There was a curious expression on her face, mingled with something else Yiran couldn’t decipher at first. Itfeltlike jealousy. He couldn’t explain it, but he could sense her emotions when he was near her, like they were telegraphed directly to him. Was this the connection Zizi was talking about? Did it mean Rui could read Yiran?
“I think the only person the wizard cares about is you,” he said.
Surprise registered on Rui’s face. She distanced herself from him, her expression suspicious, like she was feeling the empathic link between them too.
The door slid open.
Several cadets filed noisily in. One of them, a girl with smudged black eyeliner and bright pink hair, was talking about going to the karaoke club. She stopped in midsentence when she noticed him.
“Oh, it’s you.”
The other seniors sized him up.
Yiran had come prepared. He’d sat Ash down and made him describe every senior cadet he mentored. Yiran recognized some of them now.
The pastel goth was Ada Senai, daughter of Commissioner Senai—the man who had helped Yiran avoid juvenile court. She was also Rui’s best friend, and Yiran was intent on staying on her good side. Then there was Mai Lang, a tanned long-limbed girl who came from a family of Exorcists. She had an uncle who was influential in the city. Yiran glossed over a few others until he found the person he wanted to meet.
Teshin Mak.
Resident weapons expert, graduating senior, and the new vice president of the Student Council. Most importantly, Teshin was one of the heirs to the Mak clan. The Maks were famous in Exorcist circles; the bestweapons were forged and restored by them.
Rui’s dual swords were bound to her and her magic. Even if she did let Yiran use them, everyone would know the source ofhisnewfound magic. There was no legitimacy in that. Yiran had to find another way. If the Maks were as good as they say, maybe they could forge a different kind of weapon for him.
Teshin appeared stern, with golden-brown skin and intense brown eyes to match. Both sides of their head were shaved to expose a tattoo of two halves of a circle, broken by a line. The Mak clan’s crest. They were looking at Yiran with open interest.
Yiran smiled. He had to find a way to get close to them.
But Teshin wasn’t the only one evaluating Yiran. Mai stared boldly, whipping her pin-straight hair back. She had an overwhelming aura of confidence.
“Did anyone know Song Yiran was joining us today?” she asked in a husky voice.
A chorus ofnos came from the rest.
“There’s no training today,” Ada told Yiran. “The Exorcist who’s supposed to be here can’t make it. We’re just going to mess around and practice drills.”
Yiran shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll learn something by observing you.”
“Suit yourself.” She gave him a surprisingly sincere smile.
Mai sidled over, her smile the opposite of Ada’s. “Since we’re doing our own thing today, maybe you should participate. Have a sparring session with one of us or something.”
“Yeah, go for it,” said another cadet. A couple of others voiced their agreement.
Yiran demurred. “I’m here to watch... It’s only my first day.”
“Aww, come on, do it for funsies,” said Mai. “I heard you were vice captain of the fencing team at your old school.”
Seemed like he wasn’t the only one who’d done his research.
“Let’s have a duel. We can start the Simulator and use dummy weapons.Unless...” Mai cocked her head, peering up at him through her thick eyelashes. “Unless you’re afraid of getting your ass kicked?”
“I’ll do it,” Yiran’s mouth said before his brain registered.Dammit.He’d wanted to stay out of trouble on his first day.
Mai clapped her hands. “Awesome! Rui will fight you.”
“I will what?” Rui snorted.
“Seems only fitting if our best shows him what we’re made of.”
