Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,103
year now. They first wanted you, truly tried for you, at the end of your first semester. That is a long time for you to dodge such powerful men. I would guess you have until about the end of the semester before you have a true battle and war on your hands. Get ready, because they are coming. I’m taking myself out of the way; others should as well.”
I nodded, knowing what she meant. She wasn’t chicken and running. She wasn’t trained for this fight and would be used against me, not helpful in the direct fight. It was smart. She could do more from where she was, protected in Paris, instead of vulnerable in New York, and having another front for me to focus on.
Which meant it was truly time to get others out of the line of fire.
Fuck.
I went back inside, shaking my head when the others tried to ask me what was going on, and hurried to finish dinner. The moment I was done, I headed out to talk with Dean White, knowing we needed a strategy session at a minimum. At most, we needed to hit the brakes and send up flares for security level red, or however that analogy worked.
Instead, I found her at her office completely sauced.
I couldn’t even hide my shock at her with a bottle of dark liquor on her desk, large drink in hand, her suit jacket tossed over a chair, and only wearing her sleeveless shell. That was fine, and women wore them all the time… Except prim and perfect Dean White.
Hell, I barely saw her arms over the summer at my pool, and only some of her legs in proper shorts. It was simply her style and comfort.
So this was a serious change.
I closed the door behind me and threw up a barrier. “Anya?” I hadn’t ever used her first name before, but if there was ever a time, it was right then.
She sniffled loudly and wiped her eyes before looking at me. “Calloway wasn’t the only one they went after. Except they made a move months ago and I didn’t know.”
“Are you okay?” I whispered, more concerned for her in the moment than my secret getting out.
“Men are pigs, dogs, and I hate them all.”
I snorted. I had a quippy answer to that, even if I currently liked two very much, but then I froze, releasing something that broke my heart. “They got to your lover.”
“Yes, yes they did, and he was all too willing to sell me out for a better position in life and a close tie to the council.” She let out a bitter chuckle. “Gods, am I glad I never mated that asshole. I’m blessed I was smart enough never to tell him my father is a fairy.”
“But?” Because I sensed a very big but coming.
“They know I’m more powerful than I let on. Much more. I’m on their radar now, and maybe it was because I stood up to them when you saved the Diazes—I don’t know. I don’t know much right now except my lover of five years sold me out to my council and has been trying to invade my mind in my sleep. I was so confident, so annoyed with that damn wolf, but he was right. He was so very right—”
“Wait, who?” I cut in.
She let out a huff and took a long drink. “Zack. That damn Alpha badgered me into getting a tattoo like the rest of them. It’s on my leg. He didn’t want to tell you how we all were getting them, but he was right, and I could have been the reason you were—I cannot even imagine. There is so much evil on our council I couldn’t see, and I have not been blind to it.”
“I know.” I shook my head when she gave me an annoyed look as if I was placating her. “You are not Campbell who keeps her head in the sand and only sees her experiences. You pay attention. I’m saying I know, because the monsters wear masks, Anya. Some of the biggest monsters stand right before us as anything but what they shout they are. It’s all over history, so this isn’t your fault.”
“It could have been.”
“But it wasn’t. You did listen, and even I think Zack is too paranoid, and I’m seriously paranoid. So buy the wolf shifter a damn steak, and let’s be glad we sidestepped another landmine. I am sorry this blew up your life and—”