The Soul Thief

Chapter 18

The magic still fizzled across my skin the rest of the day and into the evening. When I woke on Monday I expected it to have faded and was pleasantly surprised to find it still there. It danced like tiny fireworks over my knuckles and tingled against my fingertips.

So far no one else seemed aware, or even to see it as my fingers played with the sparks of magic throughout breakfast and through much of magical history class too. At least until I realised they were talking about the fae and sat up a little straighter to pay more attention.

"For hundreds of years, the fae were led by a royal family." Professor Maith explained. "Until Queen Elspeth and King Titus. Queen and King of the Seelie and Unseelie respectively, they ruled in relative peace until the king became aware of the power the Dullahan held and enslaved them into his army. Can anyone tell me what the Dullahan are?"

Hands shot up around me and I was eager for her to select someone and allow me to discover more about it all.

"Yes?" She selected a boy near the front.

"They're headless riders who live in the mists."

She nodded, "That is correct. The king believed that being headless meant they felt no pain and it was his right to control them. In retaliation, the queen enslaved kelpies from his kingdom and had them destroy the ships of those she considered enemies. Typically, these horses fae lived in rivers and lakes so they suffered greatly too. Over the years the enslaved and killed more and more fae until some died out entirely. Banshees for example were crushed down to only three per generation instead of the five hundred or so there had once been. Unable to stand the oppression and in one of the most coordinated attacks ever organised, those who were enslaved rose up together and took down the royals in a haze of blood and fire."

I hung off her every word. Even more fascinated about the history now I knew it was my own history in a way as well.

"Can anyone tell me how the councils we see today were formed? Kira?" Professor Maith asked.

I watched Blake's sister slowly tilt her head to the side as she thought about it. "In an effort to prevent one species controlling another, they agreed to select one representative from each species to have a seat on a council that would make the decisions that affected the future of us all."

"Very good. Overtime, many have developed more specific species only councils to discuss the issues affecting them, but the supreme council still stands strong today and makes the decisions that protect and affect us all. Now, by the next class I want you to have selected one of the oppressed fae. This term you will write a paper on how they were affected by the event we have discussed today. Thank you for your time, you are dismissed."

I joined the other collecting up my things and heading slowly out of the class. This was one of my only classes without Enzo or Nancy as I felt a little lost after it.

The hallways were packed with people, and I hated the crush around me. Until suddenly a hand grabbed mine and I was yanked sideways into a window alcove.

I opened my mouth to scream when I realised who had grabbed me. "What do you want?" I asked Blake,

He smirked back at me, "To finish what we started yesterday, love."

My heart pounded in my chest and my mouth went dry. "Finish what?" I squeaked out.

I could feel the cool glass of the window against my back and beyond the drapes the chatter of other students filled the air.

He leaned in again, just as he had the day before. Our faces were almost touching and his eyes focused on mine. "Tell me to stop."

I blinked up at him slowly, "What?"

"If you don't want this, tell me to stop now and I will." he vowed.

"Blake." I whispered, unsure what I wanted but unable to say no when there was this much chemistry between us.

Even the magic on my skin crackled to beckon him closer. He didn't seem to notice, but I couldn't take the tension between us any longer.

Stretching onto my tiptoes, I pressed my lips to his. I felt his surprise at first before he softened and began kissing me back. It was intense and amazing and mind meltingly perfect.

He didn't just kiss me. He claimed my lips like they were made for him and all rational thoughts failed me.

It wasn't just a kiss; it felt like something more. Something intense.

After what felt like an age we broke apart, and touched foreheads whilst we both tried to put into words what had just happened.

"You're fucking perfect." Blake murmured.

He didn't seem fully aware he had said the words out loud.

"Well, that was even more mind blowing than I imagined it could be." I gave a shaky laugh.

"You imagined kissing me?" Blake pulled back, that smug smirk returning alongside the awe.

"Not consciously but when you were being flirty, I naturally ended up picturing it." I protested.

"Then I promise to kiss you every time I flirt with you from this moment on. No need for imagining when you have a real life example to explore."

I laughed and pushed his chest, "You seem so confident I want to kiss you again?"

He raised a brow and his hand caught my chin, thumb tracing over my lower lip, "Are you saying you don't."

I shook my head slightly.

"Use your words love."

That was easier said than done when he was touching my face like that. I turned to look out of the window, my face slipping from his grasp.

"I do want to kiss you again." I admitted as I watched the throngs of students milling around the courtyard.

Then my eyes caught familiar ones and my blood ran cold as Enzo shook his head in disgust and marched toward the dining hall.