Page 95 of Vicious Kings
I slide my arm through his anyway, because what else am I going to do? Show up to class alone and bloody, giving everyone more ammunition to use against me? At least this way I have a witness that I'm not the one starting shit.
And thanks to Isabella and her crew, I'm finally wearing the most convincing and elusive disguise a hunter can possess in her arsenal. Looking harmless.
We walk in silence for a few moments, him matching his stride to mine even though his legs are significantly longer. The courtyard is busy with students rushing between classes, and I catch the stares, the whispers that follow us like hungry ghosts.
"I knew the moment I saw you," Tallon says conversationally, "that Corvinus would take a liking to you."
I snort. "Lucky me. How did you know?"
"We're a bonded triad." He says it simply, like it explains everything. "We share everything."
The way he emphasizes that last word makes heat creep up my neck. Everything. Emotions, thoughts, presumably even lovers.
"That must be convenient," I manage, trying not to picture exactly what 'everything' might entail.
His grin turns wicked. "At times, very."
We reach the Armory Building, a structure that actually looks like it has a purpose beyond making humans feel inadequate. Dark stone, narrow windows, the faint smell of oil and metalthat speaks to weapons being maintained. I can't help feeling a prickle of excitement at the thought.
Maybe I can convince Corvinus that a tour of the armory is romance.
Fae enchantments are the stuff of legend, to the point where a fallen Fae's enchanted blade or polearm is every hunter's dream trophy. I've only had this class twice so far, and both times the professor wanted to hold session outside to enjoy the weather, so I never got a glance at the goodies this baby holds in store.
And sure enough, Corvinus is already there when we arrive.
He's leaning against the doorframe like he owns it, looking entirely too pleased with himself. Those wintry eyes find mine immediately, but his arrogance turns to rage when he takes in my disheveled state.
"What happened?" He's suddenly in front of me, hands on my shoulders, examining the scratches on my arms. "Who did this?"
"Minor kerfuffle," I say, trying to step back. He doesn't let me. "Nothing to worry about."
"Tallon?" Corvinus's voice drops to something dangerous, still looking at me but clearly addressing his packmate.
"Isabella and her crew." Tallon's voice is deceptively neutral. "They were under the impression Billie had manipulated you into changing her schedule."
"I see." Corvinus's jaw tightens, and for the briefest of seconds, he looks guilty. "And did you explain that wasn't the case?"
"I did. They didn't seem inclined to believe it until I mentioned you'd done it without her knowledge."
"Good." Corvinus's thumbs brush against my shoulders, gentle in a way that makes my skin ache. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." I finally manage to shrug him off, putting distance between us. "Can we just go to class? I'd like to learn something useful today instead of discussing my apparent inability to navigate omega politics."
His smile is soft, almost fond, and it makes my stomach twist. "Of course."
The classroom is exactly what I hoped it would be, zero frills and all function. Weapons line the walls, each one carefully maintained and buzzing with subtle magic. The desks are scarred wood instead of polished crystal, and the chairs are actual chairs instead of plush monstrosities.
Finally. A class that might actually teach me something I can use.
Professor Thorbridge, a Fae male with magically inflicted scars crossing his face in patterns that tell stories of fierce battles waged and survived, doesn't even blink when we file in. He's seen everything, clearly, and a student covered in minor injuries barely registers.
Even an omega.
"Today," he says without preamble, "we're discussing the art of magical enhancement. Specifically, how to imbue weapons with properties that amplify their effectiveness against various supernatural targets."
I lean forward despite myself, suddenly very interested in what he has to say.
"Miss Moreau." His gray eyes find mine. "As our resident former hunter, perhaps you could share your experience with enchanted weapons?"
