Page 18 of Elemental Fae Academy: Book Three

And I loved her for it.

Claire

Just days ago, I stood in the middle of Spirit Kingdom while Exos ascended to his throne. And now I was back at the Academy meeting Elana for our biweekly training.

Somehow, it felt wrong. Like I should be doing more than just attending classes as usual and acting as though I didn’t know my mother had tried to kill me. But every time I tried to say something to Elana about it, my lips seemed to seal shut.

Which only made this session all the more uncomfortable.

My saving grace was knowing Sol stood just outside waiting for me to finish. At least returning here meant I had all my mates in one place again. Although, Cyrus kept leaving for his mysterious meetings in the Water Kingdom. And Exos had returned to his Spirit Fae twice in the last few days on business.

It made me wonder what life would be like when all my mates graduated.

Would I have to travel between the kingdoms to see them all?

I frowned. Cyrus really needs to teach me how to mist.

“Everything all right, dear?” Elana asked, her silver eyes kind in her assessment.

“Just thinking about the coronation,” I replied. Not necessarily a lie. It was related to my future, right?

But Elana didn’t look all that convinced, her brow pinched in a way I didn’t care to see.

So I said the first thing I could to deflect the subject back on her.

“You weren’t there. I assume because it’s not mandatory to attend that sort of event?” I phrased it as a question, which was totally lame. However, the way her face clouded over suggested I’d touched on an interesting topic. “Mortus wasn’t there either.”

She nodded slowly, the pixie she’d conjured disappearing into mist. Water, I realized, fighting another frown. She just used water.

Something I wouldn’t have questioned except that Elana supposedly only had access to spirit. So how was she using water now? Had she somehow manifested the element and not told anyone? Maybe it was a fledgling power. Or—

“I hated missing the coronation,” Elana said, interrupting my thoughts. “But the Academy required me to stay here. Mortus, too. All the young lives at this school are my responsibility, and I take that responsibility seriously.”

My brow furrowed. The way she said that made it sound like the Academy could be in danger.

Because of my mother? I wondered. Does she know that Ophelia is still alive?

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask, but my voice refused me. Literally. Like, I couldn’t part my lips. It felt as though someone had clamped an invisible hand over my mouth. Urgent whispers flooded my thoughts, all of them unintelligible.

I’m losing my damn mind.

That was it.

I clearly needed more sleep. Less sex. Something. Because apparently, I no longer had control over my brain or my body.

Elana had said something while I was lost to the invisible force controlling my body. She stared at me expectantly. “Sorry, I missed that,” I admitted, my mouth working just fine over those words.

My mentor gave me another one of those concerned looks. “Are you sure you’re all right, Claire?”

“Mm-hmm.” I cleared my throat. “I’m just a little tired. It’s been an exciting week.” Understatement of the fucking century.

Her silver eyes told me she didn’t believe me, but she allowed the topic to drop. “Well, how about we focus on something new today? Instead of pixies, I mean.”

“Sure. What did you have in mind?”

She swept her hand in a wide circle and conjured an ethereal bowl of water.

No. Correction. That is definitely not water.

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