“Are other years here as well?”
Dane nods as he strides beside me, and I’m grateful for his familiar presence. He points to a few different groups, saying whether they’re in their second or third year at collegiate level. “I don’t know how different the Dark academy was, but only high-school age and up go to this academy, the younger students are taught at separate, smaller schools or they’re home schooled. Since we take so long to come into our powers and control them, we really don’t finish our studies until we’re twenty-three or twenty-four. That’s the usual amount of time it takes for people to control them,” Dane explains, and I’m confused as to where he’s going with this as he nods to Declan.
“But when you’re royalty, you need to have them in control sooner. That’s why Declan is pushing us, even you. He needs to be found worthy, and if he’s not, he may be passed over as heir—and let’s just say his sister should have been given to the Dark… No offense.” He cringes, shooting me an apologetic smile, but I shrug it off as I stare at Declan’s back.
So, there’s more to him than just a pretty face, huh? We pause at the bar to get a bucket of ice and beer bottles, which Dane takes and then leads me to an empty set of seats.
“So, why does Declan not want his sister to be named heir?” I ask as we sit down.
Dane places the bucket on the table, pulling out two bottles and using one to pop the top off the other. He passes one to me. “Because, after meeting you and knowing you’re Dark, I can honestly say with one-hundred percent certainty that Mabel is an evil seed, and to be honest, the only reason she was ever allowed to remain with the Light is because of her family. No way should she be here,” he says darkly before taking a long swig.
“You were spot on when you pegged Dec as a child of Persephone earlier this week. It runs in his family, so his sister is too, and his father, and the King. Most of them sway to the Light side of the gift, but clearly the scale tipped the other way for Mabel.”
I want to ask him more questions, but the rest of our gang flops onto the available chairs, each taking a beer for themselves. Rory holds up his own, a grin spreading across his face. “To the best team a guy could ask for.”
“To being more open and outgoing,” Paxton replies, and I can see how hard it was for him to say that with all the people milling around us by the way his chin tucks slightly into his neck.
“To new friends,” Dane replies and nods toward me. I blush.
What do I want? I mull over my thoughts, and all I can focus on are my most recent memories, how much I’ve enjoyed my time here so far. Holding up my beer, I reply, “To new beginnings.”
We all turn to Declan who rolls his eyes and holds up his bottle. “To surviving the year with all of you.”
We laugh as we sip our drinks, but mine comes out too harsh. Will they survive the year if I complete my mission? Master Rostova’s face flashes across my mind, but I shake my head, dislodging my thoughts of him. No. Not tonight. I want one, carefree night with the guys. I’m just a normal girl who has normal abilities who wants to hang with her normal friends.
I glance up to the guys, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would pick them over Rostova—no matter what the consequences are. My heart flutters in my chest with the realization. I really do care for these Light kids.
The warmth settling inside me doesn’t go unnoticed as Dane clutches his chest with an affectionate smile.
Asshole. The glare I throw his way falters, and I roll my eyes. “Shut up.”
He pretends to zip his lips and throw away the key.
For a while, we continue to work our way through the beer, taking bets on how long it will be until Sabrina finds Declan. A wide grin crosses my face as a familiar blonde heads our way, her eyes narrowing on me before focusing on Declan.
“I bet she’ll find him within the next ten seconds,” I murmur, placing my beer to my lips.
The guys share a confused look, then glance over their shoulders, and a laugh escapes my lips at their simultaneous groan. “It’s good to be right. Now, who’s coming to get the shots with me, because I’m not dealing with the crowd at the bar alone,” I say as I point to the long queue waiting to be served.
Dane rises to his feet, grabs the empty bucket, and holds his hand out to me. I stare at it for a moment before taking it, and he helps me from my chair, and I’m surprised when he doesn’t let it go as he leads me through the crowd that parts to make way for him.
He tugs on my hand and a spark of heat flows through me as I follow after him to the front. Placing the bucket on the counter, he places our order as he positions me in front of him. I hold back a gasp as he rests one hand on my hip and the other on the counter.
I glance up to meet his eyes, watching them darken as I
