Page 32 of Bitten By the Fae
He combed his fingers through my dark strands and bent to press his lips to my ear. “Because I need access to your throat.”
I jolted, the silverware crashing against my plate as I covered the pulse points beneath my neck. If he thought to bite me, then he had another think coming. “No!”
His hands landed on my shoulders before I could even jump out of my chair. “Chill, Aflora. I just want to put a necklace on you.”
“A necklace?” I repeated, trying to glance back at him. His hold kept me in place.
“It’s necessary.”
“That doesn’t tell me?—”
“The Council needs to temper your elemental abilities to ensure the safety of the students,” Zephyrus explained in a bored tone. “The choker will keep you under control.” He glanced up at Kolstov. “Now, was that so difficult an explanation?”
Temper my abilities?
Leather wrapped around my neck before I could voice the question out loud, Kolstov already moving my hair out of the way.
I tried to shift out of his grip, to stop him from sealing the brace around my throat, but it snapped into place with a zing that pierced my soul.
My hands flew up to tug at the choker, to find the clasp and unfasten it. Only, it was solid all the way around, sealed by magic.
“Remove it,” I demanded, my spirit whimpering inside at having been cut off from my source yet again. “Remove it now.”
Kolstov settled into the chair at the head of the table, his sigh long and loud. “It’s necessary, Aflora. We can’t risk you disturbing the balance or creating another burning thwomp where you shouldn’t.” He looked pointedly at the ashes still littering his living room floor. “This will also help us observe your dark-magic growth. Zeph is going to take you shopping tomorrow for a wand and other essentials.”
“Yes, because apparently it’s my job to play babysitter,” the headmaster retorted. “If the Council is so concerned for hersafety, perhaps forcing her to attend the Academy wasn’t the brightest move.”
Tears stung my eyes.
Protectionwas the least of my concerns considering they’d just wrapped a shackle around my neck to control my abilities.
It suffocated my ability to think, to continue listening to their maddening conversation. All I wanted—no,needed—was to rip this offending collar from my throat.
But it wouldn’t budge no matter which way I pulled or yanked.
“Why are you even still here?” Zephyrus’s harsh tone drew me from my turmoil, lifting my focus back to the two bickering males.
Kolstov’s cheeks were a dark shade of red, his lips flattened. “To help with the transition.”
“Bullshit. Your father sent me to handle it so you could go enjoy your final week of debauchery before classes begin again. If you’re not planning to do that, then I’ll go back to my life and you can manage hertransition.”
Kolstov slammed his fist onto the table. “I didn’t ask for you to be here.”
“Well, you didn’t suggest otherwise either, did you?”
Silence.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Just like the headmaster position. You claim to have balls, Prince Kolstov. And while I know they exist, they sure do seem to shrivel up into nothing where your father’s edicts are concerned.” With that crude statement, Zephyrus shoved himself away from the table so hard his chair toppled onto the ground.
He didn’t bother righting it.
Just turned on his heel to leave.
“Ten hours, Aflora,” he tossed over his shoulder. “Be ready to go.”
Kolstov watched him go with burning gold irises. When the door slammed in the distance—presumably to the guest room—the Midnight Prince snapped his fingers.
An apparition appeared beside him, the ghostly female boasting a maternal glow as she stared down at him.
