“I wasn’t planning to,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck.
I stop walking. “Wait,really? You? Nolan Porter, the Rule-Follower, wasn’t planning to go to amandatoryevent? Did I hit my head during training? Is this a fever dream?”
His ears go pink. “I just figured no one would miss me. And public gatherings aren’t exactly my thing.”
“Not even for mandatory chaos?”
He shrugs, but there’s a smile tugging at his lips. “Well, now I’m reconsidering. You know…for the snacks.”
“Right. Snacks.” I arch a brow. “Totally not for the magical mark-bound girl you’ve been low-key pining after.”
He coughs. “I wouldn’t saypining—I mean, that feels dramatic.”
“Really?” I hum. “You sure? Because you’ve got a pretty strong ‘boy-next-door yearning through the curtains’ vibe.”
He stumbles over his own feet, just barely catching himself. “Okay, wow. That is unfairly accurate.”
I smirk, delighted. “So you’ll be there?”
He straightens his glasses, then faces me—just a little too quickly. “Yeah. If you’re going…I’ll be there.”
I let the silence stretch just enough to watch him squirm. Then say, “Save me a dance?”
He blinks. “Like…an actual one?”
“No, a metaphorical one,” I say dryly, then soften the words with a smile. “Yes, an actual one.”
His entire face lights up, like I’ve just offered him magic and stars and possibly a puppy. “I promise I won’t accidentally curse you.”
I grin. “That’s the bare minimum, Nolan .”
He nudges my arm again. “It’s a low bar, but I like to exceed expectations.”
Nolan's hand brushes mine as we start walking again, not quite holding it, just close enough that I feel the warmth.
I glance up, and across the courtyard, Kael stands in the shadow of the archway leading toward the eastern wing. His arms are crossed, posture carved from stone, but his eyes—those unreadable moonlight eyes—are on me.
Nolan follows my gaze and sighs softly. “Has he let you read more of the book?”
My shoulders stiffen. “I haven’t evenseenhim the last few days.”
He blinks. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” I glance back toward Kael, but he’s already gone. As if he was never there. “It’s like he’s avoiding or hiding from me.”
Nolan frowns but doesn’t say anything right away. Maybe because we both know Kael doesn’thide. If he wanted to be around me, he’d make himself known.
Nolan clears his throat. “For what it’s worth…I think whatever that book has in it? You’re better off not facing it alone. It will be good to have someone strong with you.”
My stomach twists. Not because I disagree. But because part of me wonders if Kael is keeping mefromsomething—orforsomething.
“I don’t plan to,” I say finally, forcing a small smile as I look back at Nolan. “That’s what I’ve got you for, right?”
His answering grin is sheepish but sure. “Hey, I may not have horns or a tragic backstory, but I’ve got decent reflexes and killer research skills.”
My laugh bubbles up before I can stop it. “You forgot your humble charm and devastating wit.”
Nolan adjusts his glasses, a smile tugging at his mouth. “Right, right. Add those to the list. Honestly, I should come with a warning label.”
