Blood of the Fey (Morgana Trilogy) by Alessa Ellefson Read Free Book Online Page A

if you have any affinity for controlling elementals, and then you’re good to go.”
    “Elementals?” I repeat.
    “Fey creatures that are linked to the elements,” Jack says.
    “You know, fire, water, and all that,” Owen adds.
    “They used to be the lowest angelic form,” Jack explains, “which is why their powers are so basic. But there are all sorts of Fey, and some of them are quite powerful—those are the ones you really want to avoid.”
    “Wait, wait, wait,” I say. My hands clench convulsively around the edge of the bench. “You mean…these Fey are angels?”
    “Fallen angels,” Bri says, “so more like demons.”
    “Well, technically, they weren’t bad enough to end up in Hell,” Jack corrects her. He clears his throat at a look from her. “But yes, in essence.”
    “And these demonic angels have…magic?” I ask, feeling lightheaded once again.
    “Well duh!” Owen says, giggling. “They’re ex-
angels
!”
    Two pairs of arms grab my shoulders as I sway on my seat, preventing me from toppling to the ground. Just breathe, I tell myself. This will all be over soon. I’m going to wake up and I’ll laugh at myself for being this ridiculous. And to prove my point, I let out a nervous chuckle.
    “I think she’s lost it,” Owen whispers.
    Someone slaps me, and I stop laughing, the sting making my cheek feel warm.
    “What did you do that for?” Bri exclaims, holding me close.
    “That’s what they usually do in movies,” Jack retorts. “Besides, it worked, didn’t it?”
    More tears spring to my eyes, for I realize what this means— it’s real, it’s all real!
    Jack eyes me suspiciously, his hand still raised. “Do you think she’s going to need another one?”
    Holding my cheek, I recoil. “No, I’m fine. I’ll be good now.”
    “Are you sure?” Bri asks.
    I nod. “Let’s just keep going.”
    The three of them look skeptical, but I jump to my feet and force a smile. “Where to now?”
    “I suppose the dining hall,” Bri says hesitantly. “We could do the rest of the tour some other time…”
    “Perfect!” Owen exclaims, already heading back. “I’m starving.”
    “Let’s take the shortcut,” Jack says as we step inside.
    We head down a narrow hallway and burst out through the opposite door into a vast courtyard. Despite the dim light, I canmake out an enormous dark shape in the center, one so large it blots out the other side of the building completely.
    “What’s that?” I ask, stopping when I see movement in the hedge that seems to spring out of its trunk like a hairy leg.
    “Just an apple tree,” Bri says, pulling on my arm. “Come on, this side. The other’s blocked off.”
    “Unless you wanna make out with someone,” Owen snorts.
    Bri slaps him across the head. “Don’t be such a ninny!” she says, then adds quietly to me, “Though it
is
true what he says. That’s a notorious kissing spot.”
    We veer left, hop over a low row of shrubs, and peel down the dirt path toward the opposite side. I can’t take my eyes off the tree’s massive shadow as we reach the other end of the inner courtyard. They open another door, and we find ourselves at the tail end of a thinning crowd of students that’s heading past a wide, arched door, through which I can already detect the smell of fried eggs and sausages.
    “Just a moment,” Jack says as we’re about to enter the dining room.
    “Can’t this wait?” Owen asks. “All the sausages are gonna be gone!”
    “Forewarned is forearmed,” Jack retorts.
    We move to the side of the corridor where a large board filled with news clippings and regulations takes up a whole span of the wall.
    “Anything you like in there?” Owen asks, growling with impatience.
    “Nothing we didn’t know before,” Jack says with a sigh. “Nothing more on those kidnappings either.”
    “Why anyone would want to go on Island Park beats me,” Bri says, and I remember the news clipping found in my parents’