“No, no, of course not. I had no idea.”
“Yeah, well, I feel stupid. I should’ve realized that a guard wouldn’t want to be with a student. I just… I wasted my time here on him. Other guys tried to draw my attention away, but I was too drawn to Pine. He seemed so put together, you know? He had a job, and he knew what he wanted… Or I thought he did at least as far as women go, but no. He knew what he wanted career-wise, and now that he’s the top fairy, he has to focus on keeping it, especially since that position seems to be cursed lately.”
“Maybe he’ll return turning his wings on you,” I say sympathetically. “He’ll look back and realize he never should’ve picked his job over you, and you can tell him to fly away and leave you be because you have your life in order and don’t need him to mess things up.”
Wren smiles despite the tears running down her cheeks. “Thanks, girl, but I don’t have my life in order.”
“Just make sure that your clothes are in order in your drawer. Then you can tell him that without it being a lie. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Wren giggles. “That’s something Bay would say.”
"No, it's what I would say because my friend needs to be uplifted. Besides, maybe he won't even solve the murder. Maybe I'll solve it out from under his wings, and he'll get fired." I eye her. "Do we want him fired?"
Wren sighs and shakes her head. “No. He doesn’t really want the job, but someone does have to solve the murder. Why not you? It would be his fault if he can’t solve it first.”
“Yes. So don’t you worry about talking to him. I’ll do my best without his help.”
“Good. Okay. Maybe I can sleep now. Are you going back to bed?”
“After I eat some nuts.”
“Goodnight, Rosemary. Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
Chapter 23
The next day, like it or not, I have to go to class. I can’t continue to pretend that my classes don’t matter. It’s so hard to have an empty period where Illumination once was. The professors have said that someone will step up to teach Professor Luna’s courses, but so far, no one has, and I hope they won’t. It hurts too much to think about another professor trying to get us to open our minds when our hearts are all affected by her death. Out of all of the professors on campus, Professor Luna had to be one of the most well-liked. She was smart and funny, kind and skilled. Some professors are very knowledgeable in their craft, but that doesn’t always mean that they can pass that knowledge off to their students. Professor Luna could, even if I struggled. My failures were on me, and not her at all.
The whispers continue, of course.
“Demon-lover.”
“Why do you think she was able to solve those other crimes?”
“I bet she helped the others commit the crimes and then blamed the others.”
“I used to think she was light but not anymore.”
“Her sister is worse, though. She’s going to grow a demon in her belly one day. I just know it.”
I try to ignore them as best as I can. They’re terrible gossips, dark themselves for thinking such things, and that’s not counting their spreading rumors.
All I want is to be able to hold my head up high and spread my wings proudly. I will not let them cause me to cower. They can think what they want, but I know I’m in the right. They can say all they want that I’m dark, that I’m connected to the crimes, but it’s just not true. Everyone with a brain knows that.
Just outside of my first class, I notice Sage and Damon there. My smile is wide. Seeing them together is enough to make me grin. I’ve missed them so much, and I hate that we don’t have any classes together this year.
“We waited for a text about what you want to do next,” Damon says.
"No idea just yet. For now, we need to go to class. If there are two killers… if the killer isn't working alone… Without knowing the motive, we don't know if they'll strike again, but I'm not sure we can learn the motive." I bite my lower lip. "I might have to see about talking to a guard, but that's the last resort."
“It would help to know where she was killed,” Damon says.
Sage nods. “Was it in the office? Is that why you were able to see something?”
“Maybe. Or maybe I didn’t see the killers. Maybe she was being blackmailed for something?”
Damon grimaces. “She doesn’t strike me as the kind to have any darkness in her for anyone—”
“Didn’t,” Sage corrects quietly.
I wince. “I agree. I don’t know if anyone would blackmail her. Maybe they wanted something from her? Wanted her to do something for them? If she refused, and they were desperate, maybe that’s why they killed her.”
“Too many ifs,” Sage says.
“Learning the murder location might help,” Damon says.
“And how exactly she was killed,” Sage adds.
“We’ll see if we can find that out,” Damon says.
“Be careful,” I murmur. “People are watching you.” I let out a breath. “And me and Bay.”
Sage grimaces. “I don’t like the idea of people watching you.”
“It’s because of me, isn’t it?” Damon’s scowl is fierce.
“It’s because I’ve put my nose into the previous crimes,” I say.
“Don’t be naïve,” Damon growls. “It’s also because of me.”
I shrug. After all, I can’t deny it. We both know it’s true.
“Just don’t get caught snooping around or asking someone who you might not be able to trust,” I plead.
Damon winks. “You don’t need to worry about us, darling.”
"I'm just glad you're willing to let us help instead of tackling all of this by yourself." Sage reaches out and squeezes my shoulder.
My heart flutters, and I grin at them both. “You two are the best, and I don’t deserve
