Page 119 of The Powers of Nyx

And yet I rolled my shoulders back, spared one last glance at the runes lining the doorway, and entered.

44

IVY

EVERYONEelse might have been able to return to normal after the three mages’ deaths, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Like there was something I was missing.

And I had a feeling it had something to do with Orion.

Everything about him made me wary, his entire presence setting me off in a way no one else did.

Maybe it was fear. He was a terrifying male, if I were to believe Vanya. And I was certainly tempted to. It wasn’t just her word I had anymore. The rest of the academy proved it to me. Orion Black of the Luna Court, their prince and heir, was dangerous. Powerful.

Potentially even a threat. I shuddered, and my magic rose within me. Just like me, it didn’t know what to expect from the Fae prince. The rumour about his dead mate made me sympathetic to him. I couldn’t even fathom it; to try to imagine a world where I lost one of mine made me sick. And I almost had. More than once. I still had another somewhere out there, who remained a constant pressure on my bonds and magic.

So, I couldn’t judge Orion for the steps he took after everything he’d gone through.

But I still wasn’t sure I believed it all.

I pressed my lips into a firm line as Vanya and I left ourHistory of Witchesclass. I couldn’t help but try to seek out the male in question, like I expected him to be stalking the halls. Butof course, he wasn’t there. I wasn’t even sure why I tried, or why I doubted the rumours.

“Everything okay?” Vanya asked, bumping her shoulder into mine. Since finding out about me being the Daughter of Nyx, she hadn’t brought it up. Not asked a single question, despite me knowing she desperately wanted to. The charm was on, and working, a gift from Adrian over the weekend, though she didn’t seem to mind it.

I shrugged as we walked to ourHistory of Nyx & Her Queensclass. The halls were particularly loud today, which didn’t surprise me. There was enough to talk about. The Nyx Ball was coming up in a few weeks. The recent attack on Briarwood Academy. And the deaths of the three mages, to name a few.

“Just…thinking,” I replied softly, clutching my textbooks to my chest as we passed through one of the open walkways between buildings. For the first time in days, it wasn’t raining, but that didn’t mean it was sunny, either. The clouds were dark and heavy, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we were in for more rain later.

Vanya hummed under her breath as we entered the classroom. It was again one of the few open to all species. And just like every other class, I spied him immediately. The Fae prince.

He was surrounded by his usual entourage of Fae from the different courts. Seelie and Unseelie might not get along usually, but here at Oberon, they became a powerhouse together. The girl who usually clung to his side sneered as Vanya and I passed, but she refrained from making a comment.

What made me most curious about Orion, though, was the fact that he had a mind witch at his side.

She looked the part of a gothic witch; she always wore black, even with the uniform, but she never seemed to care about the other Fae around her—only Orion.

Maybe it was just a coincidence. But after everything I’d gone through, was that even possible?

Vanya and I took our seats towards the back of the classroom, near some shifters and Born vampires. Finally, I was starting to pick up on who was who.

Still, though, I had to check in with the others to be sure.

Maeve’s presence touched the back of my mind, as if to remind me she was close. I brushed the bond in return to let her know I was okay.

Vanya sighed and slumped in her seat. “Have you seriously found no one here that tickles your mate bonds?”

I snorted and shook my head. “No, I haven’t.” Unless you counted Hawk and Orion, that was.

The latter seemed to be spoken for. But I had the feeling I should confront him. Get answers directly from the source. Even if he wasn’t who I thought he was, at least he could answer my question ofwhy? Why attack the mages? I would understand if he had problems with them before, or if they’d targeted him after the confrontation. But it seemed a little too pointed to hang them up in the hallway where they’d attacked Vanya and me.

“That’s so disappointing,” Vanya muttered, drawing me out of my thoughts. “Seriously. Not one?”

“Nope.” I shrugged and pulled out our history textbook on Nyx as Professor Devereaux entered the room. The class fell silent, and I understood why.

Of all the professors, he was the most sought out. Not only was he a powerful vampire, but he was also extremely handsome. And he was one of the only vampires in existence to have a familiar.

The little I knew about him made me curious, just like everyone else.

Beside me, Vanya melted a bit. I barely held back a giggle as she rested her chin on her hand. Almost half the class swoonedin his presence, and I got it. He was the literal definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Ebony skin and dark, braided hair that framed his sharp features. He typically wore a black suit every day, and today was no different. His eyes were just as dark, and when he seemed particularly interested in a lesson, his passion showed when they flashed red.

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