Page 6 of Faeheart
The moment I threw open the door to my room, I saw Caden standing there, his tongue halfway down Atlas’s throat.
“Well,” I muttered, just shaking my head as I stepped inside. “I see nothing’s changed between you two.”
“Wild!” Caden cried, tearing himself away and wiping his mouth quickly. “You’re back!”
“I see you are too,” I smiled, pulling him into a hug. “And as slutty as ever.” I glanced up at Atlas over Caden’s shoulder, holding my hand out to shake while Caden squeezed me. “You gotta watch out for those quiet ones, am I right?”
Atlas shook my hand, his grin wide. “Yep. I can’t tell you how many times I got tied up with vines this summer.”
I let out a gasp of surprise as I pulled Caden back by the shoulders, looking him in the eyes. “And you’re kinky now, too? Who the hell are you and what have you done with my old roommate?”
Caden’s face flushed a deep crimson, spreading down his neck and disappearing beneath his collar. “It’s not… I mean… we weren’t?—”
“Oh, you absolutely were,” I laughed, throwing my bag onto my bed. “And good for you, honestly. About time you learned to have some fun.”
Atlas wrapped an arm around Caden’s waist, pulling him back against his chest with obvious possessiveness. “He’s been full of surprises this summer.”
“I bet,” I said, studying them both with new interest. There was something different about Caden beyond just newfound confidence and his mate bond with Atlas. His magic felt... stronger somehow. Wilder. “So, are you going to tell me about these new abilities everyone’s whispering about, or do I have to guess?”
Caden shifted uncomfortably, his fingers unconsciously twisting together. “It’s complicated.”
“Everything interesting is complicated,” I pointed out, settling cross-legged on my bed. “Come on, we’re roommates. Spill.”
Atlas and Caden exchanged a look, some silent communication passing between them. Finally, Caden sighed and held out his hand, palm up. With barely a whisper of intention, a small vine sprouted from his skin, unfurling delicate leaves as it grew.
“Holy shit,” I breathed, leaning forward. “That’s not minor nature magic anymore.”
“No,” Caden said quietly, letting the vine wither away. “It started when Atlas and I finished the mate bond. But when he…” Caden paused, lowering his voice. “When Atlas became my familiar, everything just sort of exploded.”
“Caden Cromwell,” I muttered, grinning mischievously. “You know familiar bonds like that are forbidden here!” I paused, giving him a wink. “I’m proud of you.”
His face turned bright red in embarrassment. “Well, it’s not just that either. It turns out I’m not a full-blooded Cromwell either.”
“What?!”
“Yep,” he nodded. “Apparently I’m half dryad.”
“After all the pureblood bullshit your father put you through, he went out and knocked up a dryad?”
“I guess so.”
“Damn,” I sighed, flopping onto my bed. “But I guess that explains why Blackwood wants you in her independent study. She wants to see what a half-breed is capable of, even if she openly despises them.”
“I think you find Professor Blackwood has turned over a new leaf,” Atlas interjected. “She’s not quite as prejudiced as she used to be.”
“Huh. I guess that’s why she asked me to be in her little study group, too. She specifically requested me for the wild magic program,” I continued, stretching out on my bed. “Which is weird as hell considering she usually acts like I’m some kind of disease she might catch.”
Caden perked up with interest. “You’re in the independent study too?!”
“Yep. You, me, and some Thorne kid I’ve never met.” I rolled onto my side, propping my head up on my elbow. “Speaking of which, what do you know about Elias Thorne?”
“Not much,” Caden admitted, settling onto his own bed with Atlas beside him. “He’s... well, he’s kind of the golden boy. Perfect grades, perfect family, perfect everything. Keeps to himself mostly. I never talked to him. I was too powerless to be on his radar.”
“Sounds boring,” I said with a yawn. “Probably another stick-up-the-ass witch who thinks everyone else is beneath him.”
Atlas frowned. “Actually, I’ve heard some concerning things about the Thorne family lately. My pack’s been tracking some anti-monster movements gaining traction, and the Thorne name keeps coming up in intelligence reports.”
That caught my attention. I sat up straighter. “What kind of movements?”
