“Very,” I replied, unable to stop my gaze from flicking to his chain again.
I desperately wanted to wrap my hand around it and tug.
Dimitri blew past the rest of us, silent as a shadow. He didn’t spare a glance at any of us—just waited until his enamel pin glowed in sync with the archway of the house entrance. A pulse of magic ran through it, and then the door clicked open. He went in without acknowledging anything else.
Koa raised a brow. “He’s as friendly as I remember.”
Zuko snorted.
“Zuko, man!” Raze jogged up the path in a sleeveless combat hoodie and shredded jeans. He threw his arm around Zuko’s shoulders like they hadn’t seen each other in years. Even though they just saw each other earlier today. It was cute.
Tibby crossed his arms and stepped up. “Alright, before I leave, let me explain how this works to my sister.”
“I’m listening!” I nodded for him to tell me.
I wasn’t the only one listening, though, the rest of our little group gathered here stopped talking to give him their attention.
He pointed to the arched double-doors of the house. “The building is keyed to your pin. Once you enter, you’re routed directly to your assigned house floor. The stairwell’s an illusion. It’s space manipulation. Spatial magic is really something. Basically, don’t follow someone else in. You’ll get lost. There are ten levels, assigned by squad. Since you’re Squad One, as my sister told me, you’ll be on level one.”
“Oh no,” Aura murmured, gripping Eleanor’s arm. “I hate spatial-magic.”
“Alright, Slater, Zuko, all of you, listen up. If any of you lays a single uninvited hand on her, I will personally burn you from the inside out.”
“Relax,” Raze said quickly, hands up. “We’re not that stupid. She’s terrifying.”
Slater smiled, throwing an arm around my shoulder again. “Youareterrifying, venom baby. I mean that in the can-I-make-you-laugh-and-possibly-hold-your-hand kind of way.”
I bit back a giggle.
“Seriously, though, Iliketerrifying if it means you,” Slater offered with a hopeful shrug. “Rune literally stabbed a guy on day one. I’m into it.”
“I am that guy,” Zuko added, smug. “It was hot as fuck.”
Tibby looked like he wanted to burn all of them into ash, and he could, because he was a phoenix.
“Koa.” He turned to the other phoenix here with a tight jaw. “I’m assigning you the job to look after my sister. Keep the duo here from throwing themselves at her constantly, yeah?”
Koa’s eyes widened slightly before he nodded. “I’ll do my best. No throwing bodies at her. Yep. Got it.”
Throwing bodies?Tibby obviously meant that figuratively.
My brother hesitated, pinning Koa with a look of disbelief before he stepped forward and pulled me into a tight hug. “Take care of yourself. If you need me, send word.”
“I know,” I said as we pulled apart.
Both Zuko and Slater looked at Koa.
“So,” Zuko said casually. “How strict is your interpretation of ‘look after her’?”
“Because we are very trustworthy,” Slater added. “In a sexy kind of way.”
“He’s right.” Zuko nodded seriously.
Koa didn’t answer. He just turned and linked his arm through mine, tugging me toward the dorm entrance. “Let’s go.”
Koa’s firewood scent filled my senses, and I inhaled it heavily.
“I made the right decision it seems,” Tibby said thoughtfully, but before we could go in, all of our attention suddenly snapped as a wave of sweet brine hit the air.
