Why the hell would my clan pay an Alpha Island tax when we didn’t even live on Alpha Island like the others? I wanted to scream with frustration.
I scrutinized the schedule more. “Serving lunch and dinner too? When exactly am I supposed to eat?”
I tried for a light tone, but it came out laced with sarcasm.
Her frown deepened. Nolan was right. We would be worked to the bone just to get by.
“I’m afraid the king made your work chart, I’m only in charge of the classes. I tried to persuade him to only give you one dining duty, but…”
“It’s fine.” I shoved the paper into my back pocket. “I’ll be fine.”
If King Douchebag wanted to try and break me at this school, he had another thing coming.
“Books for all your classes can be checked out from the library in your free time,” she informed me.
Free time? Hah. I had none of that.
With a nod and a thank you, I left the room and headed for Master Carn’s room to start my first day of Fire Studies.
My thoughts drifted to my father. He’d be so proud to learn I was a fire elemental too. It would be nice to call him … but obviously impossible between the magic lands and Earth. Maybe I could get a letter to him through a trader. How much could I reveal with the magic binding me?
My gaze fell to the paper in my hands. Based on this map, my class was clear across campus, and I was already late.
I broke into a jog, turning a corner quickly, and slammed right into someone’s chest.
“Oof!” I clung to his shirt, and the heat from his skin radiated through the butter-soft material as he steadied me.
Pulling back, I looked up into the deep green eyes of Justice Midnight. I swallowed hard, and my gaze dipped to his lips. Green eyes, full lips … I tried to imagine what he’d look like with a mask on…
“Sorry.” He let me go with a small smile.
A smile?
“What?” Was he … being nice to me? Suspicion rose in my gut. Justice was the number two asshole on the island—no, number three, just behind Rage and the king. My gaze fell to his left ring finger.
Nada.
No mate marks.
“Nai?” He waved his hand in front of my face. “You were running like a madwoman. Are you late?”
His gentle reminder was too nice. Then his words registered.
“Shit!” I side-stepped him with a wave and shouted thanks before taking off in a run, my mind racing just as fast.
Could Justice be my fated mate? He certainly had the eyes, and he was being way nicer today than yesterday…
After finally finding the room, I wrenched the door open, panting.
And … of course, Rage was here.
Mother Mage, have mercy.
Master Carn’s head lifted, but my attention was captured by the Midnight Prince standing beside him.
My knees went weak as I zeroed in on his green eyes.
I was going to lose my mind, thinking that every guy I ran into with green eyes and full lips was my freaking fated mate.
“What is she doing here?” Rage snapped.
Well, maybe not every guy. Surely my mate wouldn’t talk to me like that. Was it my imagination, or did his gaze flick to my fingers? Just as quickly as the thought came, his attention was back up to my face. His cold, hard, and unforgiving gaze.
I let my own eyes linger on his fingers, my heart sinking a little when I saw they were bare of marks. What was wrong with me? Rage was the last man I should want to be mated to. I returned his glare, adding a middle-finger salute when Master Carn faced him.
“I’m sorry, Prince Courage, we weren’t expecting an extra student this year. Especially not one with two affinities.” He pivoted and looked down his nose at me.
Even for a mage, Master Carn was tall, at least six and a half feet, and he was thin. But I’d long since learned that bulk didn’t necessarily equal strength. His eyes swirled like a high mage’s, only the colors were limited to his affinity: red, orange, yellow. He was an elemental mage. There were different kinds of mages, as many as there were shifters: healer mage, potion mage, war mage, the list went on. He pursed his lips as he assessed me, and I tipped my head high, feigning strength I didn’t feel inside.
“Does she have to be in my private session?” Rage asked the master, his voice low.
The teacher’s mouth pulled into a frown. “The high mage was the one who ordered me to work with her, but you’re right. I’m sure she can join someone else's private hour. I’ll speak to the headmistress at once.”
Rage waved off the professor quickly, his eyes narrowing at the mention of this being reported to his mother. “Nah, it’s fine. Don’t bother my mother with this. I’ll need a moving target for practice, and this will be a trial by fire for her.”
“Ha-ha.” I crossed my arms, giving Rage a scowl.
“You’re sure?” Master Carn wrinkled his nose as if the idea of me studying with Rage was disgusting.
Rage nodded. “If she gets in the way of my progress, I’ll speak to my mother myself.”
Ouch.
Snitches get stitches, buddy.
“Very well,” Master Carn said. Looking at me, he pointed at the door. “Go to the library and get the text An Intro to Fire Elements and return promptly.”
“The library?” It could be on the other side of campus for all I knew. “Could you tell me where—?”
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Just sit down,” he snapped and rolled his eyes. “In the interest of time, I’ll get it. But you will get the remainder of your other books on your own time.” He walked to the door with an air of superiority. “Be right back.”
As soon as the door closed, I stepped closer to Rage, determined to go into full-on detective mode.
“So … were you at the party last night?” If my mate was a friend of the Midnight brothers, then maybe I could get some names from him.
He crossed his arms, his expression giving away no emotion. “Obviously, it was at my house.”
“Riiight.” He wasn’t giving me any help. “Were many of your friends there? Like friends who might know about a secret garden in your woods?”
He stiffened. “What?”
My heart pounded, climbing up into my throat. “I mean, you know … what friends of yours were there?”
Rage furrowed his brow, looking at me like I was an alien. “All of them. Pretty sure the entire student population was there, all fifteen of us plus some guards I grew up with. Why?”
“Hmm.” Really not helpful. “Can I get a list of your closest friends? Ones who—”
“Umm, no, psycho stalker,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m not giving you a list of names.”
“Why not?”
“Let me guess, you hooked up with someone, and you’re trying to find out who it is now? They said they were my friend?”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. “Yeah… how did you…?”
Rage chuckled, but the sound held no mirth. “You and every girl in school. It’s common after the masquerade party for people to try and find out who they got together with, but it’s against the rules. It’s why we have it masquerade-style. And it’s why the Samhain party will stay fun too.”