,” Seb said with a shrug. “Why would anyone be interested in someone as ugly as her?”

Laughter rippled through the hall. My cheeks turned flaming hot as I dropped my gaze again. Ugly, huh? I couldn’t deny that I was plain-looking, even at the orphanage. Compared to the beauties that surrounded me now, and especially Flora … yeah, I was ugly. Was he resentful of the mate-bond? Was that the real reason he hadn’t wanted to go all the way with me? Did he actually find me physically repulsive?

I closed my eyes as the laughter grew. Vaguely, I was aware that Red and Savannah had joined in with listing my flaws. The entire school was hearing all my faults laid bare. I clenched my hands beneath the table, struggling not to show any emotion. They were high fae. It was their right to mock me.