Page 25 of Dragon Unleashed

Lady Tenebrae’s footsteps halt. A small spark lights the far corner of the room and cigar smoke drifts to my nostrils.

“Maybe you’re right. We’ve got the rest of term to work it out. We’ll monitor her allegiance. If she’s strong enough to share her aether with them, it won’t be pretty. They haven’t the ability to wield it. Not even Farrell. A powerful outburst of aether magic could kill any one of them, or worse, grab the attention of theAngel King. She could ruin us. But, if tonight’s anything to go by—” She interrupts herself with an unladylike snort.

“The Virrey will be pleased if she’s reached the ceiling of her powers,” Silas says loudly.

Wait. Why would the Virrey be pleased? He wanted me to train extra hard, to hone my element.

Lady Tenebrae makes a dismissive sound. “Oh, Silas. You know it won’t make much difference. If sheistoo powerful, he’ll just tether her. Keep her as a puppet.” She pauses and I hear her take another big inhalation as her shoes clip toward the door. “She’s got value either way.”

“She’s a joke of a royal,” Silas mutters as Lady Tenebrae marches off toward the main door. I peek out just as he glares straight at my hiding spot. My breaths come in little puffs, and I have to force myself not to move an inch.He can’t see you, Lorelei, it’s too dark.

His footfalls stride after the professor.

Crap. They’re not teaching me, they’re monitoring me. Of all the stupid things not to realize. The Virrey didn’t tell me the whole story. Of course he didn’t. Thank the goddesses the allegiance is a mess. If I weren’t so completely drained by all the fuckery going on, I’d have shown her my cards tonight. Iwantedto impress Lady Tenebrae. But it sounds like she’s the last person I need knowing just how powerful I am. Barring the Virrey himself.

Tether me, my ass. Not if I can help it.

Chapter Twelve: Lorelei

Chano’s still angry; we both are. But I won’t be a hypocrite. This could put the others in danger. Farrell can burn in the seventh circle of hell for all I care, but Naeve and Zephyr? They deserve to know. What if they accidentally pull on my aether? What if they lose control? They could die, or bring the Virrey’s rage down on us. Or even draw the Angel King’s attention.

Now, standing in front of Zephyr’s door, I’m not sure I can do it. I lift my hand to knock but hesitate. I don’t reallywantto see them.

Chano reaches over my head and pounds on the door and I jump.

“You want to do this, chica, then let’s do it. May as well make an entrance.”

He raises his fist again, grinning malevolently. The door swings open and Chano misses Zephyr’s face by a hair’s breadth.

Zephyr’s expression is priceless, outrage and hope all bundled into one.

“You better come in, Lorelei, and bring the brute.” He turns on his heel. “Naeve, Naeve. Look who the jinn dragged in.”

“A giant, judging by the banging.” Naeve’s head pops around the corner. Instead of launching herself at me, like I think she’s going to, she just clears her throat and folds her arms.

“Oh great, everyone’s here,” Farrell says, walking out of Zephyr’s bathroom, smoothing his already immaculate curls.

I back up into Chano. He squeezes my shoulder.

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea, chica, not with cold-blooded snakes in the room.”

Naeve’s lip wobbles. Any moment now she’s going to cry. And Zephyr’s obviously uncomfortable. He glances rapidly between Farrell and us. Farrell himself is unnervingly calm. He settles at Zephyr’s small desk, throwing his feet up on it.

“Maybe Chano’s right. We need to talk, but maybe it can wait.”

Naeve wrings he hands. “It’s okay. It’s a first step. We can’t expect you to trust us, yet.”

Farrell stifles a cough.

She glares daggers at him. “We can’t expect you to trust us after—” Zephyr’s phone pings and Naeve stops midsentence. “Goodness gracious goddesses. Notanothermessage, Zephyr. She’s a grown woman. Can’t she go more than two minutes without messaging her teenage lover?”

My eyes widen as Zephyr goes a shade of pink and fumbles with his tablet.

He grunts. “I’m a grown man.”

“She shouldn’t be having relations with a student,” Naeve says.

So, he’s still screwing Professor Allegra. What happened to one and done? Zephyr stares at his screen before sighing and turning it off. He throws it onto his bed.

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