Page 134 of Rebellious Royals

"Is that why I'm so twitchy?" he asked. "I only had one cup of tea, but I feel like I just drank a gallon of espresso!"

"Part of magical puberty," I joked. "Seriously, sleep through gym. I'll tell Bracken."

Pascal stopped in his tracks, a little smile taking over. "What if it's Earth?"

"Then I'll teach you."

"Maybe I'll get healing!" He looked like a boy about to open his holiday gifts. "Oh, healing would be so good. Even if it's just first aid. I could help more when the Hunt comes."

"Pas," I chided. "Man, you are a badass out there. Please do not give up swinging a sword because you can apply band-aids, ok? Believe it or not, it's possible to do both."

"Well, yeah."

"And sleep tends to help the body acclimate," I told him. "At least it did for me. Avoid electronic devices if you're shooting sparks - which makes me think you won't have a minor skill. Have more tea, since it's nice and warm. Just be careful for a bit."

"How long?" he asked.

I hummed and rocked my head, trying to remember back to when my own power had come in. "The first few days tend to be the worst. Three, maybe five at most? It's been a while, Pas."

He chuckled at that. "Rub it in." And then he looked up at me with the biggest grin I'd ever seen. "Am I really getting magic?"

"Yeah," I said. "I mean, I haven't felt any yet, but it sure sounds like you are."

He nodded almost like he couldn't figure out what else to do. "I think I will go to the office. Ms. Rhodes should be able to tell, right?"

"Or Robin, the nurse," I told him. "She might also give you something to dull it for a bit so you can stop tweaking like some teenage druggie."

"Yep, you talked me into it," he said, pausing to clasp my arm. "I didn't think this day would ever come. I..."

"Go," I told him, understanding completely. "And congratulations, my friend."

He just smiled for a little too long before turning and meandering away. That was when I realized I was smiling too. Of all the people I knew, Pascal and Rain were the ones who deserved magic the most. They'd both gotten it. I was pretty sure they both felt like they'd just stepped into a faerie tale. I only hoped they both also got the happy endings they deserved.

Chapter Forty-Two

RAIN

Keir had been busy all weekend. I was pretty sure it was because Pascal was sick. He'd missed practice on Friday, and I hadn't seen him in the cafeteria or atrium all weekend. When I offered to take a meal up to him, Keir assured me he'd handle it.

That made the entire court pause.

"It's a personal thing," Keir explained. "I told him I wouldn't say anything. This is me not saying it, but I happen to think it's a good thing."

Fae promises. They were truly binding - and starting to be a pain in my ass. The court had let me know they had their own secret, and I'd spent a semester trying not to push or pry. Ok, in truth, that had been my own fear of them thinking I wasn't worth the hassle and ghosting me. They hadn't, and for the first time in my life, I now had a real group of friends.

So if Keir thought this was ok, I'd trust him. He'd helped me when I needed it most, and he did like to be a hero. For all I knew, Pascal had gotten himself a girlfriend - or boyfriend. Come to think of it, I'd never seen Pascal with anyone, so that would count as a good thing, but why would he need Keir's help?

A cover? Unlocking a door so they could hook up? After all, Keir did have the ability to get through almost anything with his defensive abilities. Still, that didn't feel like it fit. Maybe Pascal had been promoted? Or he could have a secret project? I didn't know, and now I was just grasping at straws.

But when I made it to the gym Monday afternoon, the guy was back and looked perfectly normal. I went out of my way to let him know he'd been missed. His response? The biggest smile I'd ever seen. He didn't try to explain why though, so I didn't ask.

For the most part, our defensive combat and offensive combat classes were fine. Bracken kept moving me around, making me work with various partners - or a group of them once - just to keep me on my toes. Yet when the main door blew open, it halted the class.

A chilled breeze rushed in hard. Everyone around me tensed, but I looked back at the training dummy where Jack slept through these two hours to find my crow still perfectly relaxed. Everyone else was bracing for the worst.

"Is it the Hunt?" a girl whimpered.

Bracken had his phone out, tapping at it furiously. The sentinels were moving the other students away from the door, but me? I marched straight to it and shut the thing. Outside, the sky was completely blue, with no storms brewing on the horizon.

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