Page 111 of Moon Kissed

“But what you’re speaking about is drastic and most certainly concerns the council. Please don’t tell me you’re allowing omegas to take alpha classes?”

“The alpha classrooms are now eighty percent omega. Very popular courses for classrooms that were only half-filled a week ago.”

“Get them now. I don’t care what they’re doing,” she shouted at someone. I wondered if it was Edric’s sister. “High Priestess, this simply will not do.”

“Are you suggesting that I ignore Luame’s command?” My tone told her what I thought of that.

“No. What I’m suggesting is that maybe... possibly... you have misinterpreted Luame’s meaning. I’m certain it is not her wish for her children to spend years toiling away, studying and training for careers and positions they will never get.”

“Why wouldn’t they get it?” I kicked my feet up on my new desk. “If anyone other than me read the school handbook, newly issued this year, it says that the old recommendation system has been done away with. Every student begins at zero.

“Over the years as they complete their tracks, they’ll be ranked and scored against the other students, and those with the highest ranks will be first in line with a top recommendation for their chosen career.”

“Precisely. That’s exactly why—”

“But what it doesn’t say anywhere,” I sliced in, “and I’ve read it three times to be certain, is that the new ranking system is separated by wolf. It only says thestudentsin the track, not the alphas or omegas in the track. And since now that the tracks are mixed, they are all starting at zero, and most points wins.”

“You— That— You are speaking of a typo,” she snapped. “An accidental ambiguity! Students in the tracks don’t have to be clarified by wolf type, but there’s only ever been one wolf type in each individual track.”

I clicked my tongue. “Sunella, I’m very confused by your tone right now. I am merely carrying out Luame’s wishes, and doing it peacefully. Every student who doesn’t wish to abide by the new systems has been allowed to leave. The instructors included. If they’re on board, and Luame is pleased, why would the alpha council object?”

“What we object to is you blowing into Corvin and making sweeping changes without informing a single member of the council. You have much power as the high priestess, but you don’t havethatmuch power. If Luame demands more of Wolf Nation, it is for the council to discuss and deliberate on the best way to bring about her wishes. Your only role is to deliver the message.”

I whistled. “Oooh. That put me in my place. From the goddess’s chosen and mother of a new generation... to delivery girl. What a demotion.”

She sniffed. “And you’ve got a nerve speaking to me aboutpeacefullycarrying out her wishes. My informants, as you call them, have also told me that you blackmailed and threatenedthem all! That’s right after you confessed to the murders of Warren Hall and Holly Fitch, and the attack on Nia Dole.”

“Eeehhh,” I blared. “Never happened. First of all, blackmail is an ugly word. I preferencouragedthem to make the right choice. Second, those knives were obviously headed for me. Nia only got hit because she jumped in the way and hugged me at the last second. Why am I being blamed for someone else’s botched assassination attempt on the mother wolf? If you ask me, we should all just be glad neither Nia nor I died.

“As for Hall and Holly, what I actually said, while under the promise of telling only the truth, is that I did not kill Holly or Hall, nor do I know who did. But I do know why they died.”

“You— Wait, excuse me?” Real surprise raised her tone. She wasn’t expecting me to drop more honesty on her. “You know why they were killed?”

“Well, I don’tknowknow. Not more than anyone else. All I know is that the killer left clues at the scene. Something about destiny.”

Something clattered on the other end. I assumed it was a chair falling over. “What did you say?”

“Destiny.” I was very proud of myself for the innocence I put into my words. I truly missed my calling as an actress. “The first message left where Hall was murdered saidDestiny. The second saidDestiny is known. Destiny is dead.”

“Oh my gods,” she whispered.

“I’m guessing those two did something. Something very bad to this Destiny person,” I chattered on. “Maybe even killed her if the second message means what I think it does. And—”

“Why was I not informed of this? I was told nothing of these messages!”

“Whoa, that’s not my fault. I’ve been the headmistress for less than a week,” I reminded. “I have no idea why Dagem didn’t tell you the killer was leaving messages, but maybe it’s the samereason why she just put more security on me instead of calling in the police to investigate. She assumed I was behind everything, and didn’t bother seeing beyond that.

“The good news is now that I’ve taken over, I have called the police. They’re on their way right now to begin a proper investigation into the murders of Mr. Hall and Holly.”

“No.”

I arched a brow. “No?”

“No,” she repeated. “The secret police are on their way to conduct a proper investigation into what has been going on in that school. Makena was given a lot of leeway in how she ran the academy, but this is beyond the pale. To not inform us of this— I simply can’t believe her,” she snapped. “We will be taking charge from here—both in finding the killer and running the school.”

“Ahh, fired already,” I moaned. “But I thought I was doing such a good job.”

“You knew this was coming. You are twenty years old and a student of the academy yourself. You wouldn’t be qualified to run it if Makena had named you her successor.”

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