“Rhi?” Liam asks, panic evident in his voice. “Is Sorrengail in there with you? Because—”
Rhiannon opens the door, and Liam stumbles inside, catching his balance before his gaze sweeps the room, finding mine.
“There you are! I went to the bathroom, and you disappeared!”
“No one’s trying to assassinate her in my room, Mairi.” Rhiannon rolls her eyes. “You don’t have to be with her every second of every fucking day. Now give us five minutes and then we’ll start walking to class.” She pushes at his chest and he retreats, his mouth opening and shutting like he’s trying to think of an argument but can’t as she forces him out the door and shuts it in his face.
“He’s…” I sigh. “Dedicated.”
“That’s one word for it,” she mutters. “You’d think that guy owes Riorson his life or something, the way he sticks to you like glue.”
He’s pretty much told me that he does, but I keep that confidence to myself. Between Xaden’s meetings, stopping time, and Andarna’s age, I’m starting to keep too many secrets.
“Oh!” Her eyes light up, and she sits on the edge of the bed next to me. “Something happened with me last night, too.”
“Yeah?” I pivot to face her. “Do go on.”
“All right.” She takes a deep breath. “I’ve only done it three times. Twice last night and once this morning, so be patient for a second.”
“Of course.” I nod.
“Watch the book on my desk.”
“Got it.” My gaze locks on the history textbook on the left-hand side of the desk. A minute passes, but I don’t look away.
Then the thing vanishes.
“What the hell, Rhi?” I fly to my feet and whip my head toward her. “What just—” My mouth drops.
She’s holding the book, looking up at me with a wide grin.
“Is that the same book?” I lean in just to see. Yep, it’s the same.
“I guess I can summon.” Her grin grows even wider.
“Holy shit!” I grasp her shoulders in excitement. “That’s amazing! That’s…incredible! I don’t even have words for what that is!” Moving objects and locking doors are the small magics, the baseline of wielding that comes from our constant connection to our dragons through our relics once they begin channeling. But making something disappear and bringing it to you? I haven’t read about a signet power like that in a century. It’s a hell of a signet.
“Right?” She clutches the book to her chest. “I can only do it from a few feet away, and I can’t go through walls or anything.”
“Yet,” I correct her, joy bubbling through me. “You can’t go through walls yet. Rhi. That’s the kind of rare signet that’s going to make your entire career!”
“I hope so.” She stands, putting the book back on her desk. “I just have to develop it.”
“You will.” I say it with the same assurance I feel.
The three of us walk toward the academic wing minutes later, joined by Sawyer and Ridoc as they come out of commons, fresh from the library.
“I finished this for you,” Liam says, handing me a figurine as we climb the wide spiral staircase to the third floor.
It’s Tairn. He’s even mastered his snarl. “This is…incredible. Thank you.”
“Thanks.” Liam gives me a grin, flashing his dimple. “I wanted to carve Andarna first, but I’m not around her as much, you know?”
“She’s pretty private.” We break off from the crowd headed to the fourth floor, and I stash the dragon in my bag, then reach out and give him a hug. “Really, I love it. Thank you.” The hallway is crowded but clears as we walk farther down, nearing Professor Carr’s room.
“You’re welcome.” He turns to Rhiannon. “I’m starting Feirge next.”
Rhiannon jokes with Liam that she hopes he captures her full badassery, but I lose the rest of the conversation as I glance toward the floor-to-ceiling window before the entrance to the Battle Brief tower and my breath catches.
Xaden is standing with the other wingleaders, locked in what looks to be a tense discussion, his arms folded across his chest. It took the commandant all of five minutes to appoint Lamani Zohar as wingleader for Third Wing after Amber was executed, but since she was already executive officer, it made the most sense.
I’ll never get over how quickly people move on around here, how callously death is swept under a rug and trampled on minutes later.
Gods, Xaden looks good today, his brow slightly furrowed as he listens intently to something Lamani says, then nods. Hard to believe I had that mouth on mine last night, those arms wrapped around me. Forget second thoughts. I just want more.
As if he feels me staring, Xaden lifts his head, his gaze colliding with mine across the space with the same effect as a touch. My pulse skitters and my lips part.
“We’re going to be late,” Rhi reminds me, glancing back over her shoulder.
Xaden looks behind me, and his mouth tenses.
“Vi, can we talk?” Dain asks, a little out of breath, like he’s run to catch up to me.
“Now?” I rip my gaze from Xaden’s and turn to face the person I thought was my best friend.
Dain grimaces, rubbing a hand behind his neck, and nods. “I tried to catch you after formation, but you disappeared pretty quickly, and after what happened last night, I figure now is better than later.”
“It might be convenient for you to want to talk after weeks of ignoring me, but I have class right now.” I grip the strap of my satchel.
