Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,75

true, because I can’t think of the fairies who had done that. I also alluded to White’s interest in you being an indicator you’re a witch.”

“Why push that?” White asked, giving him a hard glance.

“Because the only councils who can truly go against the vampire council are yours, or the wolves,” Richardson answered. “The dragon royals can, which I also said I thought that was why they protected Vale, as they wanted her help and worried what your council would do if they could confirm she was a witch. Basically, I laid the groundwork for the next rumor that the dragons were going to fight your council.”

“As the vampire council would have to be stupid to try and step in between that,” White muttered, sitting back in her chair and staring at him. “However, that makes it smart to push the rumor the vampire council is doing the same, so maybe my council takes pause for the moment.”

“Right, so then the wolves might abscond off with me,” I drawled.

“Actually, the wolves are currently big fans of yours,” she corrected, smiling when I couldn’t hide my shock. “You saved not only Alpha Geoff’s two nephews, but a councilman’s cousin, and those artifacts they kept out of the Underground’s hands were a big deal.”

“I’m going to fucking peel the skin off the fuckers who did that to those wolves after they lost their prize, just to be vindictive and evil,” I seethed. “I could almost see fighting to keep powerful stuff out of the corrupt councils hands, and shit happens, and people died, but killing after is just—that’s just murder and pain they knew they would die from.”

“Be that as it may, you are still in the good graces of the wolves right now, and that could help, as the shifters all know you’re not theirs, but they’re leery to confirm it to each other. Basically, everyone is saying you’re not theirs, but no one is believing each other.”

“I know. I’m enjoying it,” I chuckled. We all were. It was like sitting back and watching the idiots stumble around drunk and blindfolded, falling into shit of their own making as all the corruption and distrust sowed over the years made none of them believe anyone else.

It really helped me.

“How do you want to handle this then?” White asked after a few minutes of all of us lost in our thoughts.

“I assume my vote of sending the fae dogs to burn the council estate to the ground and handle all the bad ones will still be vetoed?”

“Yes, very much so,” she drawled, the two men staring at me in horror.

I shrugged. “Then handle it however. That’s really the only answer you have.”

“Are you sure you’re a light fairy?” Richardson sputtered.

I shrugged again, swallowing my true answer and theory. “I wasn’t raised with them and their influence, but instead, some of the darkest parts of humans. I would bet they won’t think me much like them either.”

“I did not mean it like that, Ms. Vale,” he muttered, sounding truly apologetic.

“I am who I am, and I’m proud of the woman I am. It took a lot to get here. If they don’t accept me, they won’t be the first, or the last, and I’ll survive.” I thanked White and left the room as if nothing we had said bothered me and I simply didn’t want to get involved in the boring adult details if I couldn’t have my way.

But that wasn’t the truth at all. I didn’t want to risk White busting me on my lie, as the fairies not accepting me would destroy me, and she was powerful enough to see through my aura-dulling rune. Plus, the light fairy side of me screamed to dole out justice and handle the rampant corruption we never could seem to focus on because we had to protect me.

Because protecting me meant protecting all the fairies I was trying to save. There was no finding them, or answers, without me, so justice had to wait a bit longer.

And that killed me. It ate at me. I put what was right on the backburner over my safety. It was hard to remember it was to save my people and the big picture. It was hard to remember that a lot as people I cared for were going to be the first hurt in the crossfire, and if I’d handled that corruption and justice, they wouldn’t be.

Gods, just give me more time to get the answers before it all