Page 75 of Finding Closure

We filed in, and it was fucking annoying to have to endure that amount of camera flashes when I knew more people were taking pictures of me because they thought they had a viable excuse to instead of the people they were actually there for. It really ruined the experience and vibe.

Had I really expected any less?

I guess asking for everyone to behave and grow up really was too much too fast. Pity.

Edelman gave a great introduction and congratulated us before introducing Izzy. He also made it a point to say that the top three spots were all held by women and he was pleased to see the turnaround over the recent years and the intelligent womenof our society pushing themselves to shine instead of accepting the roles others deemed appropriate for them.

That was going to get him an earful later, but I loved it. Seriously.

Izzy’s speech was just as she said. She thanked the people who were instrumental to her achieving her goal of graduating and with a high ranking. She named me specifically but also Anya White and Dean Pillay among others.

Then she talked a bit about how she was proud she’d broken away from her family who had the wrong mentality and beliefs and found others with the beliefs she had. She admitted it wasn’t easy, but she was proof that it was worth it and the grief that came with it because she was going to have the job and career she’d never thought possible.

Instead of being married off like property by parents who thought they owned her like an asset because they’d given birth to her. She urged others to do the same—male or female—and wished all of us happy and healthy futures to make the world better for the next generation.

It was a great speech. Really and truly, and I could feel the true hope and well wishes for everyone.

Which made the councilman who spoke after so much worse. He wasn’t remotely as bad as the sexist, racist assholes I’d taken out or locked up, but veiled sexism and racism was still sexism and racism.

And the several comments about people making wrong decisions that could still be changed and fixed when sanity hit them again werevery clearlyabout Faerie and them wanting me as their queen. There were enough hints about different values and too much power to mistake what he was talking about, but how often he focused on me or the commanders made it really clear.

But then he continued to drone on about just bullshit and nothing.

I glanced at Edelman, and he looked like he was chewing on glass and so annoyed. So clearly, this guy wasn’t his choice.

When I saw steam about come out of Onas’s ears, I caught on. This asshole would never get an audience with me, so he threw his weight around to speak at my graduation where I was a captive audience.

Ohhellno.

I turned on my telepathy and focused on the guy, letting all the fairies hear me as well.“Hey, tiny dick, I didn’t even remember your name. You’re rambling to deaf ears because we only value the opinions of people who have any value. Pathetic is throwing around your very tiny power to come speak at my graduation. Seriously? That’s your big move?

“We’re all talking in our minds and handling important matters. Stop annoying the poor graduates here with your crap and embarrassing your species—whatever it is—and sit your stupid ass down. Your poor mate. Does she have to put up with listening to your nasally, whiny bitch voice? Nails on a chalkboard are better. Do you have like a point yet?”

I pissed him off and distracted him long enough that it was obvious that he’d tripped over his speech. He was staring daggers at me and I just sat there smirking.

“Yeah, go ahead, call out the leader of Faerie for calling you a pathetic, tiny dick asshole but only in your head. At my graduation? Oh, I don’t think many will believe you anymore. A few years ago maybe but now? That doesn’t seem likely.”

“Councilman?” Edelman said, having hissed it at him a few times.

He cleared his throat and nodded to Edelman. “Sorry, yes, I was distracted.”

“I’m sure that happens when you give a new speech last minute instead of the one sent to my office that the school board approved,” he replied, his tone tight.

Oh damn. Wow, this guy really was stupid because Kyle Edelman was someone people shouldn’t make an enemy of.

And I said as much in his mind and told him that I was going to keep talking until he shut up and sat down. It worked, and he wrapped up and huffed off the stage.

I was pretty sure everyone in that auditorium knew it was me or at least fairies from the amusement coming off of me.

There were a few more things to handle including announcing those of us who were graduating with high honors and such. I bit back a groan and forced myself to stay awake.

Well, at least that answered whether graduations are still boring whether you’re the graduate or just someone attending. Seriously, why are they so fucking painful? Getting waxed wasn’t this much torture. I’d rather go back to that instead of using runes and never have to attend another graduation. And people asked me if I was going to do more schooling?

“Tamsin, you’re talking in all of our heads still,”Neldor cut in, his amusement leaking over as well. I knew he’d been able to do it because we were mates but… Whoopsies.

I glanced over at him and let everyone hear us.“I’ll show you how humans wax their legs and body like I used to and you can tell me it’s not as painful as this ceremony. Next time I say I’m skipping and I don’t care about things like this, please listen to me.”

All the fairies looked ready to burst out laughing as the first group was called up to accept their diplomas. I cut the connection so we could focus, but I saw Neldor tap his temple.

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