Page 74 of Wicked Heirs

“It’s easy to talk to him about it.”

“I know. It’s where he lives.”

A bashful look came over her face. “Andit’s safe to indulge in aspects of it with him there.”

Hmm.“You feel like he grounds you?”

“Like I can let go a little without dangerous repercussions. Like he absorbs some of it from me and takes it into himself.”

“So that’s why you’re trusting him after what he’s done.” That cleared a lot up.

“Don’t worry, I’m well aware of it. And there’s not instant trust. But I do like having him with me.”

“Well, the fact you were able to stay away after the two of you got carnal says a lot about your strength of will and your good sense. Sleeping with a Dark Fae, let alone the Prince, isn’t something most people can just shake off. Isabella is a good example. It ended badly because of how she is, but even though it was just a casual one-night-stand, she couldn’t let it go for a long time because of that dark allure he has. The fact he likes you back and feels the same with you would make it a hundred times more intense and all-consuming.”

“I needed to give you guys space like I’d promised. And I needed some time to take stock of all the mind-fucks that have been happening lately too.”

“Totally understandable.”

“Yeah. Well, I’m glad it’s done with now.”

“Me too.” I took her hand and held it to me. “More than you know, beautiful.”

13

~Talon~

I’d been sick for the last few days.

That was what I’d told the dean and my professors, so I’d been able to do my work bed-ridden.

Well, I couldn’t actually get sick, but I’d told them that I’d overdone it flying and hurt my wing with my own phoenix fire by mistake in a freak accident.

That had actually happened a few times—injuring myself with my own fire—when I’d first come here barely knowing how to control my powers because they’d developed so late when I was seventeen. I’d only been able to produce sparks before that. And when my parents had died, it had blasted open something within me and I’d come into my full abilities when I hadn’t been ready at all. It had definitely been a struggle.

So they’d bought it.

Really, of course, I’d just needed time to process what I’d found out.

What I’dseen.

It had been bad enough when I’d imagined my parents’ deaths, but actually witnessing them dying through Alena’s memories… it had been something else altogether.

It had kept me awake at night.

It had come at me during my waking hours too.

I knew it would for a long time to come, but over the last few days I had managed to get a bit of a handle on it, to exert some semblance of control.

It had been brutal learning of the truth like that, but I got why Ore had chosen to go that route with me. I wouldn’t have believed it otherwise, even coming from him.

As the class ended, I took my time putting my stuff into my black leather bag, as the students started to head out. It was my last class of the day and I might’ve done a little recon to determine that it was the same for a certain Nephilim too.

It meant there was no rush for either of us.

No more students looking to come in here.

And best of all, no more faculty.

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