Page 69 of Wings of Ashes
“Eww,” they squealed in disgust.
“I thought I already told you that I have no interest in the guys,” Nix said to Astrid.
“Liar!We all heard about how you seduced Bael in the middle of class, you slut,” Astrid shouted at her.
“You’re going to give cygnus shifters a bad name. We don’t just open our legs for any alpha that looks our way! Anincubus?You’re disgusting.”
“You sound jealous,” Nix deadpanned, bored from academy drama that did not matter to her or her future survival.
“You’re nothing but an adopted stray to the clan. You don’t deserve the last name ‘Oadess.’ And you’re not going to take awayourprospects just because—”
“I have a question for you,” Nix cut the girl off. “It’s distracting, isn’t it? Getting mad at me for taking classes with the alphas instead of getting mad at the alphas who typically keep us out of their classes. You’re mad at me for being a ‘distraction’ to them instead of mad at them for allowing themselves to be distracted by me?”
“As if anyone would want you over us, Ugly Fuckling.”
Nix arched an eyebrow. “You can’t have it both ways. Either I am ugly and no one wants me, and my taking classes shouldnot affect anyone, or I pose a threat to ‘stealing’ your potential husbands. Which is it?”
Astrid sputtered.
“I’ll leave you two to think on that one.” Nix cut the lunch line and grabbed a handful of napkins to dry her uniform of the pink milk.Gross.
Tossing the damp napkins in a trash can, Nix strode to where Elle always saved her a seat at lunch. She no longer felt very hungry.
“And he asked me to the dance! Can you believe it?” Elle grinned at the others at the lunch table just as Nix sank down into the empty spot beside her.
Nix ground her teeth as she contemplated the possibility that her friend for ten years was purposefully weakening her.Why?
“Nix,” Elle cheered at her presence. “You didn’t get any food?” Elle’s pink lips slipped into a frown as she saw the damp spots on Nix’s uniform. “Why are you…wet?”
“Doesn’t matter. Someone asked you to the dance?” Nix asked, closely studying Elle’s face as her friend stared at Nix’s reddish pink hair.
“The pink looks, um, darker today,” Elle commented. “Did you…?” Elle flicked a nervous glance at the others at the table, signaling she would not reveal that Nix took an illusion potion to better fit in with the cygni clan.
The thought that kept banging around inside Nix’s mind was:Does Elle know about the poison in the potion?
Did she know?
Did sheknow?
“Tell me about your date to the dance,” Nix changed the subject. She tried to contain her impulse to grab Elle, shake her by the shoulders, and question her.
“He’s only the most gorgeous guy at this school,” Sarasa commented.
“Only the best for Elle,” Nix said, trying not to sound as bitter as she felt.
“He’s a new student,” Elle gushed with invisible hearts shining in her cornflower blue eyes. “He looks just like a cygnus shifter, but he’s a big, strong alpha with money.” Nix internally cringed at how superficial Elle sounded. “Blue eyes and white platinum hair.”
Nix stiffened. White platinum hair was rare in the shifter community. Only arctic shifters, lamb shifters, and cygnus shifters were known for it. Well, and one other very rare, nearly extinct shifter.
A Pegasus shifter.
Like Persius.
Nix’s lungs froze as she forgot how to breathe. “What’s his name?” she asked softly, lost in tense thoughts.
“You don’t know him.” Elle waved off the question without answering. “He doesn’t take potions or combat. He prefers more gentle topics.”
Is it Persius? Is Persius here? At the academy?
