Midnight Fae Academy #3 by Lexi C. Foss

Zakkai didn’t wantto give me clothes? Fine. I’d make my own with the wand he’d left on the nightstand.

My wand, I thought, my lips curling. I could feel the power whirling through me, recognizing my inner magic. Maybe at one point it had belonged to him, but it was mine now.

“Now, what to wear?” I mused, tapping my lip.

I muttered an incantation and waved the conduit around while studying myself in the mirror. Pants and a shirt were too plain. Hmm, a dress was too formal. No, I needed something rebellious and badass.

Knee-high boots—yes.

I paired it with a skirt.

“Hmm.” I uttered another spell, changing the fabric to a checkered pattern with dark green as the primary color. I added a white blouse, then magicked a cloak with a three-headed-snake charm as the clasp.

Zeph would be so proud. I resembled a Warrior Blood.

I tapped my chin. What else? I added a choker to the mix with gleams of red silk woven between black strands. Kols would appreciate the Elite Blood touch.

And lastly, I created a band for my wrist with violet threads to resemble Shade. I wasn’t happy with him, but he’d never hidden his devious intentions from me. He’d even warned that I would hate him, which I’d sensed hurt him deeply. So whatever he was up to held a deeper purpose; I just didn’t know what it was yet.

The only missing embellishment was a cerulean flair. Nope. Not adding that. If Zakkai wanted me to wear his colors, he could provide me with more than a robe.

I ran my fingers through my blue-black hair, gave myself a once-over in the mirror, and tucked my wand into the pocket of my cloak.

Where are you? I asked my Quandary Blood mate.

Find mewas his coy reply.

I narrowed my gaze. You really want me to hurt you, don’t you?

His responding chuckle did nothing to alleviate my ire. If anything, it only stoked the flames. I didn’t appreciate his little mental mind game or the memories he’d implanted in my head. They weren’t real. They couldn’t be. Yet, I couldn’t find any trace of magic surrounding their existence. It felt as though he’d unlocked them, not placed them there, and that was even more unnerving.

What else existed in my memories that I didn’t know about?

I shivered and focused on finding Zakkai instead.

It wasn’t hard. He’d practically left me a path of cerulean magic to follow. I couldn’t see it so much as feel it, the energy signature familiar and palpable to my senses.

I wound through the stone corridor, noted the fire lamps flickering with magic along the rocky interior, and passed several closed doors.

Two Midnight Fae stood sentry at the end of my path, one of them opening the final doorway for me and revealing yet another hallway, this one lined with glass windows on one side. I peered out of them and noted the array of wildlife and trees below. We were about three stories up, in some sort of castle. The sun rose over a set of mountains in the distance, making me frown.

This landscape wasn’t anything like the burning thwomps on the Academy grounds. No charcoal blades, raven-like stones, or fire gnats. Just a meadow of pretty flowers, healthy trees, and a mountain of green.

It’s not time for gardening, Aflora,Zakkai taunted in my thoughts, reminding me of the memory he’d skewed.

Stay out of my head.

Afraid I can’t do that, sweet star. You’re my mate, after all.

For now,I retorted. We’re going to break the bond, at least according to the fake event in my head.

Who says it’s fake?

I do, I replied, trailing after his essence again down the hall. It led me to another stone corridor lined with doors.

A few Midnight Fae mingled, all pausing to stare at me with widening eyes.

I ignored them, holding my head high, and allowed my cloak to billow in my wake. No sense in making friends. I didn’t plan to be here long.

A pair of double doors stood closed at the end of the hall, the edges lined in Zakkai’s energy. I sent a blast of magic against the center to blow the doors open, then walked through the threshold with my sole intention of finding the man playing in my head.

Only, a room of Midnight Fae paused mid-bite to gape at my rather forward entry.

They were all framed by windows overlooking the mountain, their tables evenly spaced in a cafeteria-style setting with Zakkai at the front of the room.

He sat beside Laki—if that was even his name—and several other fae. All of them stared at me as I approached, the chatter turning to whispers.

I ignored them all, my focus on my mate. He’d changed into a button-down shirt and tie, his white hair loose and wild around his broad shoulders.

The picture of sin.

He even had a glass of red wine—likely spiked with blood—to finish off his vampiric appearance. He sipped from the rim as his silver-blue eyes ran over me in clear appreciation. Then he set the glass down as the brunette beside him leaned over to whisper in his ear. It was an unmistakably intimate gesture that she strengthened by sliding her hand under the table, presumably to rest on his thigh.

I studied her familiar features with a frown.

Dakota, I recalled. She’d referred to me as a queen.

And from what I inferred by her current body language, she was very friendly with my king. My heart raced at the notion, my eyes narrowing as a result.

She had to know Zakkai was my mate.

Except he intended to break our bond, so maybe she didn’t care.

I shouldn’t care either.

However, part of me wanted to march over there and remove her hand from Zakkai’s leg. A ridiculous instinct, considering I didn’t even want him to be my mate.

I already had three; I didn’t need a fourth. This was just temporary. If he wanted to make flowers with that dark-haired Elite Blood, then so be it. I’d much prefer to just kill him anyway.

