Page 10 of Angel Lost

“Okay, how would you deal with “friends” trying to keep you safe, like a princess?” I ask.

“First, I’m not sure I’d suit a dress. Although I’d try out a tiara.” He does an exaggerated twirl, then curtsies. “Second, I don’t need anyone’s approval. I do what I want, whatever they think of me. If I’m ever really lost, I ask the voice in my head. But that mostly ends in someone else’s vicious death. Mostly.”

He winks and shrugs, drifting out of the room as the nurse enters.

The voice in his…What the actual hell?

Chapter Four: Lorelei

Slipping on the damp grass, I race Jess toward the portal. I skid to a stop beside her, Kai on my tail. My breathing is even, measured. We’ve trained all summer to get to this; I’m barely out of puff. Despite that, my pulse races.

The boys are arriving for the start of term, and satyr shit, I’ve actually missed the assholes. Not that I’ll tell them that. Naeve was always the glue, dammit. Always smoothing things over between us all. How did she do it?

The stone arch of the portal glints dully in the morning light, a straggly dog rose growing up the outside adding to how innocuous it appears. It could be any old garden ornament on any posh estate. Only the oil-slick shimmer gives the magic away. I wipe my sweaty hands down the front of my shorts, tucking a flyaway wisp of my white-blond hair behind my ear.

“Stop fussing. You look beautiful,” Kai whispers, and I smack his arm. I shouldn’t have had so much fae wine. Spilling my guts to Kai of all people…not cool.

The surface of the portal swirls.

The first Maverik through the arch is Raff. I smile cautiously and he grins back, waving wildly. Chano appears, and my stomach clenches. His huge frame fills the arch. His uniform is already raked at such an angle that it screams bad boy. His shirt collar is undone, tie loose, sleeves rolled up over bulging biceps. Chano strides toward us, glancing at Kai before his gaze settles on me. He nods.

He fucking nods, then turns away.

I clench my fists at my sides.

Kai throws an arm around my shoulders. “So, this is the guy?”

I nod miserably.

“This is your Aeternum?” he says, and his volume cranks up a notch. “The one who banished you? Who’s been ignoring you?”

I step quickly away. “Shh, Kai!”

Kai folds his arms across his chest and if anything, he talks louder. “Your Aeternumandyour allegiance? And this is his greeting?”

I cringe. No, no, no. That is not common knowledge. Damn fae wine to the seventh circle of hell.

Chano whirls on the spot, stepping up into Kai’s space. “Watch that sneaky tongue, fae,” he snarls. “Or someone might cut it out.”

Kai smiles a slow, manic grin, his nose only just level with Chano’s shoulder, then he pats Chano on the chest like you might placate a toddler. “Now, now, big man. Just pointing out you got a girl here some would kill for,” he drawls. There’s no hiding his threat.

Fuck.

Behind me, the rest of the Maverik students start to argue among themselves, voices raised. Double fuck. They move away from the portal, gesticulating, shouting, and throwing accusing glances back at Chano.

Chano glowers down into Kai’s upturned face, and Kai winks. With a growl, Chano swings to me and pecks me hard on the lips.

“I have to do damage control,” he snarls. “We’ll talk about this later.”

He strides after the gang, fists bunched deep in his pockets. Jess bounces on the tips of her toes, eyes wide. I groan, scrubbing my face before elbowing Kai.

His expression softens. “What?”

“I should never have told you Chano was allegiance. His gang didn’tknow, you—”

Kai taps the side of his mouth with the tip of his dagger, eyes darting after the vanished Maveriks. I can almost hear the cogs turning. “They didn’t know…Why would they not know?”

“It’s complicated.” I shake my head. “And fae wine is traitorous.”

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