Page 22 of Wings of Ash & Flame
Kaia jabbed Alaire in the spine. “Keep walking.”
Professor Ross led the novices to a reserved section of the hall, a few rows from the front of the platform. As they filled the seats, Alaire’s eyes swept the room.I’m notlooking for him, she told herself. The space was already filled with second-years. Judging by the number of stares boring into her, they all knew who she was.
Kaia bumped her shoulder as they filed into their designated row.
Alaire shifted in her seat, stealing glances at Kaia from the corner of her eye. She seemed open and kind—unlike any fae she’d ever met.
The fae striding to the podium commanded immediate attention. Aristocratic angles balanced out sharp eyes. Salt-and-pepper hair, a serious demeanor, and a freshly pressed tunic added to his distinguished appearance.
Headmaster Carth. The room fell silent at his arrival.
He leaned his forearms on the podium, making him appear more approachable.
“Welcome, everyone, to another year at Aeris Academy—the most formidable institution, dare I say, in all of Elithian.”
Snickers rippled through the crowd. Kaia rolled her eyes.
“Vampires continue to threaten our borders. They’ve resurfaced from years of silence—stronger, stealthier, and more lethal than ever. Aeris Academy has long stood as a beacon against the encroaching darkness. You will all bear that responsibility with unwavering resolve. This is no small task.”
He paused, letting the words settle. The room had gone quiet.
“We are one of the last magical lines of defense against the evil that threatens to decimate the entire continent, and your training here will reflect that reality.”
Alaire’s knee bounced restlessly.
“Veterans, I expect you to model the behavior and integrity we embody here for the novices.”
Someone hooted from the rafters.
“Get out of here, you scoundrels.” Headmaster Carth grinned. “First-years, remain in your seats. Unfortunately, you’ll have to endure my voice for a while longer.”
Groans erupted from the rows in front of them as the second-years began exiting. Headmaster Carth paid them no mind as he stepped away from the podium to speak with Professor Ross.
Alaire focused on the empty stage, until the familiar prickling at the back of her scalp returned. Turning her head to see what had triggered it, her knees locked.
Him.
The fae who’d pulverized her shoulder without a second thought stalked toward her, all sharp lines and simmering fury. Someone trailed behind him, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Each stride radiated barely restrained contempt.
That flash of black on his hands—tattoos peeking out from the cuffs of his leathers—was designed to make a lesser woman swoon.
Alaire desperately tried not to notice the way his jaw clenched, so tight it looked like it might snap under the weight of his loathing—for her or the world, she wasn’t sure.
The harshness only made him more alluring: faint stubble shadowing his jaw, dark strands falling messily across his brow. Raw, untamed beauty that made her chest tighten and pulse quicken.
Dangerous. Unrelenting. Off-limits.
A stone of dread dropped in her stomach.
“Alaire, isn’t it?” a low voice rumbled, laced with venomous sweetness as he halted in front of her.
She suppressed a shiver at the sound of her name tainted by his voice.
“I can see my reputation precedes me. I’m flattered.”
“An academy of this caliber isn’t meant foryour kind.” His arrogance reeked of someone who’d never been told no.
He towered over her, so tall she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. Standing, she’d barely reach his throat. This close, she could see the flecks of sea green in his aquamarine eyes.
