With another bright colorful burst, he fell back into a portal on the ground and was gone.
“Did you really just give an unhinged warlock a fatal venom that can liquify anyone’s insides?” Dimitri asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
I nodded. “Of course. He’s also the warlock rep on the council, the magical research director, and the House of Arcane professor. I think he can handle my venom.”
“I don’t thinkanyonecan handle your venom,” he muttered under his breath.
“I can handle it, venom baby,” Slater whispered teasingly, his breath fanning over my cheek.
“So can I, pretty little poison,” Zuko whispered in my ear.
“Can we go to class now?” Dimitri snapped.
By the timeProfessor Hunting announced me as first place for the history essays, I couldn’t help but preen.
I’d written mine on my mother and her role in defeating Roak, the leader of the Dragon Cult, in the Second War. Dimitri had written his on Alister, a vampire that had fought against the dragons, sirens, werewolves, and humans. Koa had written about a phoenix named Samson who had sacrificed himself in the end. Slater had written about Damien, a shadow demon that was particularly efficient when he fought in the front lines with his parents, and Zuko was the only one who wrote about a basilisk from Kalista’s First War.
Everyone else on our squad wrote about varying supernaturals in the second war, but I didn’t recognize their names.
Professor Hunting delivered the news of my winning along with the fact that everyone else had passed, too. I’d beaten Dimitri byone point.
I felt Dimitri’s gaze prickling into me as Professor Hunting switched to Analytic Tactics.
“Well,” I whispered sweetly as I finally glanced toward his desk beside mine. “I guess the tie’s broken.”
He leaned back, folding his arms. “Enjoy it while it lasts, lethal darling. You won because you have first-hand knowledge of Sabine, being her daughter. If I had more knowledge on Alister, I could’ve easily won.”
“Aw, if you really think that, I’m sure I can ask Mom to get you an exclusive interview with him,” I teased.
“There’s no need for that, Rune.” Professor Hunting sighed, fixing the pin in her hair. “One chance is what you get in this class, and I must say, you should enjoy your win. You two may have tied in entrance exams, but there will be plenty of opportunities forfriendlycompetition. There was only a point difference this time.”
Dimitri’s red eyes flicked away from me, and I let out a small breath.
“Now, let’s get into the next assignment for analytic tactics. Today, we’ll be doing a tactical debrief reconstruction,” she told us. “You’ll explore a scene based on an actual past mission that has been declassified. You must rebuild the full scenario, identifying false leads and the actual sequence of events. I’ve included it to where it’syoursquad investigating.” She sent the case to our tablets, and they buzzed as we received them. “This will be done within the simulator. We will head to Apex Simulator 1.6 now. I’ll grade you on clarity, insight, and your ability to spot misleading clues.”
She gestured for us to walk out of the room, and we followed her out of the main building to the left side of the academy, where the smaller simulator was situated.
The air outside was sharp with the scent of pine, and our suit-cladded feet thudded as we walked toward it.
Slater slid into step beside me. “So, venom baby,” he drawled, leaning just a little too close, “what’s it going to take to get you to myself again tonight? Dinner? Flowers? My eternal devotion? You already have the last one.”
I rolled my eyes, lips twitching. “How about you just ask me to stay the night in your bed?”
Before he could fire back, Zuko threw an arm over my shoulder. “Would you stay the night in my bed, pretty little poison?”
Slater’s mouth fell open. “No fair! I was about to ask.”
“Too late.” Zuko stuck his tongue out. “You could join us, but the beds are too small, so you’d have to sleep on the floor.”
“Or I could fall asleep while I’m inside her again,” Slater teased. “She’ll be on top of me so we won’t take up much space.”
“You didwhat?”Zuko let out a jealous whine. “Rune, can I do that?”
My cheeks flushed hot, not with embarrassment but with desire. “You two, quit it, or I’ll sleep in my own room.”
“Perhaps that’s the best idea,” Koa murmured, his brown eyes on mine. “You should rest for a night.”
“Best advice I’ve heard given to her yet,” Dimitri muttered, his eyes boring into me. “Give usalla rest for once.”
