Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,12

spoke with Dr. Craftsman. Part of the problem you have is you do not trust Faerie to help you when you encounter problems, but see it as a problem. Understandably so given how you have only had to deal with it, but—please. Please, give me this chance as I believe I can help and sort out some issues we both need handled.”

I couldn’t think of him using that word before. I was a firm believer in rewarding good behavior, so no matter how tired I was… I was apparently going to Faerie with the Prince of Darkness.

“I’ll be back soon,” I promised everyone. “I’ll take the pack for a run with us and help unload after.”

“No worries,” Zack muttered, studying Neldor. “Opening the portal to bring us all over took a lot out of her. I’m assuming you have enough honor to not take advantage of that and will protect her. I know you guys always fight as light and dark, but you’re on the same side for the foreseeable future. You have to be smart enough to get that.”

Neldor was used to their valid distrust of him. Giving a sharp nod, he said, “I swear to you this is to help, not even manipulate her in any way.”

Okay, fine, he was still snarky.

“Sure, yes, please, have a moonlight picnic with the prince you were betrothed to,” Darby seethed. “I didn’t get a vote about Craftsman staying over break or much else, so why should I on this?”

I bit back a sigh and shot him a look that made it clear I wasn’t happy he’d said that in front of people. “I didn’t get a vote either and don’t know the reasons yet. So I’ll let you know when I do. Okay? I tell you lots and the stuff I didn’t before, you said you were fine with because—”

“I was. I am,” he sighed, rubbing his hand over his eyes, knocking his glasses askew. “Sorry. Finals took more out of me than I thought. I shouldn’t have snapped. We’ll talk when you’re back? Is that fine with you, Tamsin?”

I flinched, having noticed he’d been calling me by my first name for a while now.

And I wasn’t the only one.

“Dick,” Zack mumbled as he brushed past Darby and headed to the vehicles to start unloading.

“Yeah, I’ll come to your room later,” I said, not even looking at him.

He didn’t reply right away. “Oh, I’m not staying in yours?”

I glanced at him then, not even hiding my surprise or reaction. I was pretty sure my look clearly said I was shocked he would want to from the way he flinched.

Hell, Ray had cracked a joke that he thought Darby was only coming to my house during break because he didn’t really have anywhere else to go. Unfortunately for him, we’d been sparring and I’d about taken his head off.

I hadn’t been a fan of the joke.

I nodded to Neldor that we could go and followed after him, whistling to the dogs to signal they could come with as well… As if they didn’t already know. They were smarter than some people for sure.

We went downstairs and I opened the portal for us, nodding when he gestured for me to go ahead. I shivered at the chill in the night air, but it wasn’t anything like Kansas, so it was still comfortable with just the jacket.

Especially when the dogs fired up their flames after they came through and played with each other.

I helped Neldor set up the blanket he’d brought. We sat down and tucked right into the gobs of Chinese food he’d gotten.

Once we were about through half the containers and I started to recover most of my energy, he wiped his mouth and gave me a gentle look I wasn’t ready for. “You did the right thing with those vampires. I know you don’t regret it, but it was still hard on you. I understand my opinion doesn’t carry any weight with you, but as the only fairy you know, I wanted to say I agree with you.”

I swallowed my next bite loudly. “How did you know about it?” The “are you spying on me” was sort of implied without having to say it.

His lips twitched. “No, I’m not spying on you. Some of the hobgoblins aren’t as quiet as they think they are. When your Alpha snitched to them, they weren’t all that reserved in their responses, and I already knew something had happened. You were clearly shaken.” He cleared