Page 107 of Group Studies

“We’re watching Spider Man one of these days,” Beryl crossed the room in a rush and kissed me again. “I promise I’ll use your magic wisely. Later, Dot.”

I hated the sound of my door closing behind Beryl. I looked away before I could dwell.

Saffron pulled me close once more and kissed my neck. “I should probably go check on Mercedes. Do you think it’s safe to let her out if all the MA are in the cafeteria?”

“Ah, Probably?” I shrugged “Why are you asking me?”

Saffron answered by kissing me again before he slid out from behind me.

“Why don’t you two join me?” Saffron asked, motioning to Sandy and Roisin.

I frowned. “You’re leaving me too?”

Saffron glared at Ashe, who slightly inclined his head.

“For now,” Saffron leaned down and put his hand on the back of my head, pulling me in for a bruising kiss. I sank into it before remembering I’d told him he had a lot to make up for.

I pulled away first. “I’m only kissing you because you have my magic in you.”

Saffron shook his head as if he didn’t believe me and herded my friends toward the exit. With many goodbyes and waving from Roisin, the sound of my door closing echoed with terrifying finality.

I scowled at Ashe as if he’d orchestrated our sudden private moment. Instead of scowling back, Ashe’s face fell. Still seated on the floor, he bent one knee toward his chest and rested his head against the wall.

“When I woke up,” he said. “I panicked. Kids and agents filled the fuck’n medical wing. Ram could’ve been dead next to me for how pale and still he was. If it hadn’t been for Nurse Norah’s assurances followed by Beryl’s text, I would’ve taken this miserable gray castle apart looking for you.”

“Ah,” I said, suddenly feeling awful for not messaging him.

“Check Beryl’s fucking phone,” Ashe narrowed his eyes, “the pic he sent is hot as fuck, though I’m still adjusting to seeing you with other guys.”

I started to laugh but swallowed it. As much as I didn’t want naked images of me floating around, I trusted Beryl. If he sent it, he’d found a way to keep the message private.

“I’m not mad, Kitten.” Ashe brushed his hand down his beard. “Fuck, maybe I am. I have moments of being fucking livid.” He captured my gaze. “You took me out of the picture. You left yourself exposed. If you hadn’t used your magic, you’d be Ram’s zombie right now, and there’d be shit all I could do.” His piercing gaze bore into me, sending shivers over my skin. “That’s what fucking destroyed me….and you were right. I knew the people harassing students. It goes against what I stand for, what I thought the MA stood for.”

He blew out a breath and pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets. “How much shit did I fucking miss because I blindly believed in one thing?”

I didn’t know how to answer him, so I didn’t. His gaze unfocused. His words sat heavy between us.

“I’m the only MA agent fucking exonerated from all of this. Officer Keres has set up a mini office in the cafeteria. He’s put together evidence and is taking statements from harassed students. The agents loyal to you guard the cafeteria doors. I’m the only one able to come and go. It’s fucking chaos.”

Ashe shifted to the couch and cupped my cheek. “What’s your next step?”

I put my hand over his. “What do you think I should do?”

He shook his head, his beard waggled from side to side. “What I fucking think doesn’t matter, Kitten. At the moment, you control the entire Goddamn Institute. You control Officer Keres. You kicked the Director out of her own office so you could fuck on her desk. You control Beryl and, by extension, the empire he’s created. Saffron asked you if it was safe because he knows you’re it right now. If you were anyone else, I’d worry you fuck’n orchestrated this in a diabolical plan to take over the world.”

I frowned. “I don’t control Beryl.”

Ashe dropped his hand from my face. “Don’t fuck’n do that. Beryl stopped everything he was doing for you. He’s into some illegal shit, but he might be the best of us.”

I bit my lower lip. “Fine, I have some degree of influence over Beryl.”

“A, you are at a fucking crossroads. You can march down there and make more of those fucking purple crystals and take full control, or you can go down there and join the people making the decisions. Maybe help carve out a new future for the Institute.”

I swallowed. “Why would they listen to me?”

Ashe pulled me into his chest. “Fuck, you’re so painfully naive it hurts, Kitten. Because of everything I said and sheer fucking power. It’s how the mage world works.”

He released me, but I kept my slightly pulled forward position, our legs touching.

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