Yet when Aspen opened the door for her, I could see people on the other side trying to peek in. At least three or four. Rain paused, looking back.
"Uh..." she said, sounding like she really didn't want to do this.
"Just go," Keir told her as he scooped his guy up and over his shoulder. Yeah, I'd drained that prick enough he'd need some time before he came to.
Then Bracken shoved his forward, holding both of the boy's biceps like he was a prisoner. "Walk, boy. We're going down to the office."
"Elevator," Keir suggested.
But the guy Bracken held saw the onlookers. "He's a jevadu!" he yelled at them. "Hawke Woods is a monster! He tried to eat us!"
Hearing everyone in the hall laugh? I hadn't expected that. And yet, they all acted like the prick was trying to punk them somehow. They thought his words were a joke, or an excuse to get out of trouble? I wasn't sure, but right now, I really didn't care.
Ms. Rhodes just reached over to clasp my shoulder. "You did good, Hawke. I'll handle this."
"No, he's really a jevadu!" the guy cried out, his voice fading as he was propelled up the hall. "He sucked Buck dry. He killed him!"
"He's not dead!" Keir yelled. "Just knocked out by Wilder's conjuration." And the crowd laughed again.
"I'm sorry," I told Ms. Rhodes. "I didn't have time to think. I know I shouldn't have -"
"No," she said, rubbing my shoulder gently. "You, Hawke, are fae. You belong here. Well, inyourroom, but we'll ignore that part. Let's call it the privilege of your position."
And I glanced down, feeling a smile taking over. "I'm not used to that."
"But you need to get used to it," she said, keeping her voice down. "Your title will protect you more than anything else. It will protect you even when your secrets are screamed down a hall. That's the power most fae want. They just confuse it for the kind that sparkles in green and white."
I nodded to show I understood. "And what's going to happen to them?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I'm hoping to get some answers, but I'm not exactly expecting them either."
"No," Wilder agreed. "I think Rain's right. I think they're The Silent. They can't speak, and thus are silent, right?"
That made Ms. Rhodes' head snap up. "Shit. I didn't think of that. They might be two different groups!"
And she spun, hurrying after our attackers.
Chapter Twenty-Four
TORIAN
Ireminded Hawke and Wilder that their shadow-clothing would fade soon, then led my sister out. It took a bit to get all the way around to her side of the building, but mostly because she was taking the longest route she could. As we walked through the handful of people standing outside their rooms in their pajamas, I could hear the whispers starting.
The next day, they were even worse. Keir didn't have a problem, but when I checked on Wilder that morning, he admitted he'd gotten a lot of long looks over breakfast. Hawke told me people were giggling and looking away when they passed by. Sadly, none of us, not even Aspen or Rain, had heard what rumors they were spreading, but clearly something was being said.
Rumors moved fast among the fae. It was a currency we preferred, so I wasn't surprised last night's incident had already been making the rounds. That didn't mean I liked it, though.
So when I sat down with the court at lunch, I was on edge. It was my job to keep the court safe. That was why I'd come here, and now I was failing. Keir, being the last one to the table, had just sat down when a pair of jester girls walked by, staring atHawke. When they bent their heads and tittered like they'd just heard the greatest joke, I snapped.
"Enough!" I roared, shoving to my feet.
At the edge of my vision, I saw the table of younger Children of the Exodus whip around. "You enjoying yourselves?" I demanded of them.
"It's the prince," one of them said. "He noticed us!"
My jaw clenched hard enough I could hear my teeth grinding, and I took a step. Aspen caught my wrist, halting me.
Don't do anything stupid, she thought at me.We don't need that right now.
