“That so?” Kelevra curled two fingers at him. “Wrist.”
This, at least, Rin could understand. He lifted his left arm, presenting the prince with the thick leather band attached to his wrist. The bracelet had the Academy emblem at its center, a large circle with half of a golden sun on the right, and a backing of mother of pearl on the left. There was a silver A in the center of the sun, and the Elusive Star over the mother of pearl, the brightest star in the Dual galaxy.
Using his thumb, Rin slid the emblem over, revealing the screen protected beneath it. They weren’t allowed to use their personal multi-slates while on Academy grounds, and had each been given a wristband with a smaller one during their freshmen year. Considering the fact they operated the same as a regular multi-slate, just with a tiny, circular screen instead of the long rectangular one, it seemed like a waste of effort and money, but whatever.
Kelevra took his time rolling up the right sleeve of his black suit jacket, exposing the golden band that held his emblem device. He activated it and held it over Rin’s, that smile returning to his full lips.
“Special treatment,” Kelevra confirmed, catching Rin staring at the gold. “Not a fan of that either, I see.”
“You’re an Imperial,” Rin said, “and the prince. Of course you deserve special treatment, sir. Who am I to think otherwise?”
“That didn’t sound nearly as much like a joke as you meant it to.”
Impossible. Rin had perfect control over his tone.
He had perfect control over everything.
It was fucking exhausting.
“I get a lot of special treatment,” Kelevra told him, not giving him the chance to respond to being called out. “As my cadet, some of that will transfer over to you.”
“No, thank you,” he found himself replying, even as internally he recognized he should just roll with it so this conversation could end and he could leave. “I’m not here for that, sir, though I appreciate the offer. I just want to learn as best I can and not be treated any differently than any of my classmates.”
“Because it isn’t fair to them?” he guessed.
“Because I didn’t earn it,” Rin corrected.
Kelevra paused and then hummed. “You were telling the truth that time. Interesting.”
Rin frowned. “Sir?”
For the first time, he lost that glimmer, full lips turning down as his hazel eyes took on a hard edge. “Cut the crap. Sir? You’ll call me by name, starting right now.”
“That’s against regulations,” Rin pointed out. “I could refer to you by title, however, Imperial Prince, if you would prefer—”
“Don’t.” He took another step, the move putting him directly in Rin’s face less than two inches away. They were roughly the same height, with Kelevra only a bit taller. “Just because I’m interested doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with things others can’t. I give you an order? Take it. Is that understood, Varun?”
A flash of indignation washed through him, but Rin swallowed it down, nodding his head in the affirmative. “Understood.”
The Imperial Prince quirked a dark brow.
“Kelevra,” he added, hating the way his guts seemed to tighten afterward. Why did it matter so much to the guy what Rin called him anyway?
Kel leaned forward on his toes, shifting so he could bring his mouth to the side of Rin’s head. “Good boy.”
Rin’s spine snapped into place and he stepped back.
Kelevra laughed. “Interesting indeed.”
“Yo,” Madden called suddenly and waved at him, “Zane is outside.”
It was odd hearing someone say “yo” to an Imperial, especially one as flashy and clearly into regality as Kelevra was. Instead of seeming put off though, he merely tipped his chin, indicating he’d gotten the message.
Maybe wanting to be called by name wasn’t that unusual coming from him. Was Rin reading too far into it? Seeing things that weren’t there simply because the prince made him uncomfortable?
Kelevra turned back to Rin. “You recall the rules of this arrangement?”
“You’re my mentor,” he said, not really getting where he was going with this either, and opted to use his own wording in an attempt to ease some of the tension, “I’ve been instructed to follow your command.”
