Read Online Smoke and Mirrors by Jess Haines - Free Book Online

used an illusion… I am sorry if I frightened you.”
    That startled a short, high laugh out of her. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry you were hurt. We’re not all like… like that.” She gave a vague wave in Aidan and James’s direction.
    Sam briefly dipped his head. She couldn’t read his face; the snake-head didn’t have the musculature to give her any hint of an expression aside from the glitter in his eye. Yet she was sure he was seeing something more than what was on the surface. The sense of being studied right down to the fae power running in her half-blood veins was unnerving, but she kept her mouth shut and waited patiently for his response. He didn’t take long to bob his head again.
    “Yes, I know. Being Other does not exempt us from making foolish choices.” He rubbed his hands together, then held one out to her. “Kimberly, yes? I am Samudra. Or Sam, if you prefer.”
    Though she hesitated, she soon reached out to shake his offered hand. She had thought his skin might be rough or maybe even slimy, but his palm was cool and smooth against her own, and his grip surprisingly gentle during the brief handshake.
    “What’s your preference?” she asked.
    Kimberly could have sworn he was smiling, though nothing about his expression changed. “Sam will do. May I touch you? It will work better that way.”
    Mouth dry, she nodded again and stepped closer. His forked tongue flickered out, probably sensing her nervousness. Once she was within arm’s reach, he placed his right hand on her forehead, his claws lightly trailing through her hair until the very tips brushed her scalp. It didn’t hurt, but she still shivered at the touch.
    A light tingle of some kind of foreign magic crept over her skin. If she hadn’t been hyped up from fear and so focused on what he was doing, she might not have noticed it.
    Sam withdrew, and the tingle faded. He bowed his head, lightly touching the fingers of his right hand to his own brow.
    “You have a kind heart. I do wish you luck.”
    Kimberly mirrored his gesture, though she wished she could ask exactly what he had done. She didn’t remember reading about anything quite like this in her school books. By his formal tone, she thought the words might carry more significance than simple well-wishes, so she responded in kind.
    “Thank you, wise one. I will honor the gift you have given me.”
    She couldn’t be sure, but she thought by the tilt of his shoulders and the way he tipped up his chin that he might be pleased with her response. She had studied the chapter on proper comportment around dragons and their ilk before—and again that morning before class, brushing up her knowledge since she expected Cormac might introduce her to one soon.
    “I thought he was resistant to fire! Look at him. He looks like one of the Draconis family!”
    Aidan’s rising voice echoing in the auditorium cut through the pleasant buzz of the naga’s blessing. Kimberly and Sam exchanged a look before turning to the others. While she couldn’t be sure what Sam was thinking, Kimberly was mortified.
    “Right family, wrong genus,” James said.
    The professor wasn’t close to finished laying into Aidan. “He is a water-based elemental, you foolish child! Why do you think I instructed to use fire-based shields instead of projectiles if you needed to defend yourself? You could have killed him.”
    “It was just a little prank. I’m sorry!”
    “Not sorry enough. Get your things and report to the dean’s office. Now.”
    Aidan shot Kimberly a venomous look before grabbing his backpack from between his feet and then stalking out of the classroom. Professor Reed snapped her fingers, and her hawk familiar roused itself from slumber, spreading its dark brown wings to follow Aidan and ensure he did as he was told. Once the boy was gone, the professor turned to James.
    “Again, I am terribly sorry about this. If there is anything—”
    “—you can do, I’ll call you. Don’t worry.