***
The sun hits my face like a rare gift—warm, golden, almost mocking—as I lean back against the fountain, stewing in the bitter truth of my exile. Holly is sprawled beside me, boots kicked off, grin sharp and wicked. Brix teeters on the fountain rim like it’s a circus act, somehow looking ridiculous and impressive at the same time. The courtyard hums with lazy chatter.
Holly flicks a pebble into the water, eyes locked on me, dripping mischief.
“So,” she drawls, tilting her head, “Atticus yesterday? Looked like someone poured a bucket of lemon juice down his throat when Brix slid his arm around you. I swear, I thought he’d implode right there. Face was priceless.”
I can’t help the smirk tugging at my lips. “Yeah, yeah, keep talking. You’re gonna make me laugh… or punch him.”
Holly laughs, elbow nudging mine. Brix nearly slips from the fountain’s edge, laughing.
“I wasn’t even trying that hard! Just a smile here, a wink there—next thing you know, the King of Pride Rock is glaring holesthrough me.”
Holly sits up straighter, eyes glittering. “Oh, he was beyond glaring. He was recalculating your death in six different ways. I almost felt bad for you, Brix. Almost.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t help smiling. “You two are impossible. Why do I feel like I’m the entertainment instead of the victim of this little experiment?”
“Because you are,” Holly shoots back, laughing. “And trust me, it’s working. He doesn’t even realize he’s glaring until you catch him, and then he looks away like he didn’t just stab Brix fifty times in his head.”
Brix clutches his chest in mock agony. “I live for it. Honestly, I’m doing a public service. Exposing Atticus’s hidden jealous streak for the world to see.”
I shove him as he hops down from the fountain rim. “You’re going to break your leg.”
“Maybe,” he smirks, “but at least I’ll have my fake girlfriend to take care of me.”
Holly leans back again, shielding her eyes from the sun. “Oh, please. He’s not going to break his sudden stoic streak and put on a jealous showdown for the entire academy to see. He cares about his precious reputation too much for that. Atticus is just going to smolder and brood and maybe—just maybe—realize he likes you a little more than he’s ready to admit.”
Heat creeps up my cheeks before I can stop it, and Holly notices.
Of course she does. And of course, my brain decides now is the perfect time to remind me that even after everything he’s done, just thinking about him can still make me feel… like this.
“But he’s not getting a second chance? Right?” She directs the question to me with some concern.
I lean back against the cool stone sighing, “Of course not. Not after what he has put me through. Honestly, the bond feels done with him too.”
And I won’t be here much longer for it to matter. The thought penetrates through the cheerful chatter around me.
Cleo’s sharp eyes catch the shift in my face before I can smooth it over.
“What’s wrong?” She asks, nudging my knee with hers.
I hesitate, then let out a breath. “I saw Maddox yesterday. He said the potion… it’s probably not going to work. He doesn’t think he can do it. And… he doesn’t think his father will advocate for me either.”
The laughter cuts off mid-chuckle. Cleo’s frown is sharp, no-nonsense as always. “You’re not going to like this, but we need a Plan B. Time’s not on our side.”
My stomach twists. “A Plan B?”
“A bond,” she whispers. “It might be time to try another one.”
I shake my head before she’s even finished.
“With who? Alexi? He’s a walking predator, and it wouldn’t even work—Lusts don’t bond. Maylo? He’s a psychopath. I wouldn’t even know where to start with him. Or where to find him. He’s never here.”
The words scrape out of me. “That just leaves…”
“The professor,” Holly finishes.
I bite my lip. “Out of the three, he’s… the least terrible option. At least we have a rapport, even if it’s professional.”