Have you come to play?he asked into my mind, his head cocking to the side—the side that was noticeably away from Dakota.

That’s interesting,I thought, ignoring his question.

Her full lips pursed as she straightened, her dark eyes flicking to me. “Nice of you to finally join us,” she said, removing her hand from Zakkai’s thigh to place it on the back of his chair in a decidedly proprietary move.

He didn’t seem to notice or care—likely because she touched him often—and instead smiled at me. “I see you decided on Academy attire. Does that mean you want a lesson?”

A hum of conversation flowed behind me, a hint of excitement touching the air.

“Last I checked, classes with you weren’t part of my curriculum. I think I’ll stick with the itinerary Kols provided, thanks.”

His grin widened. “Oh, but there’s so much I can teach you,” he said, his voice a sinful caress that seemed to imply so many meanings to his phrase.

“Kai,” his father said, a hint of caution in his tone.

“One moment,” he replied, his eyes twinkling with wicked intent. “I’m indulging our queen.”

“I’m not your queen.” I folded my arms. “You’re not Elemental Fae.”

“No, we’re not,” he agreed. “But you are most definitely my queen.” He pushed his chair back, knocking Dakota’s hand from it without ceremony. She quickly pulled her arm in, her lips flicking downward in brief annoyance before flattening into a straight, emotionless line.

“Kai,” his father tried again, but Zakkai was already moving around the table.

“Did you have trouble sleeping, Aflora?” he asked as he sauntered toward me. “Is that the cause of your current mood?”

“Trouble sleeping?” I scoffed at the notion. “Is that what you call it?”

He smirked and stopped in front of me to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

Sweet star, you’ve insulted me by charging in here while wearing clothes that represent all your mates except me. He cupped my cheek. If you kneel for me, I’ll forgive you. The words were softly spoken into my mind, a promise underlined in intent.

This was his territory, not mine.

It would be wise to show a little respect.

The problem was, I had no respect left in me to give.

“I’ll never kneel for you.” I enunciated the words clearly for everyone to hear. Maybe I should have replied mentally, but I had nothing to hide. And I meant what I said. “I bow to no one.”

Gasps met my bold statement.

But a glimmer of amusement shone in Zakkai’s gaze. “I can make you kneel.”

“You can try,” I countered.

The crowd broke out in louder whispers, and Laki heaved an audible sigh from the front of the room.

Apparently, my responses bothered him. Well, he could eat a burning thwomp. So could Zakkai, for that matter. “Just break our bond, and I’ll be on my way,” I said.

“Did you bring my wand?” he asked, ignoring my statement.

“No, but I brought my wand.”

His lips twitched. “Good. You’re going to need it.” He began rolling his shirtsleeves to his elbows, his gaze holding mine. “I’ll give you the first spell for our duel. I’m a gentleman like that.”

“Duel? I’m not dueling with you.”

“Oh, but you are, little star. You’ve challenged me, and I accept. So we’ll duel.”

“I didn’t challenge you.”

“Consider this your first lesson, Aflora. When you inform your king that you refuse to bow to him after insulting him with your entry and attire, it results in a challenge.” He cracked his neck, his shirt fully rolled to his elbows now. “Either kneel or deliver your first spell.”

“You’re not my king.” Perhaps goading him was the wrong thing to do, but my survival sense no longer seemed to exist.

“I’m the Source Architect. That makes me your king.” The patience underlining his tone would have been admirable had I been able to admire him.

“A title doesn’t command respect,” I informed him in a similar tone. “Actions do.”

He arched a brow. “Meaning?”

“You attacked an academy full of students and a village of innocent Midnight Fae. Those are actions I’ll never bow to.” Not to mention altering my memories, I added mentally with a narrowing of my gaze. I’m not some delicate little flower you can manipulate with your Quandary magic.

Silence met my words, the entire room seeming to have frozen around me.

Zakkai studied me for a long moment, his silver-blue irises swirling with power. “Respect is an important value here, Aflora. One you seem to be lacking.” He took a step backward, his stance one I recognized from Zeph’s warrior courses. “Lesson number two, sweetheart. Ask questions before you lay accusations at the feet of others. It’s insulting to do otherwise. Now, name your first spell.”

“Ask questions,” I repeated on a humorless laugh. “I’ve asked you several questions, Kai. Your method of answering them leaves a lot to be desired.”

“As does your current attitude,” he countered, cerulean flames dancing along his fingertips. I can’t allow this to go unanswered, Aflora. You’re insulting me in front of our people.

Your people,I snapped.

Our people, he said again. You’re one of us.

I’m an Earth Fae. A Royal. “I will not bow. You are not my king.”

His jaw ticked. “Vacate the tables.”

Chairs scraped across the ground as the fae jumped to his command. They all moved to the glass wall, their gazes riveted on the sparring match unfolding in the center of the room. Magic whipped through the air as the tables all folded onto one another to create a neat pile in the corner, giving us ample floor space to work with.

“Such confidence, Aflora. I just wanted to see what you could do, but now, I intend to show you what I can do.” He moved into his defensive stance again. “You have five seconds to utter a spell before I go first.”