Page 88 of Gemini Wicked

My dragon senses this silent confrontation and roars his defiance. A spark of fire flares in Zephyr’s commanding stare.

I am no telepath and neither is he. But, in that moment, that Dark Fae leans forward with a sudden fierce focus. A silent message hums between us like an electrical current.

This dragonrider king is… challenging me.

He is challenging my dragon.

My beast spreads his wings and all but splits my skin. If he rises now, this upstart will roast.

“Sucks to be Seelie, I guess, huh?” my Zara says. Her tone is casual, but she twists in her seat to give me a thoughtful look. Clearly she is sensing my turmoil through our mating bond.

Zephyr draws his slim knees to his chest and perches his chin. “’Tis worth stating that the ancient war between our Faerie races is over. That period is, as they say, history.” A small secret smile curls his lips. “These days, we Unseelie quite like our Seelie kin.”

Now, surprisingly, it is Mallory McSnicker who snorts. “Doesn’t sound like the Seelie return the favor, mister. Maybe they’re not that quick to forgive?”

“Oh, that depends on the Seelie.” Zephyr looks like a cat licking cream from his whiskers. I know this is because Zephyr and Ash, the Seelie Prince he abducted, are lovers.

Mallory whispers something under her breath that even I, with my shifter senses, cannot catch. No doubt this is because I am distracted by another powerful whiff of Zara’s delicious scent as my sovereign shifts in her seat.

She too is thinking about Ash and Zephyr.

And her thoughts, all too plainly, are arousing.

“The Exile was clearly an ordeal for both Faerie races,” Lucius says in a guttural voice. He too is affected by our queen’s arousal, but he is determined not to show it. “My question for you, Your Radiance, is a simple one. Now that the portal between your world and ours lies open once more, what comes next for the Dark Fae?”

Zephyr wraps his arms around his updrawn legs and pulls in a slow breath. Truly, he lectures like no other professor—visiting or otherwise—that I have ever seen.

“Some say this new era will herald our return. ’Tis why the scholars are calling this time, under my reign, our Renaissance.” Zephyr’s cold face turns toward Zara and darkens with a brooding intensity. “But that will depend on my queen.”

As if on cue, the deep gong of the church bell resonates through the ancient walls.

All around me, chairs scrape and pages rustle as my classmates snatch their belongings and rush eagerly to their feet.

“Don’t forget to stop by the student commons before next period.” Lucius raises his voice to be heard above the clamor. “Final examination announcements from the Dean are now posted.”

“Oh, fuck,” Zara mutters, scooping up her backpack and shoving to her feet. “Guess that’s where I’m headed.”

Already Ronin looms at her side, with his back turned pointedly to Zephyr. My mate’s tawny face is set in a thunderous scowl and his topaz eyes are murderous.

Needless to say, I plant myself to stand shoulder to shoulder beside him.

Still, I keep a wary eye trained on the Dark Fae, who is conversing with an intrigued-looking Lucius near the podium, but whose assessing gaze is narrowed on us.

Clearly, for the moment, my rival male must wait.

Now that Zara’s own rival for the witching world throne has come to the Icarus Academy to challenge her, the student commons is where we will find Cleopatra Aquarius.

Chapter Seventeen

Zara

“I feel like I’m gonna hurl,” I mutter.

I know, I know. That’s the kinda TMI my guys probably don’t need right now.

But it’s how I fucking feel. I’m standing in the doorway of the deconsecrated church that’s our student commons, with Ronin and Max looming protectively at my shoulder, all of us staring at a wall of turned backs. A bunch of my classmates huddle intently around the old-fashioned bulletin board in a spill of colorful sunlight under an arch of stained-glass window.

Fuck.

---