Page 77 of The Lost Elemental

I lifted the hem of my T-shirt. My sides were a cascade of purples and blues.

“I might break that murder promise,” Phoenix gritted out.

Letting my shirt fall again, I leveled Phoenix with a stare. “No slicing and dicing, buddy.”

He let out a growl, but I ignored him and lifted the tea kettle from the stove, trying to get a look at my face. I couldn’t see much but could tell I had a nice shiner. “Awesome.”

The doorbell rang, a musical chime that echoed through the house.

“I’ll get it,” Atlas said.

“Good, because I’m not showing my face around here until all of this fades.”

Kai brushed a kiss across my lips. “You look beautiful even when you’re black and blue.”

Kerry’s voice sounded from the entryway. “Is, uh, Aura here?”

I turned from Kai’s hold and headed for the front door. “Kerry?”

Her eyes widened as she took in my appearance. “Oh God, Aura. What did they do to you?”

“It wasn’t a warm and fuzzy hug, I can tell you that.”

Worry lined her face as Atlas ushered her into the dorm. She barely looked at the royals, her focus solely on me. “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have been alone. Now they’ll really be out to get you.”

“What have you heard?” Phoenix barked.

Kerry jumped and I turned on him. “Dial it back a notch, would you?”

Phoenix did his best to relax his face and smile at Kerry, but he ended up looking like a rabid bunny rabbit or something. “Please, have you heard anything?”

Kerry twisted her fingers together, knuckles bleaching white. She nodded. “People talk in front of me. They don’t notice me, so it’s like I’m not even there.”

My heart ached for my new friend. One of these days, the world around her would see just how amazing she was.

I dipped my head to meet Kerry’s gaze. “What did you hear?”

She lifted her eyes to mine. “Drue, Xena, and their friends—they’re petitioning to kick you out of school.”

41

A week ago, I would’ve welcomed being kicked to the curb from Kingwood. But now…my gaze pulled to the guys beside me. I didn’t want to leave any of them.

“What do you mean, petition?” Phoenix bit out.

I placed a hand against his stomach. Tension wound the muscles tight, but as I swept my thumb back and forth, they released a fraction. “Let’s not bite Kerry’s head off for being the messenger.”

She swallowed, her eyes jumping around to each of the murderous faces. “They’re circulating a form. Asking students to sign it, saying they don’t feel safe with Aura on campus.”

My stomach twisted. As manipulative as Drue and Xena were, they weren’t altogether wrong either.

“Don’t even think it, Pip,” Atlas said softly.

“I could hurt someone without meaning to.”

Kai’s hand slid under my hair, massaging my nape. “We’re going to practice.”

“Because that went so well last time,” I grumbled.