“Please take your seats!” Professor Svokol called over to us.
Class wasn’t set to start for another few minutes, but he probably wanted to deescalate what was about to happen.
I headed for the stairs up the raked seating and Saldrea followed. When I turned down a row of seats, she kept close.
“I think someone’s obsessed with me,” I mock whispered to another student as I passed. They only stared wide-eyed at me, probably shocked that I’d be taunting someone like Saldrea.
“I’m not…” Saldrea began, then must have realized how silly she looked following me.
She scoffed. “Whatever…” then she turned and found her own seat.
I took one as far from her as possible.
Rook came over, since he was my appointed tutor for this class.
“That wasn’t smart,” he whispered while making a pretense of showing me something on his computer.
I shrugged. “What’s the worst she can do?” I whispered back.
Her sylph companion could read your mind and find out you’re mated with a beastfolk, then have him killed and you imprisoned. How’s that for a worst-case scenario?And it spoke volumes that he hadn’t even dared to say it out loud.
Oh… right.
Do you think she knows?I glanced over at Saldrea. Her trio of followers had only just arrived. Saldrea was still glaring at me, but the other three didn’t seem to care much, chatting amongst themselves. I knew Neyalim was an undine. Of the other two, one had darker skin with ametallic sheen, like Professor Svokol, so she was probably a dwarf. Which left the one with the perfect tan, pale blond hair, and eyes of deep blue as the sylph.
Luckily, she hadn’t been around when I’d been teasing the princess earlier. Thank God!
I think you’re far enough away. At this distance she might be able to glean some surface thoughts, but nothing too deep. Still, stay the fuck away from her. She’s bad news.
Why did I get the feeling Rook was talking from experience?
Have you and she…?
Yes, a long time ago. It was horrible.It was clear from his tone he didn’t want to talk about it.
Oh.
What had she done to him? Though, if she could read minds and even control people… the options weren’t good.
My smile faltered.
Saldrea must have seen my dismay, and she finally smiled.
Fine. Let her think she’d won.
And I probably shouldn’t show any feelings for you,Rook added.Lest they try to read my thoughts as well.
Good idea.
Though… what feelingsdidhe have?
If he heard that thought, he didn’t respond.
Good.
Because, as much as I’d thought I might want to let Rook in last night, now… in the harsh light of day… I wasn’t so sure.
If he didn’t want me that way, I should probably give him some space… right?
