Then it hits me.
“Gabriella!”
Gabriella—Gabby—is Nero De Luca’s younger sister, Milena’s sister-in-law. She’s about same height as me, but with a lot more curves andgorgeousdark hair that falls in waves past her shoulders.
I jump awkwardly to my feet, both of us smiling as we hug.
“Hi! Sorry, I’m scatterbrained today.”
“Tell me about it,” she laughs, hefting the enormous tote bag full of books on her shoulder.
My eyes drop to it, brows furrowing. “Are you a student here?”
She nods. “Yeah. I got in when I was younger, then decided I’d much rather party, drink, and be a general thorn in my brother’s side.” She grins, shrugging. “But over the last year, my priorities changed a little. I was seeing someone, but then…” She frowns and looks down. “Well, long story short, it didn’t work out. So I thought now would be a good time to finally see why Knightsblood is such a big deal. Nero pulled some strings, and here I am. I'm enjoying it, but Ido notrecommend being a college freshman at twenty-four. I feel like everyone’s fuckingmom.” She grins. “So… What are you doing here?”
I laugh. “Teaching, actually. Dance,” I add when I see her brows arch. “To some of the advanced ballet students in the fine arts program.” I shrug. “I dunno. It’s a nice break from things in the city. I like it.”
“That sounds awesome,” she smiles.
I frown suddenly. “Hey, do you want to sit?”
She glances at her phone and shrugs. “Why not. I’ve got a few minutes before my Econ class.”
I turn to grab my dance bag and my own oversized canvas tote, full of dance theory books. “Sorry, let me get my stuff out of the—shoot.”
The tote slips out of my grip, spilling its contents onto the walkway. My chest instantly tightens.
…As my invitation to the Obsidian Syndicate initiation slides out of my copy of Ann Cooper’sEngaging Bodies: The Politics and Poetics of Corporeality.
For a half-second, I’m frozen. Then the moment passes, and I quickly drop to my knees and shove the black envelope with the green seal back between the pages of the book.
Why are you freaking out?
I stop frantically shoving my books back into my bag and take a breath.
It’s just an envelope. It’s not like asex toyjust fell out of my bag.
Exhaling my anxiety, I finish shoving the books back into my tote and stand.
“Wow, I’m clumsy today?—”
I stiffen. Gabriella is looking at me with a half-shocked, half-intrigued expression. My cheeks burn as I squirm under her gaze.
“Um… What is it?” I croak.
Gabriella’s full bottom lip sucks between her teeth. Her eyes snap to mine, then back to my tote, then up to my face again. Then, she quietly reaches into her bag, fishes around for a moment, and pulls her hand back out.
She’s holding a black envelope with a green seal on it, just like mine.
The color drains from my face as our eyes lock.
“I…” She smiles wryly. “I don’t think we’re supposed to talk about it,” she murmurs. Then her lips pull into a grin. “Butholy shit!” she whisper-squeals.
She grabs my hands, yanking me down beside her on the bench and leaning close.
“You’re going to the initiation too?” she whispers conspiratorially.
I smile weakly, nodding. “Yeah, I…look, I haven’t told anyone?—”
