Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,117

the hawk elder made as to where and how soon she would be locked down for the taking.”

I bit back all the curse words. That meant either the vampires or warlock elders, as we were listening in and surveilling them. There were mob families and seriously fucked up gangsters that had more morals and reasonable lines than these assholes.

“I will need a copy of that to give to my boss,” the guy hedged.

“Already sent, as the head of the police is clean, but we both know many in between you are not,” Geiger grumbled. “I promise when you go back, the order to bring her in for questioning will already be rescinded. You were being used.”

The guy gave us both a look like he more than knew that already. We got shallow nods, and then the group left as fast as they had arrived, not wanting to draw it out or more attention.

Yeah, must be nice to have that option.

“So, it’s your fight and I’m the pawn you’re using to rile them all up into pulling back the curtain on their corruption?” I asked Geiger under my breath.

He gave me a soft smile. “It will give you a month or two of diversion with the focus on me.”

I nodded. “Then forgive me for what I’m about to do.” I didn’t hesitate, throwing up a barrier so we were blocked from everyone and jumping over the table. I grabbed his arm and marked him with a deep fairy rune only I could take off, or would fade if I died.

He groaned in pain but then looked at me with wide eyes. “What did you just do?”

“I gave you an emergency exit,” I explained. “If the shit ever hits the fan, activate that rune with your blood, and the fae dogs will come through a temp portal and save you. They will get you out, no matter what.”

“I’ve never heard of such a rune,” he whispered, looking almost terrified at how powerful I was.

Yeah, I was too, as I shouldn’t have had the juice for it yet, even if I was born of a noble line.

I shrugged. “You didn’t get all the secrets of both sides, or all of them ever, as we’re not supposed to give them. Just don’t wait until you can’t activate it. Promise me.”

“I promise,” he swore, reaching out and cupping my cheek. “If nothing else, I can’t add to the worry already on your young shoulders, and you’ll doubt yourself if you think we could all be harmed fighting with you.”

Damn right I would, but wouldn’t any decent person?

“Take today as a win.” He chuckled which surprised. “And take down the barrier before everyone freaks out.”

Oh, right. I pulled back my magic and went back to my seat.

“What did you do now?” Zack demanded.

“Are we telling each other everything now, Captain?” I teased as I hurried to tuck into my meal before it got any less fresh. I focused on Edelman. “Thanks for calling in the big guns.”

He dipped his head. “As much as everyone says I favor you and go too far for you, this is what I would do for any student.”

“You just don’t normally have to, as they have parents or living relatives to step up,” I finished for him, nodding when he did. “Still, I appreciate it.”

After dinner, something I had ordered arrived and I swung by White’s office, seeing she’d skipped another meal to avoid people. The rumors about her, and what her lover had done, were a joke. The council had done it to embarrass her when they couldn’t get to her, to smear her reputation as a witch, because women were nothing compared to men to them.

Unfortunately, that was true in too many species.

I didn’t even bother knocking, walking right in and putting up a barrier and magically locking the door. I was glad to see the hobgoblins had brought her a tray of food at least and to see she’d eaten from the empty plates sitting there.

“Hey, Cousin, wanna hear about some fun with the supe police you just missed?” I set down the box of expensive liquors on her desk. “To help your broken heart.”

“Thank you, Cousin,” she whispered, touching the box with a smile. She looked put through the wringer and totally wiped.

“You’ll get through this, Anya.”

She bobbed her head. “I’m losing faith we’ll win this fight. I’m sorry, but I am, and you’d probably hear that in my thoughts right now as my shields are a