IVY
Well, Torian Hunt had completely screwed up my weekend. At least Rain had been willing to tell me all about it during her Monday morning class, so I had all the information now. Sadly, the children in the dining hall had told more than just their friends. They'd also told their parents.
I'd received emails yesterday. Today, the phone calls started. The office staff was working overtime to take messages for me, and there was no way I'd be able to call everyone back by the end of my work day. That meant this mess was going to last at least a week.
Checking the clock, I scooped another bite of fruit salad into my mouth. Tag had brought me a package of maple treats as well. Candied maple syrup definitely counted as my preferred version of a pick-me-up. Sucking back another bite, I looked over the stack of hand-written messages on my desk and fought the urge to sigh.
We needed more humans in here. They, at least, would be willing to tackle a keyboard and computer. Still, my formersoldiers and aides had needed a job, and this was a safe one for them.
I'd just crammed the last two bites of my lunch into my mouth, and was struggling to chew around it all, when the door to my office slammed open. Pearl Hawthorne's hand was on the handle, and she didn't bother to ask if I minded the intrusion. No, she simply stormed in, dragging three adult fae behind her.
"Ivy," she said, "these parents have been waiting to speak to you. They were told you weren't available."
I chewed a little faster. "Mhm." That was all I could get out with the mouthful of fruit.
"Pearl!" Rose gasped, hurrying around the front desk to come to my aid. "I told you she's on her lunch break!"
"And we have parents who took time from theirs to have a meeting!" Pearl huffed.
But I'd finally swallowed my food. "Come in," I said, waving for them to enter my office. "Pearl, are these friends of yours?"
"Aster Black, Calix Hudson, and Oasis Cove," Pearl introduced. "Aster and Oasis are friends of mine, and Calix is a friend of theirs. They sent their children here because of my recommendation, Ivy."
I nodded, realizing why she was pushing this. "I see." Then I turned to the three parents. "And what can I help you with?"
"Is it true?" Calix asked, shifting closer.
"Is what true?" I asked.
"My daughter said the Summer Prince is here!" Aster burst out.
"And a duke," Oasis added. "A Summer Duke? Here? Attending with our children?"
I resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. "Yes, it seems that is true. However, they will not be treated as royalty or nobility while they're in attendance. The Summer Prince is notexempt from the rules of this institution, and we will not prevent him from socializing."
The three parents all exchanged excited looks, but I knew this wasn’t going to end well. It hadn't yet, and I'd been doing this endlessly since Torian had made his little scene in the cafeteria. Foolish boy!
"But this is a sign," Oasis insisted. "Ivy, it means our court has finally made it over!"
"He's been here almost two years," I said, dropping that out there.
"And you haven't removed the Winter students yet?" Calix asked, anger starting to color his tone.
"I have not," I said.
"We've been trying to prevent Torian's rank from becoming a problem," Pearl told them. "To protect him, of course."
I gave her a sideways look. Pearl Hawthorne hadn't known who or what Torian was until a few weeks ago. Only a handful of us had been trusted with that information. Yes, I'd thought keeping his rank to himself would be safer, but she made it sound like she'd known the whole time when she hadn't. Then there was the fact she'd just told these people his common name.
"And my son's in a class with him?" Oasis asked. "Able to interact freely, and he won't be punished for his lack of manners? Sadly, I've never had a chance to teach him the ways of our court."
"Since we are on Earth," I said, "I expect the students here to act like it. I am not trying to recreate the fae society we left. The goal of Silver Oaks is to preserve our children, their knowledge of their abilities, and to keep our kind from being persecuted by humanity."
"What about the Winter students?" Aster asked.
"What about them?" I gave her a polite but bland smile.
"The prince is here!" she spit. "You can't risk having them around him!"
