“How did you—”
“Don’t ask questions about how I get places,” he interrupts, voice low, teasing, dangerous. “It ruins the magic.”
I cross my arms, glaring. “You can’t just pop into people’s rooms. That… has to be against the rules. It’s also creepy. And terrifying.”
He chuckles, the sound echoing. “Terrifying? Good. I like a little reaction.”
I grit my teeth. “So why are you here?”
“Simple,” he says, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “I want to know more about you. Get to know what’s in that brain. And maybe I’m getting a little tired of watching from the sidelines.”
I blink. “The sidelines? You haven’t even been here.”
“Oh, I’ve been here the entire time. You’re always running around, little stormcloud. Doing so many things I don’t understand. And even shutting me out sometimes. I don’t know how you do that.”
He pulls the drawer out of my nightstand and just starts rummaging through my things, like I’m not even here.
“Meeting with Ryker today, yes?” He asks.
I stiffen. “Excuse me?”
He tilts his head, grin widening.
“I said, I know you’re going out with him. But it’s fine. I’m not going to kill him… yet. Not when he makes you smile my favorite smile. I just… want to understand the way you think. How you move. How you… let people in.”
I feel a shiver crawl down my spine. “That’s… a lot to take in. You don’t even know me.”
“Oh, I know lots of little things, stormcloud. I know you have an awfully large obsession with history books…” He says, fingering my newest book from Professor Gabriel on my night desk.
“Hey, don’t touch that!”
“I know you like to practice your combat skills with your roommates… and the locker rooms you use after.”
“Locker rooms?! Wait. We’re you the one tha-”
“I know the private courtyard you like to sunbathe in, which you have to see the irony in too, little stormcloud.” He continues.
“What is with this stormcloud bullshit?! Are you the one who’s been leaving me the pictures? How have you been getting in here?”
He just grins at me again, remaining silent.
“Your sort of freaking me out.” I say as I back away from the bed.
“Oh, it gets better.” He slides closer, casually, like the distance doesn’t matter. “What are you wearing tonight?”
I freeze, caught between outrage and unease. “That’s none of your business.”
“Of course it’s my business. You’re my bond.” His gaze flicks to my tights, just so, and his voice drops.
“I’m glad you’re wearing them. Your little legs always looked so cold.”
My heart skips. “You left the tights?”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“You ready, Arwen?” Ryker says from the door.
I turn toward the door. “Shit, just a minute. I need to change.”
