Page 99 of Wicked Heirs

Motherfuck.

As I walked in, I took in Talon sound asleep on my couch, sprawled out all over and the blanket now on the floor.

I walked over and snatched it up, then draped it over him and tucked him in.

I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “Sleep well, sweet boy.”

I made my way out to my garden on the balcony, something I often did when I needed to re-center myself or to calm down when emotions I didn’t care for tried to afflict me.

Just like right now with all the subterfuge.

Guilt and regret.

It was for the greater good, though.

For everyone.

It had to be done.

That was all that mattered.

All that I should allow to matter.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. It didn’t make it any easier, though.

And in my worst moments, I hated it with a vengeance.

18

~Alena~

The corridors were crowded with students rushing to their next classes.

I strolled hand-in-hand with Xavier as he pressed close to me on my right side, while Talon walked beside me on my left.

For our part, we’d just come out of ourMatter Manipulationclass with sorcerer Professor Callum Cornwell, and we had a couple of hours before any more classes, so we were headed to the cafeteria to grab something then eat in a peaceful area of the quad.

“So, how come I’m not getting any looks or shit from the faculty about being around you?” Talon asked me.

“Because of the restraining order they enforced against you,” Xavier commented with a withering look at him. He hadn’t been happy about that, to say the least, especially not about Talon’s attack on me.

“It wasn’t exactly a restraining order.”

As they went to argue about it, I cut in before it could get started, “I took care of it.”

They both eyed me in surprise.

“I told them it was no longer necessary, that you weren’t a threat, and that it had been a major misunderstanding.”

“You did that for me?” Talon asked, looking really touched. “Is that why I’ve been able to return to my classes? I thought it was something Orpheus had done for me.”

“I didn’t want you to be punished unduly. I also attacked you right back, remember?”

“A warranted, defensive attack,” Xavier said. “Except for the iron weapon part.”

“X, I said I’m sorry to her. And I am. Nothing like that will ever happen again.”

“It better not,” he grunted.

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