Page 99 of The Cursed Fae

Finally, the lockdown lifted and students could roam freely around the grounds as long as we stayed on campus. I figured Tina would leave for dinner, but she didn’t seem interested.

“I’m going to grab food,” I said, throwing a few of my books in a bag. “You good?”

She glanced up from her phone. “Yeah. Sure. I’m not hungry.”

I slipped out of the dorm room and headed toward the astrology attic—the only place I could count on for some privacy. Even with that goal, a part of me deflated when I arrived and found it empty; I’d clutched at a wisp of hope that Archer might be around.

Not that I wanted to see him. He was a judgmental asshat, and I couldn’t deal with that sort of energy in my life. Phone in hand, I flopped into a hammock and dialed Lena’s number. Not until I saw her smiling, tanned, non-fanged face would I relax.

But the eerie smile that greeted me didn’t belong to my best friend.

“Hello, Winter,” Mat said, his eyes twinkling behind brown contacts.

Panic made me bolt upright. “Where is she?” I demanded.

He flashed his pearly white fangs. “Lena is fine.” His expression sobered as he leaned closer to the screen and lowered his voice. “Thanks to your stunt today, she’ll remain that way for the evening.”

I dug my nails into my palm and let the pain steel my nerves. “What are you talking about?”

“That shielding spell was impressive. Even my powers couldn’t penetrate it,” he continued, as though I hadn’t interrupted. “You are learning.”

There was no chance of me admitting the entire fiasco was a huge misunderstanding. Particularly not if this bit of improvement kept Lena safe another day.

“Why is it so important I learn to use my magic?” I asked.

Mat considered the question before shaking his head. “That is not your concern. My patience is wearing thin. Though you’ve finally made progress, know the clock is ticking. For both you and Lena. You have until the Four Moons.”

My hands shook and my voice quivered. “To do what, exactly?” I asked.

“Open a portal,” he said, as if it was both obvious and simple. “From Arcane Landing to your old house on Night of Four Moons.”

“You want to trade? Me for Lena?” I asked.

“No, no trade. If you open it, she will never see me again.” He shrugged. “You, of course, would have to explain to her that the supernatural world is real.”

That was truly the least of my concerns. My ability to make a portal worried me. With Archer’s help, I’d managed a small window into my great-grandmother’s house, five miles away. How did Mat expect me to learn such advanced magic that worked long-distance in—when was Night of Four Moons?

Another question occurred to me—where was Missy while Mat was answering Lena’s phone?

“It’s a date,” I told him, relieved to hear the icy edge in my tone.

He waved his long, pale fingers at the camera and disconnected.

My heart felt like it might pound right out of my chest and fall on the floor. Imposing a deadline had ramped up the stakes and made the situation dangerously more real. I needed to talk to Missy—asap. I focused on my ghostly friend to summon her to the attic. Then I heard the shuffle of feet.

The knot in my stomach tightened as I looked up, fully expecting to see Archer. Someone else had found me instead.

“Who were you talking to, Winter?” Laz demanded.

I jumped down from the hammock. “How long have you been standing there?”

He at least had the grace to blush. “Long enough to know that asking you to the formal would be pointless. You already have plans.”

It took me a minute to process the comment. Night of Four Moons—the date of the initiation and the gala. A coincidence?

I released a deep breath, pushing the thought into the large stack of questions I’d filed away for another time. The pile was dangerously close to collapsing.

I squared my shoulders and shrugged. “So, you understand I need to learn to make a strong portal immediately.”

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