Page 26 of The Cursed Fae

I considered approaching Astrid with my questions, but getting her alone proved difficult. That left me with Laz. During our tutoring session, I started to broach the topic several times, but couldn't find the right words. After our heartfelt talk about Laz's brother and Ray, it felt wrong to pump him for details on depletion.

Dinner that night was lasagna, salad, and breadsticks. I found I was ravenous after a long session of magic practice. Morgan, Astrid, and Belle ran off halfway through our meal, leaving me alone with Fern. We had little to talk about. Of all my new friends and pseudo-friends, I knew her the least. She was the last person I wanted to know how little I knew of the supernatural world. I didn't trust her yet.

A distraction joined our table before the silence became too awkward. Unfortunately, the distraction came as the one person I'd been actively avoiding all day.

“Your posse off to vote on their newest minions?” Ewan asked, opening the ranch packet for his salad with his teeth.

At first, I thought he was talking to me. Fern rolled her eyes and said, “Why do you care?”

“I don't.” Ewan drowned his lettuce in the creamy dressing. “But I know you do, cuz.”

“If I wanted to join a society, I would have.” Fern crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. “Unlike you, people like being around me.”

Ewan laughed. “You got it backward. People like me just fine, I don't like people. I didn't say you wanted to join just any society. I said you wanted to join the—what's it called again? OMG Society?”

I laughed in disbelief. “There's an OMG Society? Is there a WTF one too?”

Fern frowned at me. “Omega Society. And I repeat, Ewan, why do you care?”

“Come on, Fernie. Us Taurus need to stick together.” Ewan flashed her a ridiculous smile that looked like a villain from a comic book.

“I'm only half Taurus. Mom is Gemini,” Fern said, clearly annoyed by the conversation.

“And your dad, my uncle, is a Taurus.” He pointed toward her with his fork, sending a spray of ranch at me. “A fact you should be really happy about right now.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Fern shot back.

“Oh, come on. Two deaths in Arcane Landing, in Gemini territory, aren't good optics. You'd be smart to cling to those Taurus roots right now.” Ewan shoved lettuce in his mouth and continued talking while he chewed. “Shit's about to hit the fan.”

“Whatever. You see doom and destruction in everything,” Fern said with a toss of her hair. Despite her attempt to hide it, there was a panicked edge to her normally snotty tone. She stood and picked up her tray. “Come on, Winter. We don't need to listen to his conspiracy theories.”

I hesitated. This was the situation I'd been avoiding, yet curiosity kept me seated. What did he mean Missy's and Ray's deaths were bad optics for the Gemini? According to most people, their deaths were accidental. Did others believe there was a murderer roaming campus?

“Whatever. Suit yourself,” Fern said when I didn't move, and then she stomped away.

“You two always get along so well?” I asked Ewan. My tone was light despite the accelerated beating of my heart.

“Believe it or not, usually much better. She's just uptight because she wants to be part of this school's version of Skull and Bones. She's also probably a little bitter you're a shoo-in.”

“Because I'm a Sable?” I guessed, since that seemed to be the standard answer for everything.

Ewan shrugged. “Yeah. But if you want my advice, steer clear. It's just a bunch of bored assholes hazing a bunch of desperate wannabes.”

“Wow. Snobby much?” I asked, finishing my last breadstick while eyeing Ewan's pile of them.

“Call 'em like I see 'em.” He tossed a breadstick onto my tray. “Drooling is not an attractive quality.”

I rolled my eyes and tore a chunk off the end of the breadstick. “Don't judge me. Speaking of calling them like you see them, what did you mean earlier about the recent deaths not looking good for the Gemini?”

Ewan set down his fork. “It's never great when a supernatural dies in another group's territory. Bad for public relations.” He took a long drink from a water bottle. “But I was really just screwing with Fern. Casters are bottom of the barrel in the supernatural hierarchy. Their covens demanded answers about Ray's death, but the fae don't really care. And no one loses sleep over a hybrid dying.”

His tone was matter of fact, possibly a little bitter. Not that I blamed him. The bias in the supernatural world was strong, something I was just now learning.

“Still, two deaths in two months? The Gemini, and the university, look negligent. At best.” Ewan leaned back in his chair. “Better get used to the politics if you're going to be a part of this world.”

I chose my next words carefully. “Do you think there's a link between the deaths?”

His eyes narrowed. “Now who's got conspiracy theories?” Something over my shoulder caught Ewan's eye. “Better run along. If you want to keep on Lazlo's good side, don't let him catch you with me. He’s pissed enough I’m friends with his sister.”

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