Page 11 of Angel Lost

Kai grimaces, then shrugs and blows me a mock kiss. “You’re just comfortable talking to me.”

I roll my eyes, biting back a response as the portal flickers again. Five minutes after Chano, exactly. Of course Farrell is on schedule. When is he not?

Zephyr appears first, tossing his hair, a perfectly turned-out Farrell on his heels. A far cry from the last time I saw him. I swear the man’s shoes are so shiny they’d freeze a medusa.

My gaze traces slowly upward, taking in the crisp uniform trousers, the immaculately cut suit, the academy tie. How someone with curls like Farrell’s can look like they don’t have a hair out of place I don’t know…but he manages it. He holds himself stiffly, glancing this way and that. Our eyes meet and my breath catches in my throat. I take two quick steps forward, but Farrell’s already moving away.

My jaw drops. My allegiance are idiots.

A small frown mars Zephyr’s brow, and he catches Farrell’s sleeve, tugging him down to whisper in his ear. Seamlessly, Farrell switches direction, sweeping me up in a hug. His head dips to my hair and I hear him breathe in softly. Then he’s pushing me away. Again.

“Got to convince the rebels we’re together,” he mutters, offering a tight smile. He drops my hand as if it’s on fire. He scans the surroundings before meeting my gaze again. “Don’t worry, I’m not a fan of the pretense either. On the plus side, there’s no angelic welcoming party. My illusions must be holding.”

He marches off, one hand on the hilt of his dagger, Zephyr in tow.

“Well, they seem utterly charming,” Kai says in my ear. “You don’t need enemies, do you?”

“Sometimes I wish you’d keep your inside thoughts in-fucking-side your head,” I snarl and stalk away.

For once, neither Kai nor Jess follow.

Shutting my dorm room door, I pause, my back to the room. If I don’t turn around, I can’t see how empty it is. If I don’t turn around, Naeve could be sitting in her chair, needles clacking away. Tap tap tap. Annoying the shit out of me.

Naeve would step in. She’d tell the boys off, bash our heads together. How is this allegiance going to work without her?

A rhythmic knocking against the wood makes me jump. I snatch the door open. Val’s fist stops mid-knock, less than an inch from my face. She grins wickedly, shoving past me into the room, flinging herself down on Naeve’s empty bed.

Val shouldn’t be there.

“Well, that was a shitshow,” she says, smirking up at me.

“Yeah, the fae are barely here and they’re causing problems,” I snap.

Val hauls herself up to sitting, grabs a pillow, and hugs it. “Oi, half fae here, remember? Anyway, Kai wasn’t wrong. Your allegiance are worse than enemies.”

Something in my face must give away how close I am to tears, and her eyes widen. “Okay, new topic.” She reaches over and pats my arm awkwardly. Naeve would just have hugged me, whether I wanted it or not.

Val yanks open my minifridge, reaching inside before I can stop her. She pauses. “Are you aware you have several people’s worth of blood in here?” she asks. “And no beer?”

I wrinkle my nose. “No beer? Disaster.”

“Seriously, Lorelei…what the hell?”

“Chano.”

She stands, hands on hips, and waits me out.

“He’s been sending it all summer. No note. No sorry for banishing you. Nothing. Just his blood.” I scowl. “Like I’d actually drink it when he’s been such a dick. Nope. Found my own solution.”

Val dips her head to peer into the fridge again. She pokes at the bags. A wicked grin creeps over her face. “Maybe you should just return to sender?”

I stare at her without blinking. Chano’s room, decorated in blood…

It doesn’t take long. The hada cart the packages off with a degree more glee than I was anticipating. The tiny chaos makers even agree to open the bags in his room and fly around with them…It’s really just returning his property. Kinda.

Val clears her throat. “How about I move in here? You need someone onside when those idiots are being…idiots. So, most of the time.”

She keeps talking but the whooshing in my ears drowns her out. “No.”

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