Ethan to protect me. I knew the little shithead was scared of my mate.
Delmare, though? She was an open target.
She shivered. “I’ve tried using illusion magic, but he’s older than me, which makes him stronger. I don’t have enough magical experience to duel him and put him in his place.”
“Have you told Stefan?” I dropped my voice to a whisper. No way would the dragon shifter let this keep happening. He’d beat Andrik to a pulp.
Delmare grabbed my arm. “No, and you can’t either. Emma, you can’t tell Stefan about this. Swear to me you won’t.”
Her nails dug into my wrist. It was painful. I winced and said, “Stefan isn’t going to let this continue. He’d make Andrik leave you alone.”
“I need to prove I can handle myself,” she pleaded. “Strength is important among the Arcanea. If I’m seen as weak, it’ll get worse. Just please, don’t say a word to him.”
I held in a breath. “If Andrik keeps this up, I’m not making any promises. You need protection.”
“Trust me, Emma. Telling Stefan is only going to start a feud between him and Andrik, and then he’ll get in trouble because of me. If you’re my friend, you’ll keep quiet.”
Her gaze was pleading. My stomach twisted into knots. I didn’t want to betray Delmare... but still. Her safety came first.
“I’ll stay silent for now,” I promised. “But the next time I see Andrik harassing you, I’m telling Stefan, and the other guys. That is, if I don’t smash an illusion spell into Andrik’s face myself.”
I’m sure Ethan and the rest of the boys would get their kicks out of putting Andrik in his place. Literally.
Delmare let go of my arm with a scowl. “Fine. Whatever. Anyway... what is it you wanted to talk about?”
I opened my mouth. I was about to spill to her what I’d seen in the bathroom, but my words fell flat. I couldn’t worry Delmare about Odette, not now. Not when Andrik was stalking her.
“I just need to talk to Theo,” I said. “Do you know where he is?”
“No.” She shook her head. “His alicorn class took a field trip. He won’t be back until the weekend.”
Fucking dammit. Gone right when I needed him.
“But there’s a festival going on this weekend to celebrate the coming of spring,” Delmare suggested. “All the Arcanea will be there. I’m sure you can find him there.”
I didn’t feel much like partying, but if Theo was around, I could talk to him about Odette.
“Okay,” I replied. “Count me in.”
I was so worried about Odette and Delmare. But maybe the festival would provide me with a chance to help them both.
That Saturday was a Leap Year, and the day of the festival. On February twenty-ninth I met Ethan at the entryway of the palace, all bundled up to head into the cold. It wasn’t quite spring in Malovia yet, as evidenced by the giant snow drifts outside. But hopefully, the weather would clear up in a few weeks, and we’d have warmth again.
Though I felt plenty warm when I observed the features of Ethan’s face. He met me with a gracious smile that made joy spread from the bottom of my core all the way to the ends of my being. There was a sultriness in his eyes that hadn’t quite been there before.
Things were different now between us in a big way. I mean, I’d jerked him off the last time we’d been together. It was totally hot.
I was wearing a new pair of knee-length socks today. Ethan had been all over me in the Conservatory, and it’d been because of those socks. I’d caught him staring a few times before at the other pairs I had, and knew he was into them. I ran out the next day and bought several more, because honestly, I knew they were insta-tickets into Ethan Nowak’s pants.
His eyes landed on the socks I wore and remained glued there until I was at his side. “You’re tormenting me, Miss Sosna.”
“A little torture is good,” I replied. I slipped my hand in his and squeezed it. “And I like it when you check me out.”
He smirked. “I’m certain you do.”
We walked into the main courtyard. “What’s the purpose of this festival? It seems like the Arcanea have a lot of them,” I said.
“There are four festivals of the year, to celebrate the changing seasons. Boginaval is the festival of spring, and Milonna’s holiday,” Ethan informed me. “The Arcanea welcome the spring as it comes, blessing Milonna