Page 74 of Elemental Fae Academy: Book Three

Fuck, this guy is potent. I could see it in the grin that graced his full lips.

“Charm her, and I’ll kill you,” Cyrus said flatly as I pushed off the stool.

Kols chuckled, the sound warm and masculine. “Too late, Water Prince.” He held out a hand. “I’m Kols.”

“Claire,” I replied, pressing my palm to his.

“I know,” he murmured, kissing my wrist the same way Exos and Cyrus had done to Gina. This time it was their turn to scowl.

Exos wrapped a possessive arm around my back, tugging me into his side. “Good to see you, Kols.”

“Is it?” the Midnight Fae asked, releasing my hand. He glanced around the room, the slight arch of his neck showcasing a line of inky black tendrils moving just beneath the collar of his dress shirt. Like Exos and Cyrus, he wore a suit, sans tie. However, he’d chosen all black, while my mates were in crisp white shirts and ebony jackets.

When he finished his perusal, I noted the hungry gleam in his eyes.

Vampire, I remembered, shivering.

His lips quirked as if hearing my internal thought. And maybe he could. Wasn’t that a supposed trait—their ability to read minds? Or was it mind control? I’d have to ask Exos and Cyrus more about it later.

“Let’s grab a corner booth,” he suggested, nodding toward the darkest side of the club where a group of people had just stood to vacate.

Did he do that? I asked, my heart fluttering in my chest.

Yes, Cyrus said. Kols isn’t just a Midnight Fae; he’s also a prince. Like me.

Meaning he’s powerful, I translated.

Incredibly gifted, yes. Cyrus took my hand and led me forward, while Exos remained on my opposite side with his arm draped around my waist. If any of the humans noticed our little triad, they didn’t react to it. But Kols certainly eyed our touch with amusement. He slid into the booth first, followed by Cyrus, while Exos and I took the opposite side.

“Was that Gina I saw up at the bar?” Kols asked, curiosity deepening his voice.

“Yeah.” Cyrus glanced at the stools we just vacated. “She’s hiding from something.”

“Isn’t she always?” Kols mused.

Cyrus lifted a shoulder. “Seemed a bit more serious this time, but I’m sure she has it handled. Besides, she seemed more interested in leaving us with cryptic words.”

“Typical Fortune Fae.” Kols’s eyes glimmered as he steepled his fingers on the table. “So how can I be of service? As I assume this isn’t just a meeting for fun.”

“Not this time, no,” Cyrus agreed, indicating they’d met for fun in the past. Given his easy candor with Gina, I could only imagine what that meant.

I mean, my mates were all experienced. And I knew I wasn’t their first lover. While I could accept that, I didn’t want to think about their pasts. Especially not with a beautiful fae like Gina.

“We suspect one of our elders is using dark magic,” Exos said, jumping right to the point. “And we’re hoping you can help us confirm that.”

Kols grinned, a flicker of flame circling his pupils and dying beneath a blink of his long, elegant lashes. “Sure. Can you replicate it? Or detail what you felt?”

Cyrus looked at me. “Can you describe what happened when Elana summoned the dead?”

Kols eyebrows lifted. “A death spell?”

Cyrus and Exos nodded.

“Do tell,” Kols murmured, leaning forward, his intrigue palpable.

I cleared my throat, unsure of where to start. So I went with the beginning, about how Elana had taught me about spirit magic, creating pixies and things of that nature. Then I told him about our last session, about the spirit writhing in the strange liquid and the pain I felt from his spirit. Just the memory of it made me shiver with wrongness. “It was like he couldn’t speak,” I added. “But I sensed he wanted to say something.”

Kols nodded. “My guess is she threaded a mutation into the magic, one that disabled his ability to form sentences. Because a proper summoning allows the soul to speak. It’s also possible she infused some of her spirit element into the act, thereby compelling his silence.”

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