Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,97

so it was stupid to think it wouldn’t happen.” He stared down the guy. “Take your hand off my girlfriend.”

“Who are—” the guy started.

“That’s Darby Moore,” one of his buddies muttered. “I’ve seen him on the news. Dude, let go. He’s dating Tamsin Vale and she goes out in a glamour charm. She’ll break you.”

“She’s not as tough as people say,” the complete moron argued.

I took off the glamour charm since I was busted… And then broke the guy’s hand. “I’ve taken on councils and all their guards. Yeah, you’re baller compared to them and super scary.”

“How dare you attack a student!” someone yelled at me.

I met the irate administrator’s gaze without flinching. “How dare you teach those you are meant to educate and mold into competent members of society that they have the right to touch any woman they want. I suggest you have a conversation with Mr. Geiger before you stick your foot in it any more. And I will be speaking with the women of this school to see who else you blame for defending themselves.”

“I think it best you leave,” he growled.

“I don’t think that’s for you to decide,” another man said from behind him. “Mr. Moore is a decorated and valued alum and personally asked me for permission to give a tour to Ms. Vale. Headmaster Edelman was incredibly happy two of his finest students were going to spend time at our institution, and I promised I would make sure they were taken care of. I will keep that promise.”

The man dipped his head to us and Darby thanked him before we grabbed trays and continued on our way like there wasn’t a huge thing going on in our wake.

Huh?

He waited to explain until we were sitting at an empty table in the corner. “You’ve done a lot to help supe schools at the college level. You’ve also done a lot to help the young women who walked into the same traps Izzy did in the high schools. That was the principal, and he didn’t hide he hoped to be on your list of places you might help if you had a tour of the place.”

My mouth dropped open. “Do all the adults seriously just expect me to save the world? Can any of them do a godsdamn thing on their own?”

“You have a lot of help they don’t,” he reminded me gently. “They don’t have Geiger and the Vogels and a growing group of backers to help them. This world is terrifying for those who try to go against the grain in a way the human world is not. You have seen it, but you are powerful. Most of us are not. You have to take that into account.”

“But—”

“No, no but this time, agra,” he whispered, leaning over and rubbing my shoulder. “I know you judge the teachers who didn’t protect me, but I don’t. Well, not as harshly. They tried. Some really tried but they had families. They weren’t the only ones on the line. Mel told me there were fights you cut from because it could hurt her or others you protected. You know that line.”

I opened my mouth but then sighed. “You’re right. You’re right. Sorry. I had the luxury to cut and run if things got too hairy. I wasn’t a respected member or society or whatever. That comes with a cost. I know that it’s just…”

“You can’t live with injustice as others can,” he murmured under his breath, referring to my being a fairy. He kissed my hair when I nodded and we focused on our food. “This really wasn’t what I wanted to show you, but it is smart you see it’s at all levels. The corruption starts early. I went to a lower-level, common-type supe grammar school, but it was even there.”

“It’s so extreme, even to human rich school.” I shook my head when he tried to argue. “We worked a lot of problems and corruption in the rich circles, Darby. That was where call girls and forced mistresses are abundant. There’s a lot of darkness when people have money to buy their way out of anything, not just with supes. Supes just take it to extreme levels where it’s everywhere.”

“Living longer doesn’t mean living better,” he agreed. He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes again. “I can’t say what I want to show you is any brighter of a topic, but I didn’t mean for our outing to take this dark of a