Hell, I really am Fae.
“I'll do it.” Tory rose from her seat but Orion raised a hand.
“I didn't ask you,” he snarled.
Tory pouted then dropped back into her chair, rolling her eyes. I didn't like that Tory always took bullets for me; she didn't always need to protect me.
I stood up and raised my brows as I waited for my sentence. Orion's mouth hooked up at the corner and a predatory glint entered his eyes. Fear trickled through me but I held his gaze, refusing to show my terror, though something told me he could taste it on the air.
“Tell me the qualities and abilities of a Nemean Lion.” He did that creepy smile thing again. Like he was as happy as Larry. But I could see his tactic now. This was his way of intimidating people. Pretending to be the friendly type, like maybe he was on your side for a second then BAM he slams your face into a desk.
He knew I had no clue what a Nemean Lion was but he wanted to embarrass me. Just like every other asshole in this school apparently.
I shrugged. “I don't know.”
“I thought not,” he said quietly. “But while everyone else was working you thought it was a good time to speak with your equally useless sister?”
Anger flashed inside me and Tory rose abruptly from her seat. “Who are you calling useless?”
“Am I not speaking clearly enough?”
She pursed her lips and didn't answer.
He surveyed us for a moment then his eyes glittered with some idea. “Both of you climb onto your desks.”
His sharp tone washed over me and I felt unable to do anything but obey. My heart hammered as I scrambled up onto my desk beside Tory and everyone in the room started chattering excitedly.
Orion moved to lean back against his desk, his hands in his pockets. He nodded to Diego. “Polaris, please explain loud and clear to the ignorant twins on your left what Coercion is.”
Diego got up, his chair legs scraping across the floor with a screech. He adjusted his beanie hat, throwing us an apologetic glance before answering. “Coercion is one of the Cardinal magics gifted to all Fae without exception. It's the ability to control those of weak mind and is particularly effective on mortals.”
“Tell them why,” Orion pressed, his eyes dancing with mirth as they remained on us.
My heart thundered as all of this information sank in. Anyone who could cast Coercion magic could control us.
Diego cleared his throat. “Because most Fae learn how to perform a simple shield on their minds to block basic Coercion from a young age.”
“Thank you, sit down,” Orion told Diego and heat built in my cheeks.
“We've never been taught any-” Tory started but Orion cut over her.
“Quiet,” he commanded her then looked to the rest of the class. “The Vega Twins need to learn how to perform a simple shield. To encourage them to do so, you are all assigned the task of Coercing them at any given opportunity from here on out.”
Kylie squealed her delight and several more of the class laughed.
“What?” I gasped. “How are we supposed to learn to do something we've never even heard of before now?”
Tory was still struggling to open her lips after he'd ordered her to stay quiet, but she was working real hard at it.
Orion ignored us, pointing at Tyler in the front row. “Stand up, turn around, one command.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” I blurted, trying to force myself to get off of the table, but finding myself unable to ignore the impulse to remain there.
Dammit.
Tyler grinned at us in excitement. “Jump up and down and flap your arms like a chicken.”
My legs immediately complied as I started jumping and my arms swiftly followed suit, flapping madly beside me. Tory was still desperately trying to speak while she jumped up and down in time with me.
Heat slammed into my cheeks as laughter echoed around the classroom. Orion was grinning his head off too. “Who's next?” he asked and Kylie's arm launched into the air faster than a N.A.S.A rocket.
Crap!
“Go ahead.” He nodded at her.
She stood up with a malicious expression on her too-pretty face and my heart raced with anger. I felt the previous compulsion wearing off of me and both Tory and I fell still.
“Screw this,” Tory snapped, kicking her Atlas off of the desk. Orion's arm shot out and the Atlas stopped mid-air, floating back up to sit right back where it had been before on an invisible wind.
He opened his mouth to berate her when the classroom door opened and Principal Nova strode in. She surveyed the scene with a look of interest then smiled at Orion. “How is everyone's first lesson going?”
“Terrible,” I muttered, but she didn't seem to hear me. Orion's eyes flashed my way, confirming he had. I dropped off of my desk, folding my arms as I glared at him. I didn't expect Nova to do anything, not after she'd stood idly by when Caleb had bitten Tory. But maybe the distraction would be enough to put an end to this madness.
“The twins are behind,” Orion told her bluntly. “They don't know a thing about the Orders. Beyond that, they don't have even a basic shield against Coercion and I doubt against any other magic either. So they'll most likely be dead before the end of term.”
My stomach scrunched up into a solid ball and in that moment, I hated him. He was talking as if it was our fault for being so under-prepared. We'd been here one day and spent our entire lives without any knowledge of Fae. How could we be expected to cast shields against magic we'd just found out about?
“Hmm.” Nova glanced our way. “Well that won't do.” She tapped her lower lip. “They'll have to have Liaisons for tuition once a week.”
Orion nodded. “That's the least they need.”
“They'll need the best for the job,” Nova said thoughtfully.
“Right.” Orion scratched the short beard on his chin, suddenly seeming disinterested in the conversation.
“So you'll have to tutor one of them and I'll elect another Professor for the other.”
Orion's bored expression turned to a wall of fury. “I coach Pitball most evenings, I don't have time for that.”
“Yes but you only coach for an hour, then you have the whole evening at your disposal,” Nova said brightly.
“You're right, I'd love to give my private time up for this,” he said dryly and Nova beamed as if she hadn't registered his sarcasm.
The Principal looked to me and pointed. “Tory, you'll be taught by Professor Orion and-”
“I'm Darcy,” I corrected.
“I – er – of course you are,” Nova backtracked. “So you'll be with Orion and Darcy I'll let you know-”
“I'm Tory,” my sister huffed.
“Right er-” Nova started but Orion stepped in.
“Blue, you’re with me.” He pointed at me and I scowled at the nickname.
“Right,” Nova said. “You should start tonight; they need to get on track as soon as possible.”
“Great,” he bit out and my stomach swirled with nerves. Me and him? Liaising? Please no.
“I'll leave you to it then.” The Principal turned on her stilettos and headed out of the room, snapping the door shut behind her.
Orion sighed heavily, marching back to the board with tension in his posture.