Page 21 of Oleander
CHAPTER SEVEN
SKYLER
Ikeep running until I find Gaia, ignoring Ander’s pleas to stop. I’m out of breath by the time I find her, clinging to her small body even though we just met and barely know each other at all.
“Skyler?” Gaia’s dark brows scrunch in concern, and her long white hair glows, reflecting the purple spotlights.
Nerine stands next to her girlfriend and cocks her head at me, appearing cat-like with the elegant swoop of her black eyeliner. Her sharp bob hangs like a glossy black curtain.
I take a second to catch my breath before blurting out the first question hammering at my mind. “What the fuck is that thing on the prince’s neck?”
“A portal,” Gaia responds without hesitation as if it’s the most normal response in the world, and I suppose to her it is.
But I still gasp, completely shocked and not expecting such an upfront answer. “To where?”
I need to know.
“The Mortal Realm.” Nerine answers me this time, wrapping her arm around Gaia and pulling her close.
Hope swells in my gut, however irrational it may be. Hope that Oleander can send me home.
“Only powerful royals have portal runes,” Gaia adds. “It takes strong Earth magic to wield them. Queen Hyacinth gave Oleander that tattoo, and the prince can activate it when he wants.” She sighs wistfully. “Oh, how I wouldloveto go.”
I would, too.And I’m sure Ander knows it. No wonder he didn’t want me to touch his neck.
“Humans arefascinating. Their lives are so fragile and short, it’s tragic.”
I stiffen at Gaia’s careless words, once again reminded that Fae are practically immortal, and my mother isnot.
That’s not something I can think about right now. I can’t handle it.
Gaia continues chatting away, none the wiser to my inner turmoil. “But I won’t get close enough to Prince Oleander to ever earn myself a visit.No way.We arenotfriends.”
“Why not?” Confusion and alcohol cloud my brain, hindering my ability to think straight.
“Well, I’m not really one for gossip, but. . .” Gaia glances from side to side as if someone might be eavesdropping. “His Earth power ispoison. One kiss could mean your last.”
“What?Really?” My brows crease as I try to think back to any time we’ve touched. I guess it’s always been over fabric. And he was wearing gloves tonight. . .
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah. It’s a severe power to wield. A burden. Some say his magic is a curse. It’s why he’s locked himself away since he was fourteen. He nearly killed his first kiss.”
“Holy shit,” I repeat, sounding like a broken record. My heart breaks for Ander and the loneliness he must be accustomed to.
“Yeah,” Gaia sounds saddened by the prince’s misfortune, or maybe it’s for the other Fae involved. “It’s so awful. River was a good friend of mine, and no one’s seen him since. That was five years ago. His parents pulled him from school and moved to adifferent kingdom. Some say they went to the Mortal Realm or the Shadow World. No one truly knows. He didn’t keep in touch.With anyone.”
No wonder I’m rooming with the prince.I’m expendable.If the poor, half-human scholarship kid ends up dead, I guess it’s less of an inconvenience to them than explaining the death of a high-born Fae.
Whatever. I’m still the one living in the penthouse suite. Even if it comes with a risk.
I start to feel uncomfortable with the amount of fucked-up information Gaia just dumped on me. Ander obviously had a reason to freak out and doge my touch, a very good one. But I can’t let him push me away when he’s also got the one thing I need most.
A way home.
I’ll just have to figure out how to convince him to activate the portal for me.
“I think you’ve spilled enough secrets tonight, Gaia,” Nerine chides. “Let’s get back to the dorm.”
