Page 167 of Fractured Fate

Her crescent moon earrings slapped her neck when she shook her head from side to side. Focus.

One thing her ma always taught her was sometimes to make progress you needed to ruffle a few feathers.

Aiden had already grabbed a tray with breakfast and his blood packet. She had told him to go ahead while she got her drink, needing to get her head in order before she did what needed to be done.

With a tight swallow, she strode toward the table, her resolve in place.

Everyone fell silent when she approached, making her shoulders tense.

“What now?”

Riley and Blaire exchanged a look, and Charlotte gripped her tray. Placing it down on the table, she sat, movements stiff, and it took all her self-control to regulate her breathing.

“Are you okay?” Layla asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, the rose…”

Charlotte glanced at Aiden. He’d told them. Instead of waiting for her, or even asking if she would be okay with sharing something that scared her, he’d taken it upon himself to share information without her consent.

She tucked her lower lip into her mouth, taking a long inhale through her nose and blinking several times.

“Charlotte?” Aiden turned in his chair, his warm hand landing on her arm.

Of course he sensed her emotions. Even if she tried to school her features, her heart cried and bled at the feeling of betrayal. It didn’t matter if the subject revolved around her, they still kept her out of their discussions.

“So I met the Oracle,” she said, her voice pitching sharply before she cleared her throat. “Nice woman. A little cryptic. Wandering around in floor-length robes in the dark seemed a little unhinged, though.” She hoped the change in subject would both calm her and deflect attention from her internal pity party.

Did she take her medicine last night or this morning? She felt worse than she had in days. With the news of her stalker still being alive, she hadn’t paid enough attention. It only took one missed dose to mess with her mood.

Blaire stirred crumbled bacon into her cheese grits. “When did you meet the Oracle?”

“Last night.”

“You were with me last night,” Aiden said, confused.

“I woke up to go to the bathroom and needed some fresh air. Took a walk around campus and ran into her.” She spread butter over the silver-dollar pancakes on her plate.

Aiden’s fists clenched on the table. “It’s not safe for you to go out by yourself.”

Pausing her pouring of syrup, she looked at him, her upper teeth bared in a small sneer. “I’ve been going out for months in Athens while a stalker roamed around. With both humans and rogue Vasirian wandering around there, I probably was in more danger there than wandering around a closed university campus behind iron gates.” She set down the syrup. “Unless there’s something more I’m unaware of?” She looked around the table, meeting everyone’s eyes, a challenge in her own.

“No. But…”

“Aiden. Nothing happened.” She sat back in her chair. “The Oracle expanded on the things the headmistress told me. The things y’all’ve told me.”

“Did she say anything new?” Dominic asked, opening a blood packet. “Something to explain all this?”

“Some of it was vague.”

Blaire snorted. “Surprise, surprise.”

“But she did say my soul belonged with all of yours.”

Riley squealed, clapping her hands, bouncing in her seat. “She’s the sixth!”

“What?” Lukas said, looking over at her.