Page 34 of Heir of the Beast

I start to panic.

“I am finding out right now,” she says, eyes narrowed in anger. Mort starts to blink, and she is still able to type in her invisible computer with her left hand. She growls. “I knew it.”

“Knew what? What happened? Did we do something wrong?!” I ask impatiently.

“Yes,” she sighs. “Leenie, Laura’s agent, knew it was us and feels threatened. I guess she can sense Apollo’s infatuation with you.”

It takes me a second for my brain to get up to speed. “Wait, slow down. You think Apollo is infatuated with me? And how is that related to this?”

I’m smart enough to know he thinks I’m cute, but infatuated?

“I do. He has been since the moment he saw you,” she says, and keeps typing. “You had Pierce singing hallelujah in my earpiece, and by the way, that man has a horrible voice. So, thanks for that.

“Not that I would ever botch a mission just so Pierce would shut up, but I thought about it.”

I raised a brow at her. “Focus.”

“But Apollo’s attraction for you is a red alert for Leenie. She is a very sore loser; trust me. When she plays, she is out for blood.

“In our world, it’s a very big deal when our team wins. A showcase of talent and rank. If I were to guess, this has something to do with that, which is not good.”

“Oh please, we did not do anything bad.” I continue, “For crying out loud, I was attacked by dogs! What could they possibly say to get us in trouble?”

I feel my anger boil.

Mort gives me a dry look. “Clearly, you lack a sufficient imagination.”

I didn’t want my mind to go there. “What did Pierce say?”

Mort shrugs and tilts her head back against the cold wall. “He is unable to tell that confidential information about another player. But he did say it does not bid well for us.”

“Isn’t competing against each other like this making things worse? Going against Fairy Godmother’s cause? Like, if Apollo really is into me, wouldn’t this tamper with that?”

“No,” Mort says flatly, and starts to blink again.

“Fairy Godmother Inc. believes in competition, and that pushing someone to their limit will produce the best version of themselves—or the worst. They want to see true colors.”

I frown.

“They want the one person who rises above the challenge to be a worthy individual who has what it takes to rule beside an alpha-male figure. She must overcome obstacles and fight back.”

She glances at me. “We learned that in our training.”

“Well, geez, if you put it like that.”

If Fairy Godmother Inc. likes the competition, then I need to up my game. I was an athlete in high school, so I understand how a little competition can bring out the superhero in you.

We both tense as we hear footsteps coming down the stone stairs, followed by the clear sounds of the metal door being unlocked. I grab Mort’s hand, and she squeezes it.

The headmaster, of all people, saunters in, her long dark gown looking malevolent with all the shadows it casts. She must be here to tell me what world of hurt I’m in for.

“Aw, there they are,” she says, and I am surprised acid is not dripping from her lips. She looks like a wolf and is followed by gruff-looking guards

“What have we done, headmaster, to deserve this?” I ask meekly, head lowered.

I can hear the swish of her skirts, and she kneels in front of us. “Raise your head, slave.”

I do, and I am greeted with pure revulsion in her dark gaze, her lips chapped and pale.

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