Page 62 of Veiled

“They are some pretty awesome friends, see you guys kept me away from guys my whole life and I could have had friends like this,” I joked, peeved about what Derrick and his friends were saying but grateful for people like Jensi and Luca. It wasn't like I couldn’t handle myself, but still it was nice for someone else to have my best interests at heart.

“What are you talking about? I heard the word guys and you in the same sentence and I wanna kill someone now,” Hunter growled.

“I’m with him- you didn’t need any other guy you had the perfect ones the entire time, and their leader took your virginity,” Zane added. I rolled my eyes and passed them my phone so they could see the chat messages. Hunter tossed back my phone and was taking deep breaths while Zane pinched the bridge of his nose. I knew how they felt, fucking scum bags.

Ryder and Grayson were whispering, “Who told him he was the leader? Did we draw straws or something? This is total bullshit - I want to be Batman,” Ryder said.

“Batman is shit; I’m totally Nacho Libre.” Grayson said, Ryder laughed.

“You guys are ridiculous - everyone know that Deadpool is where the fuck it’s at. I’m the female Deadpool. You guys are my minions.” I scoffed and Remi laughed.

“I’ll just stick to being Fae, that way I can cast spells on the minions,” she chortled.

“That’s the wrong fucking movie. Deadpool doesn’t even have minions. That’s the guy from Despicable Me,” Ryder pointed out.

“I don’t care! You’ll be my minions and I’m the female Deadpool, I decided. You pussies wouldn’t last a day being a superhero!” I laughed. Grayson put the popcorn to the side and turned to face me. Ryder got up on his knees and crossed his arms. It would look menacing if it wasn't sexy.

“Take it back, little girl,” Gray rumbled, seriously sounding like a pack of rocks falling.

“Nope!” I squealed and jumped up when Gray went to grab me. I tried to escape over Zane's lap.

“Protect me, you’re my first love. That’s, like, your job isn’t it?!” I demanded as Grayson started to tug on my legs.

“First love huh? I know I love you, so when were you going to tell me you loved me?” Zane smirked. I stuck out my tongue and screamed as Grayson and Ryder both tried to wrestle me off of Zane. I mean seriously, no loyalty. We fought and wrestled, Hunter playing referee since he tried to peoples’ elbow Ryder and was put on time out. So, he pouted on the couch while Remi recorded this for what she called, “Faerie Prime-time TV.”

We fell into a gasping heap on the bed. I laughed as Hunter picked me up and settled me between his thighs, and Zane settled between mine, with Gray and Ryder on the other side, all of them rubbing some part of me. It felt amazing and I sighed.

After a few quiet moments,curiosity burned, and I figured we should talk about everything we learned. “You know what I don’t understand in all of this? How was I even going to be put into power with this Nici bitch having had power over the Seelie for three hundred years and god knows how long with her own court?”

“The thing is, she isn’t technically the current Unseelie Queen. There is a queen presiding there in an official capacity; Nici just had a lot of followers. Anyone who dissented and crossed back over to official Unseelie territory is killed. She is pretty much now going to be fighting two battles on that front. The distraction was useful for us,” Remi responded.

“So, wouldn’t that mean the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Couldn’t we combine forces or something?” Remi frowned as she mulled that over.

“Not exactly…” she said hesitantly. “Realistically, fighting with them would look as bad as what I did, except it would make you look as if you are taking power to have an alliance. I don’t think it would be looked on favorably.”

“Well, that is just stupid, you would think people with that ridiculous amount of knowledge and power would understand the need for alliances. I’m sure Nici has made alliances in all this time. We are literally two hundred years behind her if we consider when she found out about the prophecy. I’m sure she planned it well. I’m walking into what’s supposed to be the last movie and adding a few more; I’m essentially the Faerie personification of the Fast and the Furious movies, just adding shit and confusing everyone.” I grumbled.

“Fae and the Furious,” Ryder laughed, and the guys rolled their eyes.

“What’s bugging me is where the hell does the dean come into play here? He was sent to help bring you back, right? So why was he so interested in your strength or display of powers,” asked Grayson.

I frowned, “What do you mean? If I’m supposed to be queen, wouldn’t it make sense to see how strong I am?”

Grayson thought for a few, “Yes, in theory. Regardless, there were too many variables. It would have been a major move to rely on two people. Remi and Alvor would have needed help- trusted people to be able to bring you back safely and avoid discovery and fend off possible attacks. Call it a hunch, and no offense Remi,” she nodded her head in understanding and he continued, “but I don’t think that the Prince, having kept you safe and secret all these years, would suddenly trust Remi, Alvor and a bunch of foot soldiers. Friendship or not. So there had to be another angle. Maybe to draw someone out?”

Hunter and Remi sat up a little straighter, “I mean, logically, anyone they sent or trusted could be used to double cross the Prince and kill Hudson for this Nici bitch.” Hunter tapped his chin, deep in thought. “Maybe he planted a few people here to watch over and make sure shit was done right?”

“Yeah, but who the hell could be planted? Realistically, Hudson just got here. She couldn’t have gotten close to anyone that fast, especially not someone new like the freshman.” Ryder said, catching on.

“So, they would have had to be here for a while, which means she hasn’t been too much of a secret for too long. Maybe something was intercepted? Someone overhearing? Someone close? There are too many questions, but it all leads up to someone having more knowledge than they were supposed to. Someone that has to be at this school that wasn’t Remi or Alvor,” Grayson mused.

“Here’s the problem with that- me or Alvor would have recognized someone we knew right away or had known previously.” Remi tossed in.

Hunter rubbed his head, “I hate to say it, but Logan has been going on and on about the origins of magic, and he wasn’t wrong. So, wouldn’t someone like the evil bitch of the west use her knowledge to infiltrate? You said it yourself Gray, anything could’ve been intercepted or overheard. It’s been two hundred years; she must’ve been planning.”

“I can ask Kalen?” I picked up my phone and shot him a quick text. He responded back quickly.

Kalen-Yes, technically. That will take an extraordinary amount of dark magic, not only to change a person but to be able to get by Alvor and Remi undetected. It would mean you are in more danger than I thought. I’m coming back from my perimeter check.

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