"Nevaeh?" Poppy asked, hurrying around us to check on her.
But a teacher was trying her best to get through the mob watching us. "Make room!"
"Fuck," Poppy grumbled, turning to the sound.
I saw it all, but wasn't going to let Pascal deal with this alone. Dropping to a knee, I caught one of the guy's hands so Pascal could focus on the other. He was roaring in anger, but not using words. He was just trying to get us off, and bucking his whole body in the hopes that would help.
"Stop!" I demanded, pushing down a little harder.
"Enough!" This time, it was Ivy Rhodes' voice, and the entire hall immediately fell silent.
But when everyone paused, the other teacher was finally able to push through. Making her way into the hollow area madeby the fighting and thrashing, I saw Ms. Hawthorne. Her eyes landed on her daughter, and the woman's scowl turned acidic.
"Poppy, get to class!" she snapped.
"No," Ivy said as she joined us. "Everyoneelseneeds to go to class. I need this group in my office. Poppy, Nevaeh, Pascal, Rain, and you too, Cedar." She made a point of looking at me and then Pascal. "If Cedar won't go on his own, someone needs to make sure he does."
Evidently, the guy I was holding on the ground was named Cedar. He was older, so probably a college student. I hadn't stopped to see how pretty he was - to guess how much fae ancestry he might have. Nope, I'd just jumped in without thinking.
"Um, Ms. Rhodes?" I asked, looking up. "I think I stopped his magic. Do you want me to take the mittens off?"
"No," she said. "I think he can wear those until he gets to my office. And if you don't willingly go there, Cedar, she won't take them off."
"How long can they last?" he demanded, sounding pissed about it. Almost like he was trying to imply he wasn't worried.
"Forever," I said, leaning down to make sure he heard. "Wild magic works that way, Cedar."
"And you're supposed to be helpingus," he shot back.
"Enough!" Ms. Rhodes barked. Then she sighed. "Pascal, please make sure Cedar makes it? Rain, you make sure those two do." She flicked a finger to Nevaeh and Poppy. Then she looked at Ms. Hawthorne. "I know you were trying to stop it, but I've got them now."
"There should be no fighting in the halls," Ms. Hawthorne grumbled as she turned back to her class.
But for a moment there, her eyes had landed on Poppy, and in that split second, I was sure the girl was about to get in some serious shit. I had no clue what her mom could do toher for trying to help, but clearly Ms. Hawthorne was under the impression Poppy had been involved rather than trying to stop it.
"Hey," I said, hurrying over to the girls while Pascal heaved Cedar to his feet. "Are you both ok?"
"Yeah," Poppy said.
Nevaeh just nodded.
So I looked back. "Pas, you good?"
"Got this," he assured me. "Make sure neither of them got hurt."
So I looked back. "Did you?"
Nevaeh just sighed. "He called me a Winter bitch, then shoved my face into the wall. Bruised, but nothing worse."
"I got that," Poppy said, reaching over to touch the corner of Nevaeh's eye.
Immediately, green light began to glow around her fingers. It looked similar to what Keir did when healing us, but without all his exciting colors. Sadly, it was one skill I'd never be able to learn. Not just because most fae were scared of my magic. It could hurt them, after all. But being the opposite sort of magic meant there were simply some skills I wouldn't get.
"What pissed him off?" I asked, offering Nevaeh a hand up once Poppy was done.
Nevaeh accepted, groaning as she found her feet. "I have no idea."
"He's one of those assholes," Poppy said. "Hangs out with the older Children of the Exodus."
