Lilia and I don’t move.
We stay there, standing in the middle of the corridor, watching her retreat with a kind of mutual, silent dread.
And then, slowly, we turn to look at each other.
I swallow. Lilia does the same. But before she can spiral out loud, I grab her by the arm and pull her down the hallway.
“We’ll be late,” I say, voice steadier than I feel.
“She definitely knows something,” she whispers, pulling her coat tighter around her. “Did you see how she froze when we asked about Anderson?”
“I did.”
“And she kept dodging the question.”
I hum in agreement. “Yeah, well, considering you literally stood in her way, I think she just wanted to get away before you tried interrogation round two.”
Lilia scoffs, looking thoroughly unimpressed with me. “I’m sorry, would you rather I just let her leave with all her valuable information?”
True.
We turn the corner, the classroom coming into view, and Lilia groans audibly at the sight of it. “Ugh. This is gonna be so awkward,” she mutters. “What if he can sense we’re suspicious?”
I frown. “What do you think he’s going to do? Look into our eyes and read our souls?”
“Well, I wouldn’t put it past him.”
I smirk, but before I can say anything else, I spot Liam and Ava walking toward the classroom.
It’s not surprising to see either of them, but it is surprising to see them together.
I knew they were siblings, but for some reason, I had never really seen them in the same space. For some reason, they existed separately in my head.
And yet, here they are.
Talking.
And as we get closer, I can actually hear them.
“Liam, no,” Ava says, voice flat.
Liam shrugs, entirely unbothered. “I’m just saying—”
“I don’t care what you are just saying,” she cuts in, looking physically pained by whatever argument they’re having.
Liam grins at her, infuriatingly amused. “You’re just mad because I gave Percy back to Kai.”
Ava stops walking for half a second, inhales deeply like she’s actually battling with her self-control, then continues walking without looking at him. “You’re actually so annoying.”
Liam chuckles, clearly enjoying whatever this conversation is.
Ava scoffs, clearly not enjoying it at all. Without another word, she shoves him toward the classroom door.
Liam, still laughing, stumbles slightly before catching himself and disappearing inside.
Ava follows a second later, muttering something under her breath that I don’t think is particularly kind.
Lilia tilts her head slightly. “Huh.”
