“Eloquent as always.”
“Felex, I’m serious! She’s probably—” I can’t even finish the sentence. She’s probably hurt. And angry.Dammit!
I find a shirt that’s relatively clean, pull it on without buttoning it, and head for the door.
“Aric,” Felex calls after me in that monotone voice he always uses.
“What?” I snap, whirling around.
He holds up a pair of boots. “Unless you’ve developed an affinity for going barefoot? Though Headmistress Moonhart may not like that.”
Right. Boots. I stumble back, shove my feet into them without bothering to lace them properly, and then bolt for the door.
“You’re welcome,” Felex says dryly to my retreating back. The door slams shut behind me.
I take the stairs as fast as I can without tumbling down them, my heart pounding in my chest. How could I forget? How could I just pass out and sleep through our session? Fuck, I’m an idiot. She must have waited for me. Does she think I just didn’t care enough to show up?
I have to find her. I have to explain.
When I reach the staircase to the north tower, I don’t even pause long enough to catch my breath. My boots pound out a steady rhythm on the stone stairs as I climb. The staircase seems to go on forever, spiraling up and up. By the time I reach NT33, I’m breathing hard and my shirt is still unbuttoned. Though I got a few odd looks on my way here, I don’t care.
I knock—three sharp raps that echo in the quiet hallway.
No answer.
I knock again, harder. “Poppy? It’s me. I’m sorry, I—”
“She’s not here,” a voice says from slightly farther up the stairwell.
I turn, and it’s Raelan, looking at me with his usual unreadable expression. His dark eyes flick down to my unbuttoned shirt and unlaced boots as he descends the stairs toward me.
“Do you know where she is? I need to talk to her. I missed our tutoring session yesterdayand—”
“I know. She mentioned it.” His tone is neutral, but there’s something in his eyes that might be disapproval. Granted, he always kind of looks like that. Especially whenever I fuck up the footwork during our secret dance lessons. “She’s probably in the library.”
“Thanks.” I turn to go, then pause. “Is she... Is she really upset?”
Raelan is quiet for a moment, then lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “She didn’t say. But it’s Poppy.” One of his dark brows arches. “She’s sensitive.”
Yeah. That’s what I thought.
I run back down the stairs, stumble around students coming from the dining hall, and find my way into the library. The librarian looks up from her desk with a sharp “No running!” but I barely hear her.
I scan the reading areas, the study nooks, the rows of shelves. It’s been getting colder lately, so the fire is already lit, but she’s not sitting in any of the armchairs, cozied up to the flames.
Where is she?
Then I spot her—tucked into our usual corner, surrounded by books and parchment. Her head is bent over her notes, lavender hair falling forward to hide her face. A student I don’t know sits across from her, reading his own textbook.
I approach slowly, fumbling for the buttons on my shirt. The student across from Poppy glances up, and his eyes widen in surprise.
“Poppy?” I say softly.
She looks up at me, and the expression on her face makes my chest squeeze. Surprise, then relief, then hurt all flash across her features in quick succession before settling into careful neutrality.
“Aric.” She sets down her quill. “Hi.”
“I’m so sorry.” The words tumble out in a rush. “I fell asleep at my desk after practice, and I didn’t wake up until this morning, and I completely forgot about yesterday, and I know that’s not an excuse, but—”
