Half smiling, he replied, “Yes, you did.”
Chest still heaving, I waited for his answer. Did I pass his test? “So I can go?”
Sheathing his sword in silence, his lips formed a line.
Is he going to say no? After how hard I’ve tried. After all the work I’ve done?
Hard-pressed lips slowly pulled up. “I’m confident that you’re good enough. You may go.”
I ran, wrapping my arms around his torso. “Thank you.”
He patted my back. “Your mother said you had something to tell me. What is it?”
I nervously laughed. “I have a lot to tell the both of you.”
∞∞∞
A week later I sat in the dining hall of the Allied Kingdoms Academy. After I was berated for over an hour by my parents, they both got past my mistake. They were more worried about what happened to Taz and me with the foreign prince. They actually believed me and both of them immediately went to contact the merfolk. However, meetings with the king of the ocean always took a long time to schedule. I feared it would be at least a month before we learned anything new.
As time had passed and no other attacks, no Fae sightings, and no red moon rose in the night sky, I wondered if the birds and our encounter with the Prince of the Winter and Night courts was a one-time event. Had King Enden been right? Had I jumped to conclusions?
Yet as I sat staring at the dining hall doors waiting for the Hesstian students to arrive, in the back of my mind I couldn’t stop the worry that had taken hold. It couldn’t be a coincidence that the vampires were paid to attack us and the Fae man showed up to retrieve the scepter that let them pass our defenses.
I popped a grape into my mouth and turned when Legacy tapped my arm. I still couldn’t believe she ratted me out to my mother the week before. All she had to do was stay in my room for a couple more hours. Oh but she had to venture out to get a late-night snack and ran into my mother exiting my room. I told her the pixies would bring her food. She claimed they wouldn’t come. I suspected she wanted to sneak out and see her barn boy. Which would have been difficult for her to explain considering he’d thought he saw her leave.
“You’re sure Aric is coming?” Legacy asked and sounded more nervous than excited.
“Zyacus said so.” Then I spotted the barn boy down the table. He stared our way and it wasn’t like he was trying to hide it. With so much on my mind I hadn’t told her I knew about him yet but now seemed like a good time. “By the way I met Taron. He thought I was you.”
Her hand flew to her mouth when she nearly spit out her drink. “What? He never mentioned anything to me.”
“I don’t know why you’re hiding it from me. It’s not like I’d care.” I didn’t blame her for moving on from Aric even if I felt bad for him. I thought she should have at least seen how much he changed—other than the whole drinking blood aspect.
“Taron was just a little fun for the break, a friend like Taz. Someone to help pass the time.” She lifted her head slightly. “I want Aric.”
I tried not to give her a judgy look but my face scrunched up at the words. Seriously?
“See, that’s why I didn’t tell you about him.”
I took another purple grape between my fingers. “Did you kiss him?”
She cleared her throat. “Just a couple times.”
I glanced at Taz who was locked in conversation with Freya. “You’ve never kissed Taz. Never even considered it when he was in love with you for years.”
“Alright Taz is different from Taron but it’s done. And Taz was never in love with me, what are you talking about?”
I chomped on the grape. “You’re oblivious if you never noticed. But he’s moved on, clearly.”
The doors swung open, pale-skinned, gray and green uniformed students marched inside. The new Collweyan students were obvious by their “oohs” and “ahhs’’ and devouring the room with their eyes. It was impressive with murals of dragons and phoenixes flying across the walls from a gifted artist and a magic imbued paintbrush. It was also massive with long tables, and of course different from their home academy with students from another kingdom joining them. The students who’d been here before found their seats without the sense of wonder. The last three to come through the doors were Kyan, Aric and the auburn headed friend Brax. Seeing them reminded me of the night I first remembered coming face to face with Senica, when he’d threatened to come for me at the party. I shuttered.
Aric’s eyes slid to our table and then he turned away without acknowledgment. Perhaps he’d been serious when he’d said he wanted Legacy to forget about him.
I wished I could rush over there and ask how he’d been. If he’d gotten his new—senses under control. When he’d first turned, he tried to attack me. I couldn’t imagine him being here if he still wanted to attack everyone.
Maybe I could corner Kyan for an update, if he’d still talk to me after everything. Kyan and I hadn’t parted on the best terms. Our last real conversation I’d threatened to expose him. Once I found out what he was, I’d all but shunned him. To be fair, he was a liar.
Soon after, the Hesstian students strolled in with their blue uniforms. Zyacus took up the rear with his friends, Mateo, Skinny and Unibrow. I hadn’t changed my mind about their nicknames and I couldn’t remember his two minions’ real names anyway. Am I the worst girlfriend?
With a wave at me, Zyacus smiled and took his seat. I supposed day one he would sit with his own people.
I wasn’t sure what happened with Headmaster Jace but a new Headmaster, Elvbane Brevins
