Page 116 of The Powers of Nyx

This time, Vanya snorted. “You lucky woman. So, four mates—well, technically five. Next Queen of Nyx. And you’re stuck here with us. You must be having so much fun.”

“Apparently, it’s a rite of passage. Spending a term or two here is important, according to Queen Greer, in getting me acquainted with those I’ll rule beside.”

“And find any bonus mates, I’m sure,” Vanya replied, grinning. “I’m surprised you haven’t met anyone here. This is theplace of power. I would say Orion, especially after...everything, but he doesn’t have a mate.”

Curiosity spiked within me, and I leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

The grin turned secretive as she also leaned forward. “Rumour has it, Orion Black had a mate, once upon a time. One he doted on. They’d even completed the bond—hence his superiority. But she died tragically. It tore him apart and turned him into the blood-thirsty monster he is today. He’s stuck in an arranged marriage with a Fae Princess, apparently.”

Bile rose in my throat as I sat back. The story was tragic—rumour or not, I couldn’t imagine what it might be like to find your mate and then lose them. The thought of my mates dying made my magic furious, my heart stuttering in my chest.

And yet...something about it didn’t sit right within me. Maybe it had something to do with my earlier theories, the ones I’d wanted to bury. But something about it didn’t make sense.

I didn’t say any of it aloud, and tucked it away like everything to do with Ry.

“Anyway, it’s probably for the best. His father is extremely vocal about the separation of Faery and Avalon. It’s a wonder he hasn’t positioned for the rebuilding of their academy, but who knows.”

More information I had to tuck away. Maybe I’d ask Hawk about it. He was half-Fae, after all. And he could probably explain the nuance to me. But based on the history I did know, there was a lot of bad blood between the line of Nyx and the Fae.

“So,” Vanya drawled, “who else do you have?”

“Elias,” I stated. “He’s a wolf shifter. Actually, all four of my mates were part of the team who found me in the first place.”

“That must have been so romantic.”

“You could say that,” Rowan interjected, throwing the dorm room door open, entering with Maeve hot on his heels. “I mean,Iwas certainly in love with her the moment we ran into each other on that busy street. She, however, could not get rid of us fast enough. Right, baby?”

My cheeks went from warm to hot and I ducked my head. But from the floor, Vanya laughed.

Maeve locked the door, her eyes finding mine.I wish you had told me you were going to tell her,she said, striding over to me.

Sorry, I replied, scooting back so Maeve could sit beside me.But I trust her. And she already suspected. Better she knows from me, rather than telling everyone else.

I could tell she agreed, but Maeve still pressed her lips together. She moved one arm behind me but turned to Vanya. “You understand you cannot talk to anyone about this.”

Vanya sobered, and she nodded, pink hair bobbing. “I do. Really. I would never betray our future Queen.” Despite the assurance her statement gave, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that she only saw me as that: the future Queen. Maybe it was a little far-fetched, but I’d hoped she would have seen me as a friend.

Maeve seemed happy with that answer, though from the other side of the room, Rowan watched me, his lips pursed. He didn’t say anything though. But he must have sensed my thoughts—or at least, the trajectory of them.

“When Adrian arrives, you’ll be bound with a charm, just in case,” Maeve explained. “This will act like a glamour, to keep you from speaking about this around anyone that isn’t us.”

“Of course,” Vanya replied, her eyes flickering from Maeve to me. “Thanks for telling me. I understand how hard it must be, with everything going on, but I’m here.”

I offered her a smile as she rose. “Thanks, Vanya.”

The witch grinned. “Don’t thank me quite yet. This just meansI’mfriends with the new Queen. Come on. You might be themost powerful person here, but I’m powerful by association. I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early forStrategies of Power.”

With that, Vanya left my room, closing the door behind her. My stomach dropped at her departure, at the conversation that was likely to be had now that we were alone.

I tucked my hands into my lap as Rowan crossed the room. I waited for some kind of comment about telling Vanya the truth, but instead he dropped to his knees in front of me and took my hands. “I was really worried about you,” he murmured, lacing our fingers. “Fuck, I really wasn’t ready to feel that but I’m so sorry you had to witness what you did.”

“I’m okay,” I said, squeezing his fingers. “Really. It was a shock to the system more than anything. I really wasn’t expecting to find them...dead. Especially not there. You all warned me this place would be dangerous. I accept that there are people here who will kill for...power. I just—”

Maybe it was the human in me. From what I could feel through the bonds, they weren’t surprised by the death. Not even by the way the bodies had been left out, like a warning to anyone else who might oppose the killer. They were worried aboutmeandmyreaction to it all. My body lit up from knowing they worried. They recognised that this wasn’t normal for me like it was for them.

But I also couldn’t ignore the fact that I wasn’t as...torn up about it as I should have been.

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