“Max.” Aelindor’s voice cut through the noise from the front of the room. “Stay, please.”
Shit.
This had to be about last night. The power I shouldn’t have. He’d want an explanation, and I didn’t have one that wouldn’t blow open doors I needed to keep sealed. Besides, he had a war to fight. At the very least I could repay his kindness by not adding to his problems.
Curious, envious, even hostile glances darted my way as the crowd thinned. A few tried to linger by the door, necks craning, wanting to overhear whatever the Fae prince had to say to me.
“Clear the room. Now!” the shorter Fae aide barked.
The stragglers scrambled. Both aides posted themselves outside the classroom and cleared the hallway, until nothing stood between Aelindor and me except empty desks and silence.
19
MAX
“If this is about last night, sir,” I started, “I had to defend myself.”
“I’d expect nothing less,” he said simply, like it was obvious.
I blinked at him.
“I respect your independence, Max.” His voice softened. “But I want you to know you can come to me. Anytime. Anything you need, anything troubling you.” He held my gaze. “You don’t have to fight alone. Not here.”
My heart stuttered. No one had said that to me since my parents died.
“Sir, I do have a request.”
“Yes?”
“Two of my friends are still missing—I told you and the other heirs during the interrogation. I’d like to join the scout patrols. Search for them.”
Sympathy flickered in his blue eyes. I shouldn’t have looked. If I fell into those depths, I’d never find the surface again.
“The outposts have swept the Scorched Wastes and surrounding areas multiple times.” His voice was gentle, reluctant. “There’s been no trace of them. We don’t believe they reached any of the satellite towns.” He paused. “If they made it at all.”
Tears pricked the backs of my eyelids. I fought them down, swallowed the icy knot in my throat until I could force words past it.
“Thank you, sir. But if no bodies were found, they could still be alive. They’re just…somewhere.”
I couldn’t let myself think about how mutants picked bodies clean. Left nothing to find. I had to hold on to hope that Desta and Kaid lived, unlike Rogue. The image of him being torn apart invaded my head without permission. A tremor ran through me.
Aelindor reached out.
I held my breath. For a fraction of a second, his hand hovered near my face, close enough that I felt warmth radiating from his skin. Then it landed on my shoulder instead.
Even through my uniform, heat spread from his palm through my shoulder, down my spine, settling in my belly like an anchor. My trembling stopped, as if his touch had reached into the chaos inside me and commanded it to be still.
Aelindor’s eyes brightened at my reaction.
Shit. He was so beautiful.
His fingers tightened on my shoulder, just slightly, as if he’d felt the same electric current and was fighting theimpulse to pull me closer. His cool mask cracked for half a heartbeat. Beneath it: pure male need. Then the mask slid back, and he was the untouchable Fae prince again.
I gazed at him, wanting to turn my head and press my cheek against his hand. The urge was so strong my neck ached from holding still.
He wants you just as badly,the demon crooned.I told you that he wants to fuck you. Bend you over and bury his massive Fae cock in your greedy cunt.
If I could pound this fucking demon into silence, I would. Sacrifice two fingers to achieve it. Unfortunately, no exorcism could get it out of me.