Page 80 of Fortune Fae Academy
“The system is different than it used to be,” she continued as if she’d heard my silent protest. “It’s clear now that Elders will simply be those among us with the most experience and proven wisdom. And I’m very wise, I’ll have you know. I’m the one who said it was about time we opened up our realm to other races. And now they’ve invited humans. Can you believe it? I’m sure the Collegium read my submission in last month’s suggestion box and took action. And now they want me to be—”
I halted, bringing our circle of escorts to a pause around us as Mina blinked at me. “Humans,here?” I asked. That was unheard of.
“Well, yes,” she said as she tilted her head. “What do you think all these caravans are for? There’s a big celebration happening at the Collegium for the new Elder.”
New Elder? What the fuck had I missed?
What had Amell left out?
There was only one fae who had the gall to call himself a new Elder. He also happened to be the only fae I knew who liked to dabble in human exploits.
Roderik.
That explained Mina’s belief that the system of the requirements of an Elder had changed. Roderik had a mate-circle—even more than one now that he had two Omegas.
And if I didn’t do something soon, that number would increase.
Roderik had a hoard of Omegas, but they were all holed up in the apartments back in Las Vegas. I scanned the area, not identifying any of their timelines that I’d picked up on before.
But that was when I noticed a strange hum around Mina, one I hadn’t detected earlier because of the suppression her earring provided. Now that I better knew what I was looking for, I noted something very suspicious.
“Mina?” I asked as my chest tightened. “Can you… remove your earring?”
I wanted to be wrong about this.
Fae, please let me be wrong.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely concerned. “I never take off my earring, darling. I’m a very powerful Omega, you know. I see visions that could risk my life.” She gave me a once-over. “I imagine whatever future you hold is linked to a powerful timeline. Maybe even directly to the pure timeline. I’m not sure if I’m ready for that.”
I grinned, because Mina’s ambition gave me an idea. “Well, I’m sure the Elders won’t mind if you show up as a blank slate.They’d prefer to instruct their new apprentices, right? If you showed up already having a slice of the pure timeline in your hands, that would be a bit presumptuous.”
She chewed her plump lip as she narrowed her eyes. “Or it would be precisely the kind of thing that would set me apart from the other apprentices. And now that I have a mate-circle with an Alphaanda Beta, I can probably handle it.” She nodded. “That’s it. I’m reading your future.” She yanked off her earring and clicked her tongue at one of the guards. “You, hold this.”
I loved how the Beta blanched when she handed him her earring. “But Amell said—”
He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. Mina and I were already touching because her arm was looped through mine. Without the suppression jewelry doing its job, her future broke through the Web and soared around me like an inferno.
Her eyes filled with silver, bursting with light as she read my future and inevitably slipped into the multitude of pathways my fate could take.
She hadn’t been exaggerating. She was a powerful Omega and could more than handle the kind of prophecy that reading my future would invoke.
But she obviously hadn’t been prepared for it. Her mouth parted in shock as her eyes widened, drawing in all that my destiny entailed.
I took the opportunity to read her timelines, which were surprisingly plentiful and vibrant.
Most interesting of all was the fact that they were heavily intertwined with mine.
Specifically, today’s occurrences would set off a new course of events, one I hadn’t noticed until now.
Because Mina’s timelines branched from the Collegium. Three futures lingered on the horizon, glowing like tiny suns that could implode if touched.
One left her timeline branded in fire.
Another broke her into pieces.
And the third changed everything.
A prophecy swelled up inside of me as heat burned my extremities, my lips, and fire licked off my tongue as I spoke each word.
