He shoves away from the door frame, and I wait until the sound of his footsteps grows light before releasing the breath burning in my lungs. “It’s going to take some getting used to living here.” My eyes trail over my brown braid, the only part of my outfit that resembles me—well, aside from my chunky, leather Dr. Martens boots. Dress code? What dress code?
Lore opens her wings and flaps twice to land on my shoulder. “As will everything else. And what are you going to do with the devil cat?”
“I have no idea.” I turn to stare at the cat watching me from the end of my bed, its wide green eyes looking right back at me as they always do. When I left the table last night, I’d picked up my bags in search of the best room with a view, and the creature had tagged along, making itself at home on the end of my bed as if it belonged there.
“We should sacrifice it. It might be useful then.” Disdain colors Lore’s voice. I tut at her and bend down to scratch the cat on its head. The velvet of its ear is soft under my fingers, and she watches me inquisitively as I scan her little face, from her tiny black nose to the white crescent on her forehead.
“Huh…” I say. “She has a moon marking on her face.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
I turn to raise an eyebrow at the owl doing her best to ignore the cat in front of me. “And you didn’t think you’d like to mention it to me?”
She ruffles her feathers and turns to face the window. “I want nothing to do with that creature.”
“I think she’s a guardian sent by Nyx,” I say quietly. The vibrations of the cat’s purr rumble under my hand, and she buries her face into my palm. Giving her a final scratch, I rise and turn to leave. As we do, the cat leaps from my bed and swerves between my feet and into the hall.
“We’re going to have to think of a cute name for you,” I say as I watch it disappear down the hall.
“How about Rodent?”
I narrow my eyes on Lore as she lands on my shoulder. “Come on, don’t be mean. I’m sure she didn’t mean to pounce—”
“Oh, please. That little monstrosity knew exactly what she was doing,” Lore huffs as we descend the stairs.
“She may be small, but she’s deadly,” I whisper. “I think I’m going to call her Keaira… It means the little and dark one.”
The guys stand in a huddle, waiting for me at the front door. They look pressed and immaculate in their uniforms; it suits them not just in looks, but in the way they carry themselves, whereas I couldn’t feel more like a fraud.
Dane’s eyes lift to meet mine, his lips twitching at the flurry of emotions swirling in my stomach. I stop a step from the bottom and point my finger at him menacingly. “Say a word, Dane, and I will end you.”
He stretches a hand toward me, holding a giant blueberry muffin. “Fine. But promise me you’ll eat the muffin.”
I sniff and take it from him, nodding my thanks as I descend the final step.
We leave the sanctuary of our white picket fence and continue right along the street toward the main academy building. I shield my eyes from the sun shining over it and turn around, walking backwards, to look down the opposite end of the street, abutted by a portion of the forest. Over the rooftops of a few more houses, the temple glints under the direct sunlight. It looks like it’s glowing in comparison to the looming school building.
I face the direction we’re going again when we reach the courtyard. Across the grass, students mill in small groups similar to ours, but their conversations die off when their eyes land on me and the guys. Fear mingles in the expressions of those whose gaze falls on me, and I can’t resist giving them a wave, wiggling my fingers.
Declan glances back and rolls his eyes. “Do you have to be so—?”
“Charming? A bright spark in your otherwise boring day? Yes. Yes, I do,” I grin before taking a bite of the muffin. “And I’m going to kiss whoever made this, it’s so good.”
Dane’s cheeks take on a light pink shade. “Ah… that’s not necessary, Serena. Just eat more, okay? I noticed you didn’t eat a whole lot yesterday.”
And just like that, the muffin feels like stones in my stomach, the sugar no longer having any appeal.
“He’s right, Mistress. You need to eat. You haven’t had a proper meal since—”
“I know, Lore. And you know…” I glance at the others before muttering, “You know why it’s hard.”
Faces. Ghostly pale. My friends, no longer flush with life.
The thought of eating meat again makes my stomach churn. Just like every other piece of food that’s put in front of me. When I look up, Paxton’s knowing eyes find mine, and it’s as if he can see into my soul as a sad edge softens them.
“I know, Mistress. But you need to try,” Lore says softly, and I nod. Pulling a small piece off the muffin off, I place it in my mouth, but all I can taste is mush.
I remain silent as we trudge into the building, picking at my muffin, and feeding some to Lore. When my stomach begins to protest, I hide the final chunk in the wrapper as I crumple it up and throw it in a nearby bin.
Brushing the crumbs from my hands, I stare at the signs around us. “Do you want to head off to the library now, Lore?”
She hoots but hesitates. I nudge her softly and nod toward the library. “Go. I’ll be fine.”
Giving me a once over, she dips her head before flying off down the hall, swooping between the students.
“Where’s she going?”
