Page 11 of The Kingdom of Ruin

They’re standing in front of me before I can make my hasty exit.

“Who is this?” one of the girls asks, peering down her nose at me with an air of superiority that instantly reveals her as a vampire.

“Wait, isn’t that the weirdo with no fae ears that was standing with them?” One of her friends stares down at me with the same expression as she makes her jibe, and I take two rushed deep breaths, trying to calm my instinctive reaction, but it does little to quell the annoyance simmering in my veins.

The feeling only intensifies as the girls laugh at her appraisal, while the black haired, sharp jawed vampire who called out in the first place tries to meet my eyes.

Don’t react. Don’t react. Don’t react.

“She’s fae? But how?” The wolf asks, flicking his own ear, earning another chuckle from the growing group.

“Ew, fae, why are we even having this conversation right now?”

The taste of copper fills my mouth as I use all of my might to just keep my mouth shut, even though I want to jab a blade into this girl’s neck and make an example out of her.

I really should; it would be a lot of fun, but I don’t want to reveal my hand so soon. If the alternative is them underestimating me, then so be it.

Taking a deep breath again, it works a little better than my last attempt and gives me enough fuel to put one foot in front of the other, side-stepping the group as a whole, but I’m halted just as quickly.

“Fae are as low as they get. You’re going to find yourself very, very, lonely here,” Mr. Vampire grinds out as he stares down at me with a sneer lifting his upper lip.

I feel the snap inside of me as my tongue falls from my teeth, which I bare in what I’m sure looks like a twisted, feral smile that does nothing to make me look good.

“Oh, I can get lower,” I murmur, stepping closer to him this time. A move that makes his eyes widen just a fraction. Good, you know I’m not afraid of you. “When I drop to my knees for a dick worth submitting for, I can get way, way lower.” My nostrils flare as my breaths come in short, sharp bursts. I stare him down, hearing the gasps echo around me at the crude words that fall from my mouth, but this is who I am. Some days containing it is a little harder than others. “Have a nice day,” I add, attempting a sweet smile now, but I know it’s still nowhere close to friendly.

I don’t wait around to find out, though. He gives me an inch and I take it, hightailing it out of there before I utter another word.

SEVEN

ADDI

Gray…is kind of my color, it seems. It makes my eyes look lighter and my hair almost whiter. I kind of don’t hate the academy-issued cloak that now drapes my shoulders, but the purpose and meaning behind it still irritates me.

It doesn’t wrap around me like my black one does, so I can’t wear my dagger-filled waistcoat underneath. I still have a few blades concealed where I can, and my chest is lighter, at least.

Running my fingers over the intricate braid I’ve twisted back off my face, I make sure it’s completely secure. There are a few loose tendrils poking out, but that’s unavoidable with my unruly curls.

I need to leave for breakfast, which means a grand trip to the dining hall. I stopped by yesterday, managing to grab some food and slip back to my room without any further issues, but my gut tells me I’m not going to be as lucky this morning.

Visions of jet-black hair and deep brown eyes flash in my mind, merging with messy brown hair and eyes greener than my own.

I should have kept my mouth shut, but sometimes it’s just impossible. Giving in and offering any kind of response only encourages them further, and I really don’t need the distraction. Hopefully, I can avoid the other origins enough to fly under the radar while stoking fire into the fae I’m with so we can all envision a strong end goal together.

Shaking my head, I set those thoughts aside for now. It sounds complicated, how I need to be and act to have the right impact around me, and I don’t need to falter under the pressure of it when I haven’t even completed the first day of classes.

My gaze drifts to the desk drawer, and I hurry over, wanting to see the letter one more time before I leave. When I returned last night and went through my things properly, I found another heartfelt letter with my name scrawled across it. Only this one was from my father.

Addi,

My love.

You are strong, you are brave, you are everything you were destined to be.

Stay true to yourself, follow your heart, and you’ll make a positive impact on the world around you.

No matter what may follow, I am proud of you, I am in awe of you, I love you.

Don’t forget to prioritize yourself among the madness to come, and don’t worry about Nora and me.

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