Page 47 of The Cursed Fae

Laz kissed me on the cheek outside the dining hall. Astrid gave me a finger wave, and then the two of them headed toward the dorms while I went to answer questions about something I knew very little about.

Chancellor Keene sat behind his enormous oak desk, dressed in a suit and tie even though it was the weekend. He was alone in the office, without the fae council who'd showed up to talk to the other students. Then again, the chancellor must've figured Nana already spoke to me. Which she hadn't, of course.

As I sat across from Laz's father and waited for him to say something, I wondered if that was the real reason for the summons. I'd been so concerned with my questions for my great-grandmother that I hadn't thought it strange she didn't ask me anything other than the source of Laz's injuries.

“How are you finding Arcane University, Winter?” the chancellor asked.

It felt oddly like the short run of therapy sessions I'd attended after hitting puberty.

“It's... different,” I said. “But I'm meeting people. Your son and niece have been very welcoming.”

“Glad to hear it. That is wonderful.” The chancellor offered me a political smile that didn't venture to his eyes. “Which is how you came to be at the cove on Friday night, is that right?”

I shifted in my seat, suddenly finding the chair too hard to get comfortable.

“Yeah. Your son Laz invited me.” I cringed. “Obviously, you know Laz is your son. Sorry. I don't know why I'm so nervous.”

He chuckled and leaned forward in his desk chair. “You aren't in any trouble, Winter. That's not why I asked to see you. We—the fae council and I—have been speaking with everyone who was at the party. Again, no one is in any trouble. We're just trying to figure out what happened. Vampires in Arcane Landing are highly unusual and extremely dangerous.”

“I understand, sir.”

“Good. Now Lazlo says he was the first to see the vampires arrive. Is that how you remember it?”

The flash of fear in Laz's gray eyes shot through my mind. “Yeah. I think so. We were standing down by the water.”

“The vampires came by boat, correct?” the chancellor asked.

I really wanted to ask why he bothered asking the questions if already knew all the answers. But I also wanted the interrogation to end as soon as possible, and copping an attitude was more likely to have the opposite effect.

“Yes, sir. By boat.”

“Do you recall how many boats there were?”

“Um, not sure.” I shook my head. “Six? Seven? I don't know. I guess there could've been as many as a dozen. It all happened so fast.”

The chancellor studied me for a long minute. His voice was lower and more musical when he asked, “Do you know how the vampires breached the wards, Winter?”

I thought back on the conversation between Mom and Nana, where my mother had demanded to know the answer to that same thing. Then I thought about the one question Nana had asked me, about Laz's injuries. She knew the vampire on the beach—the one from California—could use magic. Had she told the chancellor that?

“No, sir. I don't,” I lied. Because I finally understood why Chancellor Keene had asked to meet with me alone. Why the fae council and Nana Essie weren't there to hear whatever I might say. For whatever reason, my great-grandmother didn't want the others to know about the magic-wielding vampire.

The chancellor nodded like he'd expected as much. “Was there anything that struck you as unusual about the attack?”

This time, the lie came effortlessly. “Honestly, sir, I don't have anything to compare it to.”

“No, of course not.” He laughed good-naturedly, though nothing about the conversation was remotely funny. “Just one more question for now. Where'd you learn such an impressive bit of magic?”

“You mean the shielding spell?” I tried to gauge the chancellor's reaction, just as he'd been doing with mine. Unfortunately for me, he had a much better poker face. “I really don't know. I just reacted.”

That part was true. I hadn't meant to do anything that night. My only thought had been Laz and the danger descending upon him. Except... that wasn't quite right.

It was Archer. Seeing him was the catalyst for my logic-defying feat of magic. I hadn't spoken to him since. Was it possible Archer knew what the hell happened? Did the chancellor ask him the same questions?

“Of course, of course.” Chancellor Keene sat back in his chair. “We'll continue to investigate the matter. I want to personally assure you there is nothing to worry about, Winter. Vampires won't be getting through our wards again. You are quite safe here in Arcane Landing, and particularly on campus. If you have any concerns, don't hesitate to speak to me. My office door is always open to you.”

“Thank you, sir. I'll remember that.”

Laz paced back and forth in the hallway outside his father's door when I exited the office. His head shot up, smile strained.

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