“Why are you grinning like that?” Kenzie asks.
“Because you just admitted to knowing where Galen, ahem I meanProfessorGalen, sleeps.”
She stares at me suspiciously. “And you want to know that because…why? Did you not hear what I said about him bedding everyone within reach?”
“I did…” I trail off, contemplating my next words. I hardly know Kenzie, but I suppose she hasn’t tried to kill me, and she’s the only real friend I have in this place right now. I scan the corridor making sure no one else is around, then I lean close. “I’m smiling, because you’re going to help me break into Galen’s chambers.”
“I what?!” she answers way too loudly.
“Sshhh,” I hiss.
She gives me a sheepish look and peers around us nervously. “What makes you think I’ll do that?” she whispers back. “Do you know what would happen if we were caught sneaking into a professor’s rooms?”
I’m not new to torture. I saw enough while I was in the demon realm, but I know the professors would do worse. They’d wipe my memory and send me back to the human realm to die.
I bite my bottom lip, wondering how much to tell her. “Okay, so you see, Galen took something of mine when he found me in the human realm, and I intend to get it back.”
Shock flares on her face. “If he has it, then it’s gone. We’re not allowed possessions from the human realm here, anyway. If you think?—”
Before she can finish, Satine and her minions round the corner, glaring as they strut toward us. When they’re close, Satine pushes past me, shoving her elbow into my shoulder. Imove back, and when she reaches the door, she turns, her top lip curling in disgust as she stares at us with disdain. “Oh look, if it isn’t the reject and the academy’s new embarrassment. I guess I bet wrong. I’d wagered you wouldn’t last the night.”
Yikes.Keeping my cool, I smile sweetly at her, thinking about how my old friend Blake probably would have put her on her ass by now. “What can I say, disappointing people seems to be my specialty lately.” I keep my expression sunny, even though my chest hurts a little because there’s some truth in that. I get the feeling Knox, Galen, Thane, and Raith are all disappointed that I’m here. What had Knox called me?Their little problem.
Satine makes a face and her gaze drops, traveling down my body as she assesses my outfit, her eyes narrowing on my breasts, which look incredible right now if I don’t say so myself.
“If you think you can sleep your way to graduation, don’t even bother,” Satine snickers. “The professors don’t let students progress before they’ve proven themselves, and they’re certainly not going to waste their time with someone like you. There are standards around here, you know.”
“Are there?” I reply, because I’m genuinely curious as to what these ‘standards’ are. Honestly, I’m just as surprised that I’m here, but Satine must think I’m implying something about her, because her temple pulses with irritation.
Sniffing, she glowers at me. “I mean it, reject. The professors are off limits.” I don’t miss the threat in her words, but before I can answer, she shoves through the doors to the auditorium. Her minions follow after her, and when they’re gone, Kenzie stares at me, her face pale. “You need to lay low. Satine doesn’t kid around. She might be mean to me, but she’s never tried to take me out. I’m luckier than some. You don’t want to make her mad.”
“What’s her obsession with the professors?”
Kenzie shrugs. “Same as a lot of the other students. Despite what she just said, she thinks if she gets them to favor her, she’ll be able to graduate early. And even after that, I think she’s hoping the professors will put in a good word with the queen.”
“The…queen?”
“Queen Krosia of the shadow realm,” Kenzie explains. “The graduates live in the city around her palace, and the top graduates get the more favorable positions. I’ll bet Satine is hoping for a prestigious position in the queen’s court.”
“Huh.” It made sense.
“But we’d better get inside,” Kenzie says, abruptly leading the way forward. She doesn’t mention Galen’s chambers again, and I don’t push it. Now isn’t the time.
When we enter, the auditorium is nearly full. Rows upon rows of students fill the chairs that angle upwards, pale light streaming from the high windows behind them as torch flames flicker along the walls.
Kenzie finds us a couple of seats in the back row, and I happily sit tucked away like a crow perched on the top branches on a tree.
Galen arrives shortly after that, and his gaze instantly finds me, like somehow, he knew exactly where I’d be. His lips curve into a seductive smile, and I find myself transfixed, unable to look away. I drink in the sight of him. He’s left a few buttons of his shirt undone, showing a span of his bare chest, and his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, exposing the corded muscle on his forearms. A mischievous gleam sparkles in his eyes, and I’m not sure why my heart is pounding so fast.
“Professor?” A student from the first row prompts, and I realize they must have asked Galen a question. I’m guessing Galen didn’t notice either, going by the way his gaze reluctantly goes to the girl who’s staring at him expectantly.
“Yes, good morning class,” Galen says casually.
From the look on the student’s face, Galen didn’t answer her question at all. She opens her mouth to repeat herself, but Galen presses on, and she closes her mouth again, giving up.
“As I’m sure you all know, we have a new student joining us today.” He glances at me, and everyone stares. “Welcome to your first class on the History of the Shadow Realm, undeniably the most riveting of all your subjects.” He winks at a couple girls in the first row, and they beam at him, giggling.
I try not to think about how they’ve probably been in his bed, though right now I have the strangest urge to kick him in the balls. It’s not until Galen looks at me again that I realize I’m glaring. His smirk grows bigger like he realizes how much it’s bothering me that he has the attention of those girls, and he’s loving every second of it.Unbelievable.
