After Pops grilledme about Darian in front of Dimitri, we came out of the simulator to find Slater, Zuko, and Koa lounging against the wall, clearly waiting for us.
“Took you long enough,” Slater said, pushing off the wall with a really sexy grin.
Zuko smirked, orange eyes flicking between me and Dimitri. “So, Rune, whose bed are you warming tonight? Mine,obviously.”
Slater shoved him in the shoulder. “I may not have her name tattooed on my dick, but it’s stillmyturn.”
“Oh, please.” Zuko barked a laugh. “She wouldn’t pick you over the orgasms I can give her.”
“I can give her just as much,” Slater grumbled, pouting before looking at me. “Right, venom baby?”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I bit back a giggle.
Koa fell in step with us as we started back down the path toward the houses. “Why don’t you all just sleep together and save the drama?”
Slater and Zuko shared a look before looking at me with a heated gaze.
“I’m lying under you,” they both said together before turning and growling at each other.
Dimitri muttered low under his breath, just loud enough for me to catch, “Maybe we should focus on training instead of…whateverthisis.”
But, of course, Zuko and Slater kept bickering as we rounded the side of the academy. The canal glimmered with that potent magic beneath the bridge ahead, catching the last light of day.
We walked over the bridge and cleared the gate when Jesper appeared, like he’d been waiting on the other side for a while. There was a small bundle in his hands and an unreadable expression on his face.
“Jesper?” My eyes widened.
I’d been trying desperately not to think about him. Not after finding out he was Darian’s fuckingcousin.
Still, Darian never made my heart swell the way Jesper did.
“I, uh…made this,” Jesper murmured, offering it to me like a peace treaty. The smell of warm herbs and spices curled through the air.
I couldn’t help but perk up at the scent. “What is it?”
“Garlic noodles.” He blushed.
Zuko’s nostrils flared. “Fates, that smells amazing.”
Koa leaned closer. “Those spices are insane. From scratch?”
Jesper nodded, his brown eyes glued to the offering in his hand.
I took the container cautiously. “Thank you,” I said, but I couldn’t help side-eyeing him.
Food from Darian’s cousin just after finding out Darian was intentionally trying to poison me? Not the smartest move. Still, with my squadmates with me, I knew I wasn’t unsafe right now.
I opened it and was immediately hit with the delicious garlicky scent. I drooled.
Reaching into my bag, I grabbed the powdered poison I kept for emergencies and sprinkled a faint dusting over the noodles.
“Is that poison?” Dimitri sighed. “Again?”
Jesper’s eyes widened. “Wait?—”
I grabbed a noodle and slurped it up without hesitation. I chewed slowly, letting the flavors coat my tongue along with the bite of poison, then smiled. “I like my food spicy.”
“By spicy, she means poisoned,” Koa told him.
