Page 64 of Shattered Illusion

“Why are we stopping?” I inquire, wanting more than anything to go lie down. As much as I need to attend my other classes, they’ll have to wait for another day. I justcan’tanymore today.

She snorts, a very unladylike sound. Hell, if I didn’t already know that she’s a wolf, I’d think she was a happy piggy ready to go for a tumble in mud. “You didn’t think I was going to carry your ass all the way to your room, right?”

“Umm, no?” It comes out more a question than an answer, earning another snort from the damn one-person peanut gallery. “But if you’re not going to, why pick me up in the first place?”

“Oh, that?” She waves a hand. “Shock factor. Make that fucker think you’re more injured than you are. Maybe he’ll think twice next time steam-rolling someone like that.”

If she had even a small inkling of the pain coursing through my body, she’d know that I’m a hell of a lot more injured than what I look like on the outside. I’m not sure my magic is strong enough yet to heal so much without knocking me unconscious first. Hopefully, Marion will return to class quickly so I can startthe attempt, and if I pass out, fingers crossed I wake up in time for my first class of the morning.

Marion throws my arm over her shoulder and her arm bands around my waist, letting me lean against her as we hobble toward the dorms.

In the wrong direction.

Shit.

“Mare, my room…” Dammit. “My room is in the opposite direction.”

She shakes her head, not changing direction. “You must be turned around. The only thing in the other direction is the faculty wing.” I remain silent, and she quickly picks up on the fact. “Ohhhh… yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

I don’t know what she thinks makes sense, but I don’t have the time or the breath to ask before she turns us around, and I limp toward my room.

A groan rips free from the depths of my very being as Marion deposits me on the couch. Everything hurts. It feels like bruises on top of bruises litter my body, and I’m even more confident now that I won’t be able to heal them all. There are just too many.

Marion travels around my dorm room, peeking behind doors and checking out my fridge, but she still hasn’t questioned why I’m living in the faculty wing. Anything could be going through her head right now, but I bet it’s nowhere near the truth.

“Ah, man. This room is awesome.” Marion’s voice floats out from my bedroom, reverence thick in her tone. “I want a circle room. Too bad the bed isn’t a circle, too. Think of all the funstuff you could do on it.” My face heats at the implications of her words. The bed doesn’t need to be in a circle for all the fun things that could happen. It’s just drawing up the nerves to invite one of my guys to said bedroom.

Persistent, obnoxious knocking starts at the door, getting louder and harder by the second. My limbs ache as I try to get up from the couch to answer it, but I drop back down with a groan, wiping the sweat dotting my brow with the back of my hand.

“Mare-bear! Someone’s at the door!”

“Awwww.” I screech as she coos in my ear, not having heard her come back into the room. “I love that nickname. But I’m not a bear.” I snort. No shit. “But I’m keeping it. Don’t you dare change it.” She wags her finger in my face before heading to the door to find out who it is.

“Can I help yo—hey!” Two overbearing men shove her out of the way, beelining straight for me. “You idiots can’t just barge your way in here."

“Lu… Thaddy… What are you guys doing here?” And what the hell are they doing together? Do they know each other?

Luka snorts as he eyes the blue fae next to him, obviously realizing that two and two make four and this is the man I called Thaddy.

“I heard what happened, sunshine, and got here as quick as I could. Are you alright?” Luka raises an amused brow as Thaddeus crouches in front of me, reaching tentative fingers toward whatever bruise may be pushing to the surface. “Have you tried to—” His eyes widen as he catches himself before admitting that I can heal myself. Luka may know that already, but Marion knows nothing. Not that Thaddeus is fully aware of who Luka is.

“Not yet,” I murmur with a pain-filled whimper, trying to reposition myself on the couch.

“Tried what?” Marion looks around at all three of us, trying to figure out what she’s missing.

“Nothing, Mare-Bear.” I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile.

“We appreciate your help getting her back here, but shouldn’t you be getting back to your classes?” Thaddeus asks, redirecting the conversation.

“And you are?” she inquires, propping her hands on her hips. “I’ve never seen you before, and now it’s like you’re trying to kick me out of my bestie’s room. You,” she points at Luka, “I remember you. You’re cool. But you,” that finger swings back, “are an unknown.”

I can’t help but giggle at her attempt to put Thaddy in his place.

He gawks at her before pulling himself together and shaking off her words. “Professor Winterton. The portal professor.”

Marion’s lips part, making one impressive O-face. “Sorry, Prof. Yeah, I’ll go. You all good, Bails?”

“Awww,” I coo, mimicking her, “I love it. My dad called me that.” Marion scrunches her nose, making me laugh. “I’m good. I know these two yahoos.”

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