Fae of the South (Court of Crown and Compass Book 3) by E. Hall (libby ebook reader .txt) 📕

“This isn’t make-believe or fiction. This is real life.”

“Yeah, and wars are fought in real life.” Aaron snarls.

“What makes this war worth fighting for?” I ask trying to keep my voice even as confusion pummels me from all sides.

“Freedom. No control. No rules. Anarchy.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

Aaron smiles. “That’s the point.”

The knife sails through the air aimed at me.

I dodge.

“Setting fires, robbing stores, taking whatever their cold hearts desire, orchestrating chaos.” He turns to the X emblazed on the wall. “And it’s just the beginning.”

I thunder downstairs, desperate to find Lea to warn her about Cole and his crew along with reporting whatever happened to Aaron. When I push on the door it’s locked for the night.

Freedom sounds pretty good right now.

Chapter 9

Leajka

 

 

Amelia whirls on me when we get back to our shared cinderblock room. I’m afraid she’s going to lay into me about the whole vampire versus fae thing. I’ve never had to pick before. Then again, I never let myself acknowledge that I’m fae before. Ivan knew even though he never said anything and didn’t seem to mind...until now.

Her eyes are narrowed, but she wears a goofy smile. She descends on me with her finger pointed as though I stand accused of more than murder. “I’ve never seen anything like the way he looks at you. Whoa.”

“Whoa, what?” I ask, reclaiming my personal space.

She lights up like the bulb shining on the ceiling above her. “You’re both so comfortable around each other like you can be yourselves. You’re just best friends?”

Her assumption catches up with me. “Are you talking about Tyrren...and me?” I shake my head. “Yes, we’re just friends. I’ve never had a serious boyfriend. A best friend, yes. A boyfriend, no. I’m not a player, a dater, or a committer.”

“No? But you are rambling.” She hitches a sly smile. “You may not see it yet, but there is some serious chemistry between you two. It’s like flames in a fire.”

“And that’s why I don’t date. We’d turn to ash.”

“Dramatic.” Amelia wiggles her fingers.

“What about you?” I ask, turning the tables.

“Do I have a crush? Yes. Does he realize I exist? No.”

“And he is...?”

“Someone that needs a little work before he’s datable.” She blows a stray piece of hair away from her face.

“The types with potential are always trouble.”

“You’re telling me.” Amelia lets out a long sigh before she drops onto her bed. “More urgently, it’s clear you and Tyrren belong together but not here.”

My expression must convey the question in my mind. Why did we both wind up here at the same time for crimes we didn’t commit?

Amelia grabs me, forcing me to sit next to her on the bed. I try to edge away, but when she speaks, it’s so low, I have to lean in to hear. “There are plenty of fae and other supernaturals who break laws and hurt others. There’s a reason the jail was converted to a maximum-security prison. But this school? I’m not so sure. Most of us don’t belong here.” She shakes her head.

“Says everyone who ever committed a crime.” Even as I speak the words, they fall hollow, false.

“I don’t think I burned my house down. I don’t think you killed two people. Maybe some of the students here broke rules or their parents were fed up with their juvenile behavior.” She throws air quotes around the word juvenile. “I’ve been here a while and the prison population is only increasing along with the demon threat. You’d be an idiot not to notice there are more demons on the loose than ever and they’re disguised to look like natural mortals—humans.”

She has my full attention now. I quickly tell her about the encounter Tyrren and I had with the demons in Brooklyn.

“All I know is that vampires are threatened by us so better to keep us locked away, right? Wrong. We could defend against the demons. Instead, we’re here.”

“Does that mean vampires have infiltrated positions of political power?” I think of Ivan. He always pulled strings and conducted shady dealings behind closed doors. Could he be one of them? Then why raise me as his daughter only to lock me up?

“I believe so.”

Amelia’s suspicions filter through my mind. “Sounds like you’re suggesting a conspiracy theory.”

“After the Rift, an order of Guardians and Warriors was created to protect the supernaturals here in Terra—trained at magical academies all over the world.”

I stop her right there and have her explain more. Up until now, I haven’t paid attention to the details.

“There are two parallel realms. Terra, where we are. Borea, where we’re from.”

“I’m from Brooklyn.”

“If believing that helps you sleep at night, by all means. But there’s no denying you’re fae. Frost Fae if my Spidey-senses are accurate.”

My shoulders reflexively round.

“There’s no shame in it, Lea.” Her eyes meet mine.

I turn away. “There are plenty of reasons to be ashamed,” I murmur.

“No.” Her voice is sharp. A reprimand. “Lea, you’ve just been catapulted into something much bigger than yourself.” She lets the words sink in for a moment and looks me over as though evaluating if she should say more. “We may be in reform school for wayward supernaturals, but that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with us or that we’re helpless.”

That’s exactly how I feel.

“If you’re the brave and bold girl I think you are, you’ll join us at midnight.”

“Join who? Where?” I ask.

“We’re working to get to the bottom of this and we will. We’ll break free.” The smile Amelia wears is a dare. She exits to the showers.

I flop onto my bed, overwhelmed. A few tears, as fine as the misty rain on the window, escape my eyes. Despite my often-unruly nature, this is