Uncle Dan smiled tightly as he stood, placing his cup in the sink before pulling me into another hug.
“You’re not alone, Mari. I need you to know that. Even though I’m not your mentor, I’m still here for you. You understand?”
His voice cracked on the last word, as if he really was hurt that he wouldn’t be the one to mentor me. I was sure that in another life, it would have been him or, preferably, my own father, who I couldn’t even remember.
“I know.” I hugged him back.
Mr. Lewis dropped me off at the front of the school, where Sara-Kate was waiting for me by the front gates. I had kept my promise by texting her when I had gotten up and when I was on my way so she knew when I’d arrive. She looked me up and down, as if searching for some hidden injuries or defects. If only she knew.
“Hey,” I greeted, bumping my shoulder with hers as we made our way through the courtyard and into the main entrance hall. “Look, still alive and everything.”
“Ha. Ha. You’re hilarious.” Sara-Kate rolled her eyes as she walked me toward my first-period class.
“You didn’t have to wait for me or walk me to class, you know?”
“Yes, but you apparently are prone to headaches, fainting, and God knows what else. If I don’t keep an eye on you, who will?” She laughed just as we rounded the corner of the hallway.
“I can take over babysitting duty from here.”A deep, British and familiar voice echoed from behind.
Sara-Kate and I exchanged glances, and my cheeks flushed as we turned to find Alaric, his backpack slung over his shoulder casually, looking more like a model for a school in a magazine than an actual student. The ring on my pointer finger seemed to thrum, almost as if it sensed his nearness and appreciated it.
“Oh look, it’s the boy who’s always at the right place at the right time,” Sara-Kate chided, glancing between me and Alaric, looking like she was about to bark at him to leave us alone.
“Be nice,” I hissed. Obviously, Sara-Kate wasn’t over how Alaric had originally treated me when he ditched our study sessions and promptly ignored my existence. If only she knew how bound we apparently were to each other now.
“I deserve that.” Alaric admitted, glancing at Sara-Kate. “I was an ass, and this is my formal apology for that. To both of you.”
He glanced at me, the sincerity in his eyes ringing true just as the ring warmed, as if it were urging me to forgive him.
“I see. Well, if you are truly sorry, then I guess you will need to make it up to us. Dinner at Marea’s this Friday would be a good start.” Sara-Kate smiled widely. I looked at her, eyes wide with shock. Was she actually doing this right now?
Alaric considered her offer seriously. “You’reright. It’s the least I could do. How does seven sound?”
“Perfect!” Sara-Kate replied, both of them apparently ignoring me as they made these plans. “But Ijustremembered that I have athingthat night, but you two should have a great time!” She turned immediately, heading to her first period.
“Whatthing?” I yelled after her as she scampered away. Did Sara-Kate just set me and Alaric up on a date?What the hell?
“Really important thing!” She yelled over the crowd of confused students who had to duck out of her way. “Can’t miss it. Tell you about it later.”
“Typical.” I muttered under my breath, heat coursing through my body as I turned to face Alaric alone. I so wished I could have told Sara-Kate about the Bloodwright bonding thing because maybe then she wouldn’t have done this to me.
“You can completely ignore her and not worry about dinner or anything.” I tried to cover, flustered at the thought of going to some fancy New York restaurant with Alaric.
“Oh no, she made an excellent point.” He nodded, his eyes glancing at the ring on my finger. “We have a lot to discuss, and spending more time together is only going to come with the territory of our . . .situation.”
Right. So Uncle Dan was right, and Alaric did know what this ring meant and that we were indeed bonded as Bloodwright mentor and apprentice.Great.
“Speaking of which.” I steered the subject back on track to what was important. “We need to talk. My uncle explained this whole Blood—”
Before I could get the word out, Alaric quickly but gently covered my mouth with his hand, silencing me. My cheeks flushed at his nearness, warmth pooling in my belly.
His face turned as grave as his tone. “Not here. Later. After school. Meet me in the library.”
I waited until he released my mouth before quipping. “Do you plan on showing up this time?”
A flash of what looked like hurt reflected in his features before he nodded. “Yes. I swear.”
The day dragged on as I waited for my hopefully enlightening “study session” with Alaric. To his credit, he didn’t ignore me during first period, but was actually talking to me, working with me as we tackled a genetics lab—hilarious considering what new genetics I had just learned about myself.
