Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,71

to not be punished, and do whatever you wanted when they’ll ruin the lives of other women?”

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game,” Holly sneered.

“No, because this isn’t fucking poker, but life, and the women who have to stand before them next don’t get a fucking choice as it’s not a godsdamn game,” I shouted. “You’re so fucked in the head that this is all a game to you, but it’s people’s lives you just fucked with. They don’t have mommy and daddy to go to bat for them, and now the council will push back with their demeaning sexist ideals, and it’s your fault.”

“And you didn’t even get the address right, idiot,” a female shifter taunted as she walked by with her friends. “Yeah, you’re such hot shit, they’re talking about taking the list away from the vampires if they won’t protect it as they should. Good job.”

Woah, I didn’t know that. Good. I didn’t think any one council should have that power, as I doubted it was the first time anyone abused that power.

I highly doubted it. Especially given the vampires were the second most corrupt council I’d been dealing with. The witch council being the first. Or at least from what I knew, as they were the one that came at me the most, and that screamed corrupt to me. I mean, they didn’t want me for anything valid and simply wanted my power or to steal what I had.

So yeah, total corruption basically.

Holly scurried off when someone else a few tables over made some comments, and I sat back down, chilling out as best as I could.

“Thanks,” I told Mel under my breath. “I didn’t even realize I was going for her.”

“I wanted to as well,” she admitted. “You’re faster though, after training this summer. Keep that in the back of your mind because you might have a few more instances like that, and I won’t always be at your side.”

Yeah, I had other reasons to go after people and unfortunately, the list of people who deserved my fist in their face was fairly long.

Really long, if I was honest. Awesome.

Though it was actually awesome I was faster.

We finished lunch and headed out. I almost tripped over my feet when that energy that happened between Hudson and I flared… And by flared, I mean roared to life as I walked by his table. It was like a punch to the gut and phantom hands all over me at the same time.

I heard glass breaking and guessed he felt about the same. That was not awesome. I had enough going on that I didn’t need some metaphysical bullshit with my ex-fuck buddy who said he was my mate.

Really, I didn’t.

Shaking my head when Mel and Izzy gave me surprised looks, I hurried out of the cafeteria trying to act like I wasn’t. I felt as if I could breathe again once I was outside, but still didn’t want to talk about it.

They were kind and didn’t push it.

Mel veered off towards her room to handle her teacher stuff, and we went back to our dorm to prep for the next day. We’d already gotten our books, but I hadn’t really gone over my schedule, as every time I saw I had to deal with Craftsman when I had placed out of the class, I about blew my temper. It was time though, as I had to plot out my days.

I pulled it out and read it over for real. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, my schedule was:

Power Training I

7:45-9:45

Instructor Rothchild

Botany 101

10-12

Professor Pillay

Lunch

12:15-1:15

Shifter Culture I

1:30-3

Professor Puth

Tuesdays and Thursdays were other classes:

Physics 101

8-9:30

Professor Richardson

Magical Advancements101

9:45-10:45

Professor Campbell

Potions 101

11-12

Instructor McGrath

Lunch

12:15-1:15

Runes 201

1:30-3

Dr. Craftsman

I realized there was another possible serious problem to handle that I hadn’t thought of and immediately went for the door. Calling over my shoulder to Izzy I’d be right back, I hurried back towards the cafeteria in the hopes of catching who I needed.

Professor Richardson didn’t normally spend weekends on campus, but there must have been a faculty meeting, and he never passed up anything free, so he was in the cafeteria for lunch. I couldn’t even blame the man as the grub was good.

I caught sight of him on the quad and jogged after him, not wanting to call out as that would draw the attention of others. I was almost to him by the time he reached the administration building as if he was going to the faculty portal, but then he veered to the side of the