Page 96 of Mistaken Magic

Keirdidn't care.Shovingback his chair, he turned and offered me a hand. "Thiswas a bad idea.Let'sget out of here?"

Ipressed my palm against his and let him help me up.Withouta word,Keirturned me away, but his jaw was still clenched.Wepassed a few tables before he shifted his arm and tilted his head, making it clear he wanted me to take it.Ilooped my hand inside his elbow like some elegant lady, but we didn't stop until we left the dining hall.

Itseemed we weren't the first.Afew students hung out in the halls.Mostwere couples or mixed groups.Keirjust turned toward the atrium.Ithought that was where we were going until he turned us up that hall.

"Um,Ikinda wanted to talk," he admitted. "IfIinvite you up to my room for a bit, will you please not make your decision based on my asshole of a suitemate?"

"I'mnot scared ofFin,"Iassured him. "He'spretty much like every guyI'veever known before."

"Withthe ability to fuck with your mind,"Keirreminded me. "Rain,Enticerscan convince you that you're someone else.Theycan change your mind for you.Theycan compel you to do things you wouldn't ordinarily do - like him."

"Youmean... like date rape?"Iasked.

"Worse," he said. "Fin'sstrong enough to make sure you don't say anything.KindawhyI'mstill his suitemate."Heglanced over. "Andwhy he's still a virgin.Seemsmy ability to dispel things is a powerful one."

Igestured to the boys' elevator. "Thenlet's go.SeemsI'vemade the right friends."

"You'renot bothered by that?" he asked.

"Oh,I'mbothered,"Iassured him. "Ialso don't blame you for being a decent guy.Fin'sa dick.I'mjust wondering how many girls he took someplace besides his room."

"None," he promised. "I'vemade it very clear that if he crosses that line,Iwon't just get him expelled.I'llmake sure theHuntfinds him."Hepressed the button to call the car down. "Wewere paired by chance our first year here.Hetried it once - just to get a girl to kiss him.Iput a stop to it and made sureBrackenknew.Brackenmade sure he's stuck with me now.Ironically, the girl he tried to steal a kiss from?Oneof the jesters.Talkabout burning his bridges before he could get in with any crowd, so now he's stuck with the sentinels."

Thedoor opened and he led me on, but when he pressed the button for the fourth floor,Irealized there was something elseIneeded to know. "Whatexactly are sentinels,Keir?Ikeep hearing that term, butI'mnot sure how it fits into all of this."

"We'rethe ones training to stop theHunt," he explained. "It'showBrackenmade his fame.Hehelped break theWildHuntinto a few smaller groups.Stilldangerous, but a group of us can fight back five or six.Wecan't stop theHuntas a whole.Yousee, they can't be killed."

"Doesn'tsound like a good career choice,"Ipointed out.

Helifted one shoulder in a mock shrug. "Idid mentionIhave a thing for being a hero.Ialso can't lie."Likean exclamation point, the door dinged, announcing we'd reached the fourth floor.

Chapter Forty

Keir'sroom was nothing like mine.Thefloor was hardwood.Therug was brown and grey.Hedidn't have a window looking over the atrium - he was on the wrong hall for that - and the bed was in a completely different space.Thenthere was all the personal stuff.

Aset of leather armor hung on a rack in the corner.Therewas a collection of swords on the wall.Noneof them were iron.Hisshelves were adorned with so many pictures.Plentyhad a pair of beautiful people whoIwould've guessed were in their mid-twenties.Latetwenties at most.

"Arethose your parents?"Iasked.

Hechuckled. "Yeah.Um,Icall them my aunt and uncle now.Ina few more years, they'll be my brother and sister.Well, in public."

"Theydon't look a day over a hundred,"Ijoked.

Heducked his head. "Howare you so ok with all of this?Youask questions, accept the answers, and then just move on."

"Theonly stable thing in my entire life has been change,"Iadmitted.

"Makessense."Hereached up to release his tie, sliding that off just to toss it into the corner. "So, um, you look nice today."

Imade a slow pirouette. "Aspencreated it for me."

"Uhhuh, andHawkematched.Trustme, everyone noticed."Thenhe pulled out the chair at his desk and dropped onto it backwards. "Howare things going in the girl dorm, anyway?"

Agroan fell out andImoved to sit on his bed.Itwas the only other space. "Itook your advice about friends.Imean, it's been a week, butIkinda kissed her this morning.Notlike a real kiss, though.Ijust..."Thewords faded away whenIrealizedIwas rambling.

Keirstood to drag his chair a little closer, then dropped into it again. "Youknow you might want to keep that to yourself, right?YouandAspen?"

"Why?"Iquickly asked.

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