“Hey, Firsties! What are you waiting for? Get your green asses up here!” A boy who I’d seen once or twice waved us toward the building, and we jogged up the path.
“Where are your totems?” The boy arched an eyebrow.
I let go of Alex’s hand and unzipped my jacket. The chilly winter air grazed the skin of my chest, exposed by the plunging neckline of my snug, cashmere sweater. My necklace glittered there, the moonstone a ruby color that matched my sweater.
I didn’t know how the center changed color or why, but every time I put it on, it tended to morph into whatever color I needed to complement my outfit. Or at least, it did when Alex wasn’t around. Had I been touching Alex when I showed my totem to the third year, the moonstone would have shifted through a kaleidoscope of colors. Both Alex and I weren’t comfortable letting others know that our totems reacted to each other’s quite yet—we hadn’t even told Eva or Hunter. It just felt too . . . private.
The boy nodded and allowed me to pass.
Eva pulled her hand out of her pocket and revealed a bracelet, and Hunter unsheathed the dagger he wore on his hip. Alex went last, and I made sure to keep a safe distance when he showed his ring. Nothing happened, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Here’s a beer.” The guy gestured back to a girl holding out two red cups, while another student filled two more. “Welcome to the King’s Castle.”
I barely held back my snigger. ‘The King’s Castle’? Damn, these third years are cocky.
We entered the fancy dormitory, and I blinked, taking in the chaos in front of us. I was sure that on any normal day, the King’s Castle was neat and sophisticated, with its high-end finishes, sleek furniture, and modern design palette. Tonight, however, it looked like a well-to-do frat house.
Beer cans were everywhere, and a few bottles of alcohol sat open on the table in the center of the living space. From the entry foyer, we could see the main living area, an open kitchen, and even a gaming area with pool and foosball tables.
“Pool!” Hunter’s eyes lit up. “I’m about to show these upperclassmen what’s up. Anyone wanna join? Sugar?”
Eva shook her head and kissed Hunter on the cheek. “You have fun. I want to look around first.”
Alex and I also declined, which didn’t seem to bother Hunter at all. He rushed off like a kid running after the ice cream truck.
“Odette! Eva!” A shrill voice pierced through the general chatter and raucous laughter.
I followed it to find that Mina had already arrived and was clearly drunk.
“This is a great party, isn’t it?” She stumbled as she took a step toward us, and saved herself by grabbing onto someone’s shoulder.
“It looks super fun, Mina,” Eva said when our classmate had gotten close enough to speak at a normal volume. “How long have you been here?”
Mina shrugged, the gesture exaggerated. “One hour. Maybe two. I don’t know, I got here when the sun was still up.”
Considering that we were in the middle of winter, I guessed that Mina had already been here for four hours. No wonder she was so drunk.
“Did you come with anyone?” I asked, curious if I should keep an eye out for her.
“Oh yeah, Efraim, Kira, Thor, and I rolled up together. We were kinda nervous about the party, but everything has been great, and we split up. I don’t know where they are.”
She squinted and shielded her eyes with her hand, as if she was outside in the sun rather than in a dimly lit room. “Ah! There’s Efraim! The ladies have loved him all night.” Mina gestured to the left, and I followed her finger to find that what she said was, surprisingly, true.
The short, blond boy who had bonded with Merlin’s wand swung his totem around wildly, as a circle of older girls watched in wonder. I’d never pictured Efraim as a ladies’ man, but clearly I’d been wrong.
“They’re really impressed with his wand.” Mina’s eyes opened wide, and she arched her eyebrows high. “Ifyou know what I mean.”
“I have no idea what you mean,” Eva deadpanned, and Mina’s face fell.
“Don’t be a jerk,” I admonished, trying not to laugh. “She’s too drunk for sarcasm.” I turned to Alex. “Would you mind making sure Mina gets some water? I need to run to the bathroom real quick.”
Alex nodded and gave me a peck on the cheek.
“I’ll come with you,” Eva said. “I want to make sure I still look hot.”
“What does that matter?” I asked, an eyebrow arched. “You’re with Hunter, and he’s already head over heels for you.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to look fabulous for everyone else. Odie, you’re Lauren and Joseph Dane’s daughter. You have higher status than a lot of us in the espionage world. You don’t have to try as hard. But some of us, like myself, have to be on point all the time.”
