Dodging Calamities (Artemis University #7) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,71
a room in this house and the chance to get caught up, because we are in deep shit, Neldor, and alone.”
“Stop,” Dean White ordered him when he opened his mouth. “You’re scared. Why? I healed your arm.”
“Not fully,” I admitted, rubbing it. “I mean, it feels better, but that still after-injury weirdness, but I feel… I feel like when I fixed the sun in Faerie and you said I did that stuff to my magical rivers and things? I feel like that. My muscles keep twitching on my left side because all the power rushed out there, and my joints hurt. I also feel a bit of vertigo.”
“You’re not normally such a good patient,” Julian worried as he came over to me.
“I am when I know it’s real and not just being whiney,” I defended. “It was probably stupid to use the fairy rune to run twice after, but I heard another heartbeat, and then his power ramped in a way that terrified me.”
Neldor cleared his throat. “That was a side effect of coming out of the spell. It felt distant to me, and I called for my magic and suddenly all of it was there. I understand better now why you ran, and I thank you for coming back and checking on me. Not having grown up with any guidance or explanations on our people, that would have terrified anyone.”
Well, it still wasn’t a thank you, but at least it was the first non-dickish thing he’d really said.
Kinda.
As Julian checked me over I realized there was something I needed to know. “Do you know if Geiger’s mate is still alive?”
Neldor frowned, but then glanced between Geiger and I. He focused on me and the gaze was curious, assessing, almost confused. “I believe so. He wasn’t far from me and alive not twenty minutes before the magic went off. He had also switched sides and was trying to help get other dark fairies to stand down, as I was.”
“Oh thank the gods,” Geiger choked out, moving his hand over his face.
I glanced at Zack and Ray. “But your mates were light fairies. He probably wouldn’t know.”
“We’ve been in Faerie,” Zack said with a smile. “I thought we would know if they were gone, even if not in the same world, but we were there now, and the bond is still there for both of us. They’re alive. We’ll find them once you get stronger. You’ll get them all, kid, I know it.” He cleared his throat. “I mean, Princess.”
I held up my hand. “Please, no, just—no. I cannot deal with—just no.”
“We need to call in Dr. Salzman,” Julian decided. “She’s right that something’s wrong. She was hurt in a way I can’t heal just yet. He should run a full battery of everything, but off campus here.”
“Agreed,” Dean White said as she pulled out her phone. “Katrina, do you still have one of those charms for cracked cores, rivers, and accumulators?”
“Yes, I will have one brought to school immediately. If you would, have her roommate meet my courier. I think that best.”
“Got it,” Mel agreed.
Neldor watched it all with curiosity as he kept eating. “Clearly, you’re not alone and well tended to.”
I ignored how much it sounded like they were all my servants then. “It took a long time to get here. I knew Mel, but knowing who to trust, and wouldn’t drain me for magic, or blood, or use me to pump out crystals, or whatever else, has not been easy. I couldn’t tell people I’m a fairy, and the councils aren’t fond of me staying undeclared and a lowly female being uncontrolled.”
He raised his eyebrow at that. “In twenty years, the sexism hasn’t gotten any better?”
Several women there snorted.
“And since you’re a dark fairy, you will have the answers we need about the demons as they’re circling and—”
“You told others about them?” he growled, giving me a look that most would wither under. Honestly, it was scary too.
Guess all fairies being nice and kind was complete bullshit.
“How could you betray your people and tell the secrets to so many—”
Irma slapped a pan on the counter loud enough to make several jump. She was bright red and looked near tears as she stared at Neldor. “You are a disappointment, Prince Neldor. I would have thought your mother, who I respected even among all the fighting, would have taught you better manners and how to treat not only another fairy, but a woman and princess who is heir.”