Page 70 of Faerie Gift

Judging by the moans and the sucking sounds, they’d been looking for a make-out spot and they’d found one.

Jeez, what were the odds, I wondered, feeling my cheeks heat at being stuck in the closet, listening to them rounding third base. But I understoodwhythey would want to. Maybe, once everything blew over, I could find a spot like this for Mike and me. I wished the two of us could be together this way.

Yeah, right. In my dreams.

I swallowed a snort of laughter. Trying to ignore the sounds of heavy petting, I thought of Mike, of how crazy he made me on multiple levels. This kind of convoluted train of thought did nothing for my emotional health and yet it certainly helped distract me from the…slurping of tongues and rustle of clothing.

Nothing else to do but wait it out, I indulged in more fantasies about Mike and me and it was like wrapping myself in a warm cozy blanket, oblivious to everything going on around me.

When I finally tuned back in to the real world, I no longer heard the moans and groans. Were they finished? Was it safe to come out now? Not quite. I heard murmured voices as they talked softly to each other. With my superior hearing I had no trouble catching the conversation.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” the girl was saying. “I’m serious.”

“What do you mean?” This from the boy.

“The box, silly. Headmaster Cote just had to have us bring the damn artifact with us, and having it this close makes doing magic seriously hard.”

Okay, apparently my luck was returning.

I leaned close enough to have my ear against the closet door.Yes, keep talking. Tell me everything.I pressed my hands against the wood.

“I know, Syed, and I hate the damn thing too, but it’s not like we had a say in it. Headmaster Cote said we had to bring the Augundae Imperium with us and you know as well as I do there is no arguing with him,” the boy insisted.

Holy. Crap.Yes!They were talking about the Augundae Imperium.

“We’ll be rid of it soon, though. Right?” the girl asked. Her name was Syed? I’d never met her. Not surprising, since the exchange students avoided us like the plague.

“Yeah, I think so. I can’t wait.”

Another rustle of clothing. A slight moan. Then the girl said, “I don’t understand why we have it in the first place.” She sounded out of breath.

The boy sucked on his lips. At least, I assumed they werehislips. I could be wrong. “Well, I heard it’s supposed to fulfill some kind of prophecy. This is all second-hand information, you know, but the king is supposedly hot to get his hands on the thing. As I am hot to get my hands on you.”

“Mmm. Jean-Claude, stop it!” A giggle.

She definitely didn’t sound like she wanted him to stop but that was none of my business.

“Be happy,” the boy soothed. Kissing her somewhere. “We’re the ones chosen to bring it to him in Faerie. We’reimportant.”

“Mmm, yes. Oh, yes!” A slight coo accompanied by another moan. “I like being important.”

“You’re important to me, Syad.”

Then I heard the blessed sound of the door closing behind them. They’d finally had enough of each other I supposed.

Slowly I pushed open the closet door, heart pounding, and glanced around the now empty room.

Did I say holy crap already? Becauseholy crap.

The Augundae Imperium was here; the students had confirmed it. Not like I doubted Barbara’s word, but…itwashere and important enough to fulfill a prophecy…

And I was about to steal it to hand it over to a questionable-at-best witch.

23

Ihad no choice.

My frown deepened. I was too close to the Imperium now to waste time wondering about a prophecy. The moment had finally come to push through and race across the finish line. Through the walls.

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