When I arrived back at the dorm, I found half of my class in the common space, studying. Since we’d started our Grind-year, seeing the study area full of people with their nose buried in books was routine. As was someone tossing a book across the room, or bursting into tears over some horrible assignment.
Kira, José, Jasmine, and Dakota, four of the people who hated me this year, shot me sour looks as I passed. I ignored them. After almost two months of being the recipient of their envy, I didn’t have the time or energy to care what they thought anymore.
When I reached the sixth floor, I noticed the door to the spymasters’ private study room was open, and familiar voices emanated from within. When I peeked inside, I found my best friends and Diana at various tables with books spread out before them.
“Odie! We were wondering when you’d get done with your tutoring session. Amethyst was looking for you earlier. Did she find you?”
“I’ll catch her tomorrow.” I was sure she wanted more reassurance that I hadn’t blabbed. If it had been serious, she would have waited for me in the common space. “What are you guys studying?”
“Faeology,” Eva and Diana called out, seconds before the guys claimed to be working on the Potions and Poisons assignment.
“Awesome. I need to do all of that. I’ll get my stuff.”
I ran to my room and grabbed my overstuffed book bag. A few minutes later, I was nestling myself into the last free table between Alex and Eva.
“Which are you going to do first?” Alex asked.
“Hmmm, Faeology.” Our Potions and Poisons assignment dealt with a lot of science, and my brain couldn’t handle that at the moment. “But before I get started, I have something to tell you guys.”
Everyone leaned back, and Hunter placed his feet on the table, clearly happy for another break.
“There’s a Crucible party tomorrow. We’re all invited.”
“Yassssss!” Eva shouted. “Isoneed to let loose.”
The guys agreed. Diana merely nodded, reminding me that she already knew about the party.
“Have you been talking with Sam and Andre about the Games?” I asked her.
Diana’s eyebrows furrowed together. “What? No. Why would we talk about the Games without you?”
My lips parted at the show of thoughtfulness. “I was wondering because Andre told me you already knew about the party.”
Diana’s creamy complexion took on the slightest hint of pink. “Oh, right. I actually saw him in the hall earlier and he told me then.” She spoke hurriedly as if she wanted to move on.
“Well, we should have a brainstorming session at the party.”
She nodded and quickly buried her head in her books. I watched her, wondering why she was acting so odd before realizing that my homework wouldn’t do itself, and followed in Diana’s footsteps.
Chapter Eleven
Amethyst stuck to my side like glue the whole day after her possession. Although I understood her anxiety, I couldn’t deny that having a shadow every time I used the restroom was getting annoying. I didn’t know if she stayed beside me because she didn’t trust me to keep her secret, or if she felt safer in my presence.
Either way, when the party rolled around and Amethyst opted to remain in the Green Tower, I wasn’t disappointed. I needed to not worry about ghosts possessing people. To forget about Ishtar for a moment. To let my hair down and be a normal college kid.
As we walked through the woods to the King’s Castle, the luxury dorm next to alumni housing, I was sure that my needs would soon be met. The revelry rang loud and clear halfway down the wooded path, electrifying me. And when we emerged from the woods to view the dorm, a smile bloomed on my face.
Made of glass, with the windows on the upper floors tinted for privacy, the King’s Castle didn’t really go with Spellcasters main building. Lanterns illuminated the walkway, their light reflecting off the glass. There was a porch where a few students lounged on outdoor furniture. Somehow, a massive trampoline had been brought on to Spellcasters grounds, and a half-dozen third-years jumped, or rather, floated around, above it. My mouth dropped open as one guy began floating off the trampoline and over the tops of some smaller trees. He’d clearly perfected the levitation charm, a spell we’d learned at the end of last year. I still hadn’t mastered it.
Hunter, however, excelled at levitation, and upon seeing so many people goofing around with his favorite charm, his eyes lit up.
“Anyone wanna go play?” A familiar mischievous expression flashed across his face.
Eva giggled. “I’m in as long as you catch me.”
“Always, sugar. Always.”
Alex and I declined, and our friends ran off to go have fun.
