"Well, do you blame me?" I asked.
"Crazy? Why?" Rain asked, looking at each of us in turn.
So I pointed at Torian. "He's happy. Aspen's giggling. Something happened, and I'm worried it's about to blow up before we know what it even is."
"Happy?" Keir asked, glancing slyly at Torian.
Torian simply popped a slice of orange into his mouth and chewed. "Now I'm struggling not to draw this out."
"Oh, fuck off," I groaned, knowing he would.
But he lifted a hand slightly, letting me know he wasn't into torture today. "I am officially in a relationship. That makes me happy. It's new, it's probably going to be awkward, but I realized something."
"What's that?" Keir asked.
Torian looked at him and smiled so softly, I suddenly was able to put all the pieces together. Wilder had told me about their talk. Torian had told me about how he didn't want to mess things up for Aspen. His solution had been to avoid Keir. I'dpointed out how he'd already gone there and nothing bad had happened, but that look? It spoke volumes.
"I don't have to betheprince. I merely have to beaprince, Keir. Bran and Axel? They like that I'm not being a perfect little royal heir. They're thrilled that we're throwing a wrench into things with our idea of a single, unified court. So if all that is true..." He quickly glanced at us, but his eyes returned to Keir. "There's no reason I can't enjoy having a boyfriend. There's no need to keep it secret, out of the way, or to worry that my interest in a man will end up as a weapon to use against me."
"I can hold my own," Keir assured him.
Which was when Rain figured it out. Sucking in a breath, she not only sat straighter, but also slapped both hands over her lips. "Really?!" She was struggling not to squeal in her excitement. "You two?"
Ok, that was fucking adorable. Seeing Tor happy felt good, but Rain's reaction was absolutely perfect. I had a feeling it was what everyone at our table needed. She was the one who was supposed to have an issue with this - or Keir, but even though he was Earthborn, he wasallfae. But Rain? For some reason, I'd expected her to be jealous, not thrilled.
"I kinda asked him last night," Keir told her.
Aspen had her hands clasped together and was bouncing in her seat. I flashed her a smile, but something behind her caught my attention. A few tables back, a girl was leaning in like she was pissed. Fucking sidhe drama, probably. I was just about to look away when Jack's head snapped over too.
"Enemy!" he cawed, launching into the air.
And everything felt like it happened at once. Rain shoved to her feet, spinning to see where Jack was going. Wilder pushed Aspen's chair back against the wall, putting himself between her and everything. Torian and Keir braced, but that girl I'd seena second ago? She grabbed someone, pulling their back to her chest, yanking her victim out of their chair in the process.
"Summer is here!" the girl yelled - and people began moving.
A guy jumped up, rushing for the doors. Rain lashed out, sending shadows at him. Torian flashed green at someone else. Aspen lifted her hand like she was going to snap, but a green explosion over her head - blocked by Wilder - made her yelp and duck for cover.
"The Morrigan!" someone yelled.
And before I knew what was happening, six different students rushed us. Not as a group, though. No, they came from all directions, and the table between us had just become a problem. I turned, grabbing a girl's arm as she reached out to throw a conjuration. Wilder was trying to cover both of Aspen's sides, but she'd learned more than I realized.
But most of them were after Rain. Keir was trying his best, yet we weren't armed. He blocked, sending shields out in all directions, only to have an enchantment dispel them almost immediately. That meant we had to stop this, and the first girl? She was dragging her victim into the center of the cafeteria, screaming something I couldn't hear over the chaos around me.
"Kill Winter!" someone screamed.
"Take the losers too!"
I could only assume they meant us, but their words didn't fit. Ducking, blocking, and trying to get around this fucking table was harder than it should be. Worse, Rain didn't know how to watch her own back. Once, I saw Jack swoop down from above, clawing at someone's face. Sadly, I didn't have time to stop and watch.
A girl at the table beside us spun into my path, trying to escape the magic being hurled our way. I pushed, needing her to get down, and she fell, nearly tripping me. When I came up, itwas just in time to see someone smash a glass against the side of Rain's head.
She dropped.
The shadows dissipated.
Keir and Torian roared, becoming monsters as they tried to get to her, and I wasn't any better. I knew Wilder would keep Aspen safe, but Rain? Where wasRain?!
"Keir, help her!" Torian ordered as he reached for his entire season, shifting all the green into the room even brighter.
