Some guy had another in a headlock, pulling him to the office. Two of his friends were holding their prisoner's arms. On the other side of the long glass wall that separated the main office from the hall, I could see nearly a dozen people all crammed together, and they looked like they were pushing orwrithing. Too many were scuffed up, had ripped clothes, or were holding something to a wound as if it might be bleeding.
"Enough!" Torian roared as he opened the door for us and the other group to head inside. "If I have to, I will stall everyone in here so we can get this sorted!"
One of the fae behind the front desk looked up. "Ms. Rhodes would appreciate it, Torian."
So he lifted his hand and snapped. The woman who'd given him permission simply smiled, proving she'd been kept from the magic. When the door to my dad's office opened hard, I realized Torian had been very selective in his enchantment.
Liam rushed out. "Rain?" He sounded worried.
"What's going on?" I asked.
But my dad was gaping at the people frozen like statues. "What..."
"Local area time-stop," Torian explained. "I like this one. Why are you moving?"
"Dad!" Jack cawed, sweeping in through the open office door. "Jack-Dad." And he landed on Liam's shoulder. "Dad-dad?"
"Bracken's at the gym," Liam told the bird. "Well, somewhere between here and there. Sounds like there was another group tackled out there and he's trying to bring them here."
"Where's Ms. Rhodes?" Keir asked.
The woman behind the desk sighed. "Busy," she said. "We've had at least seven attacks simultaneously. The dean is on the A wing, first floor."
"Shit," I breathed, trying to comprehend just how bad this was.
But my profanity made the woman smile. "That does sum it up nicely, Morrigan."
"Rose, we need to secure the perpetrators, get statements from the witnesses, and probably get Robin some help," Liam said. "Torian..."
"What do you need?" he asked.
Liam just shook his head. "I don't know. I have a feeling you do, so do it."
And Torian smiled. "I think I like this fairy-godfather kick." He paused to look around. "I need a door that won't be accidentally used."
"Rose?" Liam asked. "He's going to make a gate."
The administrator pointed to the side and up a hall. "The broom closet. Where will it go and who do we need to move through it?"
"A room in the Never," Torian said, "and we'll send everyone who attacked someone through it. The witnesses will stay here." He gestured for her to lead on.
"Yeah, and..." Keir pointed to Pascal who wasn't moving. "He can help, Tor. You just have to unfreeze him."
"Not yet," Torian said as he followed Rose up the hall.
"Paranoid bastard," Keir grumbled.
But Liam moved to clasp Keir's shoulder. "It's not paranoia if someone really is after you." Then my dad offered me a weak smile. "You ok, kiddo?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Wilder got this group before we could get there. Torian pulled me from biology."
"Pascal and I were almost to the cafeteria," Keir admitted. "I think Aspen and Hawke gated in too."
"They did," I agreed. "Shadow's alert is turning out to be more helpful than I expected."
And we all looked down at my feet. Surprisingly, my shadow seemed completely normal. Jack rattled in amusement.
"Morrigan," he cawed. "Court. Courtiers." And he nodded. Then, "Shadow." He shook his head at that.
