Page 39 of King of Forest and Fur

“I knew it. You almost called him by his first name earlier,” Chaniel said, pointing with a huge smile. “The looks you two shared, the familiarity of your posture. You and the king. Don’t try and deny it.”

This was exactly what Leila knew would happen. She resigned herself to sharing everything, well, mostly everything with the other woman. There was little point in hiding it now. Hell, Chaniel would have had enough for the rumor mill even if Leila had remained at the castle.

“I wasn’t just helping him with the investigation. That crazy man who stormed the academy came there for me,” Leila said. “He wanted me to use my powers and go back in time to change something.”

“Can you do that?” Chaniel’s examining eyes took on a different sheen. It was an unheard-of power.

“When he tried to take me, I kind of did, taking both of us and Rehn to the past, we think.” Leila shivered thinking of that moment. “Still don’t know how to exactly control it well but it happened.”

“That could be dangerous in the wrong hands, disastrous,” Chaniel said. “Glad the king, or Rehn as you call him, found his villain. Now, I want to know how you got your man.”

“Of course, you only want to hear about that.” Leila shook her head. But still her heart fluttered at the thought of her bear shifter. “Nothing would have happened without Yaldred, you thought she was my bodyguard. Rehn asked me for dinner the night I got here. I thought it would be a feast and I’d just be one of many guests, then Yaldred came with maids each carrying different gowns, dressing me in silks and satin. I brought the dress with me.”

“Oh, I need a fashion show when we get back to the academy.”

“I’ll probably need help getting into it before the fashion show,” Leila said. “But that will probably be the only use I have for it. Not like I’ll wear it to a class or anything.”

“Your man could come back to the academy and sweep you off your feet. How can you run off on the king of all people?” The very idea seemed to shock Chaniel. “He is quite the looker too. I bet he had all sorts of endurance.”

“I’m not talking about that.”

Leila frowned at her old friend. Chaniel flashed a mischievous grin then furrowed her brows in dramatic confusion.

“Why wouldn’t you want to talk about that? I was just thinking he must be quite the athlete. I bet he could run for miles.”

She fell into giggles at Leila’s dropped jaw. Her laughter only grew when Leila pouted. At least talking to her had gotten her to forget that longing to turn around and rush back to the castle, even as every moment took them farther from it.

“You are as incorrigible as always,” Leila said.

“And you wouldn’t have me any other way,” Chaniel replied.

All the way back to the academy, Chaniel tried to pry more details from Leila’s lips. She got little. Leila wasn’t one to kiss and tell, and she and Rehn did a lot more than kissing. When they got closer to the academy, seeing it in the distance down the road, she found herself smiling.

Her time at the castle was something she’d never forget, but the academy would always have a special place in her heart. She learned so much here, taught up-and-coming sorcerers, and made so many friends and acquaintances.

Right inside the gates, Xanthus stood, leaning on his staff with his thick robes waving in the wind. He smiled widely at Leila, giving a nod to Chaniel.

“It gladdens my heart to see you return to us, Leila,” he said, then motioned toward a couple of grooms. “These men will take your horses. I am eager to learn of what you have achieved. Come, my study awaits with comfortable chairs and mulled cider after your journey.”

“We’ll have that fashion show later,” Chaniel said, nudging Leila.

“I can’t wait,” Leila replied before leaving her friend to follow her mentor to his chambers. She had a lot to share with him.

TWENTY

REHN

“She what?”

The moment Rehn heard that Leila had returned to the academy, his bear roared with agitation.

“She left with her friend who had come here to read the spell work,” Yaldred replied. She looked ashamed.

“You couldn’t stop her?”

“She was determined to go.”

“Shit!” Rehn hissed through his teeth.

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