Page 21 of Angel Lost

“I knew it. I knew I saw something else in that vision. Not only are you our—”

“Give it up, Zephyr, he’s not one of us,” Chano growls.

Zephyr flings himself back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I know what I saw.”

“Wake up,” Val hisses in my ear, and I start, surreptitiously wiping drool from the corner of my mouth, and from the desk. I stare up at the whiteboard. This is my last class before…My heart pounds and, suddenly, I’m wide awake. Less than twenty-four hours left before my week is up. And I’m no closer to a way out. I drum my fingers on the desk.

“How can you lack rhythm that badly?” Val grumbles, clamping her hand over mine.

“I have slightly more pressing things to worry about,” I hiss back, yanking my hand away, staring straight at the professor. Shit. He’s finishing up already. I have no notes. None.

Val pats my arm. “You have to suck it up. Kai didn’t do anything wrong. Talk to him. Ask for help.”

I scowl, packing up in a rush and turning my back on her and her stupid smirk. Why does she have to be right?

What I thought was a breakthrough is really a dead end. The Angel King has kept married and unmarried aethers alike, bonded Aeternums, disfigured supes, young girls…Nothinghas put him off. Nothing except weak aethers, or those unable to give him heirs. So, short of surgically removing my ovaries or my aether, we’ve hit a brick wall. Again.

Val’s words are on repeat as I trudge toward Kai’s dorm, pointedly ignoring the grumbling trailing behind me. The guys don’t need to like it, they just have to accept it. They didn’t even have to come.

I pound on Kai’s door, sneaking a glance at Farrell out of the corner of my eye. This must be weird, standing outside his old room.If the AngelKing can get his fae nephew the best room on campus, then maybe they’re closer than Kai makes out…

The massive oak door swings open. Kai stands in the doorway, a pencil tucked behind an ear, his hair up in a man bun, a few loose purple strands framing his face. My fingers twitch to tuck them back.

“Did I throw a party and forget about it?” he drawls, leaning against his door post.

“Party for one,” Farrell snaps, grabbing my elbow. “This is a mistake.”

I plant my feet and wriggle out of Farrell’s grasp. I can swallow my pride when I have to. I open my mouth…but the words dry up.

Kai taps a finger on the wood. “Here to feed?”

Behind me, Chano growls.

“You’re not allegiance,” I blurt.

Smooth. Real smooth.

I swallow and try again. “No matter what Zephyr thought he saw. You’re not allegiance.”

Kai stands straighter, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Okay.”

“You might even be the enemy,” I say.

His eyebrows hit his hairline, and he laughs. Actually laughs. “Your enemies save you often, do they?”

Still laughing, he steps back, gesturing us inside. He slopes down the hallway toward his living room. Farrell’s paintings stare back from the walls as we traipse after him.

Chano elbows Farrell in the ribs. “Didn’t pack your shit when you moved, Farrell?”

“No. Dean made me a deal—my hoard for my school fees,” Farrell growls. “Mine and Zephyr’s fees. Said the Angel King would appreciate the…furnishings.”

Oh shit. His stuff. He had to make his dragon leave all his stuff. Farrell loves his extravagant dragon art, the stupid sculptures, the tableaux of the ancient rulers. Loved it. When he could afford it. And now he can’t evenafford school, apparently?Dammit, Lorelei, you need to start paying more attention.

Chano pulls a face and claps his shoulder. Farrell takes a couple of deep breaths, smoke trickling from his nose, and I edge away slightly.

Kai looks over his shoulder. “These were your rooms?”

Farrell merely grunts.

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