Relief mixed with satisfaction sweeps over Baelfire's features as he takes in the sight of me in his jacket. It puts him at ease enough that he cracks a smile. "Damn, that could be a dress on you. You're so little."
"I'm normal. You're huge," I correct.
"All over, baby, and you loved it."
Well. He's not wrong.
But I'm not about to draw attention to comments likethatwhen they're all present. I've learned that their hive mind gets activated really damn fast, so if one of us, including myself, brings up anything sexual, there's no way I'll be able to focus all day.
Now that Baelfire is no longer on edge, I glance at Silas. "You look awful. Did you even sleep?"
"No."
"Join the club," Everett grumbles as we start down the hall.
Crypt smirks. "I never sleep, so this club must be named after me."
"You don'tneedsleep, you monster sperm," Silas snaps.
They continue to trade barbs as we head to class. Baelfire is annoyed at Everett for not waking me up sooner so I could eat something for breakfast, Crypt lights another of his strange cigarettes and blows smoke at any other legacies who pass us too closely in the halls, and Silas keeps glancing between Everett and I as if he's piecing together what may have happened last night based on how we interact.
And being with all of them like this…
How did I ever think they were only interested in the bet? If anything, they're all getting more obsessive and over the top with every dark secret I reveal. And it's extremely possible that I'm getting obsessed with them, too.
Huh. Maybe the gods picked out people who complement my broken, twisted soul after all.
In Fiend Studies, which has dwindled a bit in size thanks to how brutal the legacies with an emphasis on combat have been, Mr. Crowley announces that we'll study in the eastern library today. Our assignment is to find a book about creatures of the Nether to study in our quintets and present it in a few days.
As we walk to the library, Crypt leans over and whispers, "Does studyingyoucount for filling this assignment? Because I'm becoming rather an expert on all things Maven Oakley."
I smirk. It's cute that he thinks that when they don't even know my last name isn't actually Oakley.
Not that it matters, because I also don't know what my real last name once was. I’ll probably never know, since my family is long dead. Amadeus told me they were brutally killed off, just like the families of every other child taken into the Nether.
We finally reach the library and I'm surprised and a little on edge to see that we're not the only class here. Plenty of other legacies, both matched and unmatched, are mulling about in their quintets or allies, eying others warily as they go through the motions of studying. Several of the Immortal Quintet's hired hands scan the room from various perches, looking for trouble.
And Engela Zuma sits at one table, reading silently while also keeping watch.
"Babysitters. Big surprise," Bael huffs, tugging at his collar again.
I hold his hand as an excuse to stop him while everyone else in our Fiend Studies class scatters, moving to various library aisles for research. I notice someone waving frantically at me from across the room and light up when I see Kenzie's halo of hair. She's sitting with her quintet at one of the massive, old mahogany study tables beside a long row of tall, arched windows.
We join them. As soon as I sit down across from Kenzie, Luka, who's sitting beside her, clears his throat.
"Hey, I owe you an apology, Min—Maven," he corrects, glancing at Kenzie to make sure that was right.
She covers her mouth to stop from laughing and nods. Luka looks back at me, and the earnest gratitude in his eyes is honestly a bit much.
"I didn't think you'd actually help us, but…thanks. You have no fucking idea how much I owe you for getting her back. I—" He clears his throat and looks back at Kenzie. His features soften like he's looking at the most precious thing in the world. "How can I thank you for saving the best thing that's ever happened to me?"
Vivienne nods in agreement, sniffling. Dirk is equally emotional and getting teary-eyed despite scratching at his elbow.
Oh, gods. I had no idea I was walking intothisagain.
I realize I must look mildly horrified because Crypt starts shaking with silent laughter on the bench beside me, looking away to hide his amusement.
Asshole. He must know public displays of emotion freak me out.
