Page 60 of Faerie Gift

Let me just dig my hole a bit deeper…

I had no choice. If I had to get my hands dirtier, then I would, because I refused to end up as Kendrick’s bitch. I’d fight for my freedom and damn the consequences.

Leaves was swearing at no one in particular, dragging his hand through his hair in an attempt to calm down, and I wasn’t sure whetherhewanted to kill me first or Professor Arlena. She’d taken a step closer, getting in his face. Leaves still had a hand on my shoulder to keep me in place and I felt the tension from his fingers.

Instead of breaking his hold, I placed my hand over his and reached out to touch the chaperone as well, then reached to take hold of their minds. Their energies.

Both of their minds were a jumble, hers a buzzing mess of yellow and violent orange, Leaves’s similar yet colored with the navy haze of exhaustion.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I told them in a hush. Pushing further to harness their energy and make it my own, to mold it into what I wanted them to believe.

“Nothing wrong?” Professor Arlena didn’t sound convinced. “Are you kidding me?”

I shoved harder; I couldn’t allow her to stop me before I finished. “You didn’t find me breaking into your chambers. You didn’t see me in the halls tonight. When you pass me in the school, you won’t recognize my face as anyone other than a student at the Academy.” I turned my attention to Leaves. “You never saw me tonight. I never came to your door and you and Professor Arlena never spoke.”

He quirked his head to the side, his eyes darkening. “I never saw you?”

I shook my head. “You didn’t see me. You got up because you thought you heard a noise but it turned out to be nothing. You got a drink of water and then went back to bed. Both of you go back to bed and sleep until morning. A deep sleep, so you will wake well rested. Tonight was a normal night with nothing happening out of the ordinary. Do you understand?”

Breathing deeply, fighting against my hands shaking, I could feel my energy lagging, draining after expending so much of it without the proper practice. If I didn’t pull back soon—

No, I had to do this. I had to make sure what I wanted them to believe about tonight actually stuck. If there was any doubt left in either of their minds, then I’d have a lot of explaining to do.

And I’d never be able to come back to this place.

When neither of them answered me, both staring, I gave a final panicked shove against their ancient minds. These two fae were much older than me, older and wiser and more powerful.

But I was in a life or death situation. My grip on them both tightened.

“Neither of you saw me tonight. You both had a relaxing evening full of restful sleep.” Then I repeated, “Do you understand?”

Please don’t let me scramble their brains.

Both Leaves and the chaperone woman nodded.

“I understand,” they said at the same time. Like robots.

Their minds calmed, and when I took a mental look at their energies again, both displayed a relaxing shade of green lined with navy. Much better.

I accompanied my final manipulation with an extra push of magic strong enough I nearly went down on my knees. Locking them to remain standing, I said at last, “You both go back to sleep. I wasn’t here. You have no memory of me tonight.”

Then I bolted. I had to get out of therefast. Sweat dripped down my forehead though my hands felt clammy. I stumbled against the wall and clung there, trying to catch my breath.

Shouldn’t have done so much.

Of course I shouldn’t, but I did what I had to do, and when obstacles rose, I moved them out of the way.

My lips curled in a wicked grin.

It didn’t make me feel any better. Instead, a shot of cold pulsed through me. Fear at being discovered for the manipulation.

With the deed done, I trudged back toward my dorm. I felt awful—not just over Nora, but now over what I’d done to Leaves and Professor Arlena. I didn’t have any idea what kind of side effects this kind of manipulation might have on them. After all, I wasn’t supposed to be doing big magic yet. This was years ahead of my curriculum. And who was to say what I’d done would stick permanently?

I’d passed my first exam on cognitive manipulation. So what? What if I ended up hurting them or the spell broke in a matter of days or weeks?

If anything bad happened, I’d never be able to forgive myself.

Uncle Will can’t find me.

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