There was a weather-beaten couch left on the roof deck by a previous batch of cadets, and some odds and ends like old sparring sticks strewn in a corner. Yiran had only been up here once, when Mai decided to have an impromptu campfire. It was always cold and windy on the deck, and he didn’t care for the view.
Yuki plopped onto the couch. He didn’t seem to mind the dirty upholstery.
If anyone knew Yiran was up here with a Revenant, he’d be in trouble. But inexplicably, it wasn’t himself he was worried about.
“You do know this is a training school for Exorcists, right? You’ll get killed the moment someone sees you and recognizes you for what you are.”
“And yet, I’m still alive. I thought you might start screaming to wake everyone up.” Yuki cocked his head. “But you didn’t.”
It sounded like a question, and it was a logical one. Why was Yiran up here, unarmed and talking to the enemy? He didn’t have an answer.
“How did you know where my room was?” he said.
“Luck? I was in the trees when I saw a light in a room and someone who looked like you.”
“Unintentional stalking, I see,” Yiran said in half jest. More suspiciously, “What do you want?”
“Company.”
“You wanted company, and you camehere? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?”
Yuki flung his head back on the couch. “I was bored, okay? I wanted to see if I could break in, so I did.”
Yiran didn’t know whether to believe him. But what else could Yuki want? If he intended to harm Yiran, he’d already have done so.
“Relax, I didn’t have to kill anyone to be here,” Yuki said. “Xingshan needs to do something about its security.”
“Thanks for your advice.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll notify the administration.”
“As you should.” Yuki patted the spot next to him. “Now stop pretending that either of us is going to attack the other and come sit with me.”
Against his better judgment, Yiran did so. Up close, Yuki’s gray eyes twinkled with amusement. Without the killer wings at his spine, he looked like an ordinary teenager. Yiran gave himself a mental shake. If he wasn’t going to sound the alarm,ifhe was going to keep talking to Yuki, he would wheedle information out of him.
“You’ve recovered from your injuries,” he said, trying not to stare at Yuki’s smooth skin and elegant neck.
“Perks of being a Hybrid. It takes quite a bit to kill us,” Yuki said dryly.
“Aloysius was killed.”
“Good riddance. He was an abusive jerk when he was human and stayed one when he changed. The world will not miss him.” Yuki smirked. “I should thank that girl if I see her again.”
“Did you get into trouble when you went back empty-handed? Weretheyupset with you?”
“I don’t want to talk about that.”
“What do you want to talk about then?”
“Do you like Exorcist school?”
“Why do you care?”
Yuki looked amused. “I’m curious about you the way you’re curious about me.”
Yiran wasn’t sure what to make of that. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, shivering as a gust of wind blew by.
