“That’s kind of the entire point of the assignment,” Lorian told him, making Dimitri huff.
Koa leaned in with a heated look in his brown eyes, his face blocking the view of Dimitri. The ember flecks glowed within his irises. “How did you get your job, Elara?”
“I made it,” I purred, letting a faint smile pull at my lips. “Witches and warlocks make my potions, and I sell them.”
Koa’s pupils dilated. He leaned back, studying me as if he’d forgotten this was an exercise, until his chair legs slipped.
He toppled backward, head colliding with an enchanted blade display that was behind him. The edge sliced through his skull. Brain matter splattered in one clean, wet motion.
I blinked, wiping the brain matter from my cheek.“Gross.”
Phoenix magic flared, consuming Koa’s dead body in sudden flames. He combusted into ash with an almost apologetic hiss. His enchanted suit had turned to ash with him.
It was the second time I’d watched him die.
“Is he okay?” Eleanor asked from somewhere behind me.
“He’s a phoenix, he’s fine,” Jarvins snapped. “Go back to your persona. Only warning.”
A moment later, Koa reformed as a phoenix, the cry of life echoing through the classroom before he shifted back inside his suit with perfect hair and a sheepish grin.
“Welcome back,” I purred, gaze flicking down. “What ashamethat your suit stayed on this time.”
His cheeks went red. “I’m so sorry about that, Rune.”
“Stay in character,” Jarvins said dryly, not even pausing. “Finish your interview.”
Koa nodded and sat back down.
His voice shifted into his persona again, but there was a redness over his face for the rest of the interview.
We finished the assignment smoothly, with no more deaths, and by the time the timer chimed, we were so close our knees touched.
Jarvins cleared his throat. “Everyone passed. Dimitri and Rune, be aware that this was the first assignment and the only reason you had a chance to redo it.”
Shame burned in my gut. I knew better than to do something like that, but what was it about Dimitri that made me break character to tease him?
He shot me a glare, and I returned it.
We all filed out of his classroom together, the air still buzzing from our round of interviews and shaking off the personas we’d gotten into. We made our way through the arched doorway into Pops’s classroom.
Everyone dropped into their designated seats, and I noticed Pops’s nostrils flare.
He locked eyes on me before sliding his brown eyes to Zuko.
Shit. Pops smelled him on me…
“Oh no,” Pops muttered, low enough that it was almost a growl. “What did you do?”
Zuko’s mouth curved into a dangerous grin. He spread his hands, palms up like he was harmless. “Nothing bad. Just…you know.” His voice dropped into something that curled around my spine. “I’m one step closer to being family. I’m dating your daughter.”
Pops’s gaze snapped back to mine, and my pulse skipped.
Before I could answer, Slater said, “Me too, sir.”
I turned toward him slowly, my brows knitting. “We are?”
“I mean, I want to be.Please?” His red eyes burned with open want, every word dripping with intent. “I don’t want to be left out, venom baby.”
