Page 59 of The Cursed Fae

Smooth, Winter, I thought, cringing internally. I was so transparent, I should've bathed in windex.

Laz shrugged. “That's the rumor. Wild, right? First there's a vamp that uses magic, and now this. Maybe the legends are true.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Wait, you remember seeing the one on the beach use magic?”

“Huh?” Laz scooped eggs on his plate. “Oh. I didn't see it myself. You said he did, and I believe you.”

Something about his tone made me edgy. Then I considered his original statement and felt downright queasy.

“What do you mean the legends are true?”

“Hey, Winter!” Astrid called, bumping people out of the way to catch up with us as we stopped at the coffee bar. “Hi, Laz. Have you guys heard about what happened at the pier?”

And that was how most of the day went—everyone whispering back and forth about the wolf-vampire. I listened and absorbed every scrap of gossip, even the more outrageous claims. Someone said he turned into a bat after shifting into a wolf, and that was how he escaped. I overheard another conversation saying the hybrid ran because he feared some royal fae cousin.

It seemed Nana Essie and the other Gemini elders showed up after the vamp had already fled. This must have been the reason she'd called in the middle of the night to ensure I was safe.

Of all the students who claimed to witness the spectacle firsthand, most were probably exaggerating for attention. There was one person I kept an eye on, though. One who said nothing, but had red-rimmed eyes, dark circles, and none of his usual snark. Ewan didn't have the shell-shocked expression that Tina did, but he looked like he'd seen some shit. As much as I wanted the details from someone who wasn't likely to embellish, I couldn't find a tactful way to approach the subject.

In between every class, I called Nana. She sent me straight to voicemail each time. When I tried the house phone, it just rang. My mother also refused my calls.

Seriously, why was my family so bad at the communication thing?

I saw Tina after dinner, back in our room. She offered a tight-lipped smile but said nothing about the previous night. Neither did I. If I didn't get in touch with Nana or Mom, I would reconsider bringing it up.

“Hey, I'm just going up to the astrology tower to study,” I said as I stuffed books in my backpack.

Tina sat at her vanity, applying a variety of creams to her hands and face. “Ew. Why? It smells like mothballs up there.”

“Yeah. Sort of. It's quiet, though.” I adjusted the straps on my bag and started for the door. “Anyway, that's where I'll be if you need anything. Just call or send a text, and I can be back in a few minutes.”

“Okay, whatever,” Tina replied with none of her usual disdain.

I tried Nana and Mom again on the way to the astrology tower. No answer. At least my nightly check-in message to Lena received an immediate response. She had the night off and was going to dinner with friends.

That was good. The more time she spent around other people, the harder it would be for a vampire to attack her without creating a scene worthy of a viral video. Did the immortal creatures show up on camera? Or was it just mirrors that didn't work with them?

Archer and I had planned to meet at nine for my next lesson on dimensional magic, which gave me an hour to hit the books once I got settled in. Somewhere in Wars of the Fae, there had to be a reference to vampires using magic or shape shifting.

My tutor wasn't there when I arrived, but someone else occupied the room.

“There you are,” Missy declared, flipping her legs over the side of a hammock to stand.

“I was wondering when I'd see you,” I said, dropping my bag on the floor. “Did you hear about last night?”

Missy wore silk lounging pajamas and fuzzy slippers, her long dark hair in two braids that hung over her shoulders. “Only the whispers around the graveyard.”

My brow furrowed. “You hang out in the graveyard?”

“No. I was kidding. Don't be morbid. I've been in California watching Lena like you asked. She's fine, by the way.”

I held up my phone. “Yeah. I just messaged with her.”

Missy put her hands on her hips and looked at me down her nose. “And yes, I heard about the eternal wolf.”

I made a face. “Are we really supposed to give monsters cute nicknames?”

Missy rolled her eyes. “It's not a nickname. That's what he is. Well, technically, an eternal protector. Same thing, though. More importantly, he's the vampire that killed Nate Ames.”

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