“So I’ve heard.” I looked at Zayn. “And thank you for what you’ve done. It’s made the transition a lot easier for me.”
“What I’ve done?”
“Now you’re playing coy?” Winter asked. “You had everybody back off her and tone down the dragon princess awe and intrigue.”
“Yeah, I’m treated like a regular student thanks to you.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Well, I had the means to do it. And I figured it would help you, especially after you made it clear that you hated all that notoriety shit.”
I laid my hand on his over the table. “It means a lot to me.”
“Means a lot to me, too, seeing your caring and selfless side,” Winter said, nudging against him.
Zayn beamed out at us. “Then, I’m even more glad I did it.” He looked at both our drinks and food. “I’m gonna go get something. What are you two drinking?”
“Cinder Milk Tea,” I told him.
Zayn frowned and asked Winter, “Is that the spicy stuff?”
“Yeah.”
“Not a good idea for me. Gotta go the calm route. What was that drink I had once, Win?”
“Sanctuary Steep. It’s rosemary, thyme, and barley tea. It gives off a grounding and centering effect.”
Zayn stroked my fingers, then rose to his feet. “Yeah, that’s it.”
He didn’t get far, though, as Winter suddenly grunted and slapped his hands to his head, grimacing in pain.
“What’s wrong?” Zayn asked.
“Winter?” I called.
His grimace deepened and his amber magic sparked to cast out what was attacking him. But it cut out all too quickly.
“I knew it,” Zayn muttered to himself. “Fuck, Win.” He laid his hand on his shoulder. “Tell me what it is, and I’ll cast it out myself.”
I jolted in the next moment when vermillion magic sparked around Winter’s head.
Torvek’s exact shade of magic.
No. Why would he—he couldn’t be attacking Winter.
It ceased in the next moment, then Winter staggered to his feet. “I need to head outside,” he told us, blinking and clearly out of it.
Zayn moved out the way, but grasped Winter’s arm, as he went to leave the area. “Why outside? What is it?”
Winter’s eyes met mine. “He’s out back.”
“ItisTorvek, then? He’s here?” I asked.
He just nodded, then brushed past Zayn—or tried to, because Zayn kept his hand clasped on his arm, then we both headed out with him.
What the fuck was happening? I’d only just texted with Torvek.
We made it outside through the rear door, and Winter shook Zayn off and broke from us, then strode a good fifty feet away from the building.
I scanned the area with my dragon senses.
