“I’ll figure it out when we’re together. We just need to leave Reid a note.”
She groans as she pulls herself off me, and my lap is completely soaked—she’ll have to incant my pants clean before I can go anywhere. It’d be nice if I could do it on my own, but I can tell she likes taking care of me. I do, too.
I drag her with me to her desk, holding her hand while I find a piece of paper and scribble a message to Reid, telling him to bring her to my place after their last class this week. Folding it up, I writeTo Reid, From Caeoon the front and pin it to Ellie’s bag where he’ll easily notice it next time he sees her. After she removed and threw away many such notes in the past, we discovered that if I put my name on the outside, it’ll slip from her mind as soon as she reads it, leaving it be.
When I finish, Ellie pulls me back to bed, a lustful glint returning to her eyes.
So much for this being it until dinner. She’s gonna destroy me at this rate.
“I’m not ready to go again just yet.”
She pushes me down and brings her lips to mine.
“Then I’ll just have to get you there.”
This is all my fault. I did this to her, and I couldn’t be happier.
Chapter 17
Caeo
My key clicks and the door squeaks as I push it open. It catches, forcing me to shoulder it the rest of the way. The wood’s probably warped from all the rain lately.
“I’m home,” I call, shoving the door shut behind me. My bag hits the ground with a thud, then I sit on one of our beat-up chairs and kick my shoes off.
Another delivery done. I stretch out my exhausted limbs.
Despite how overworked I’ve been, I haven’t felt the need for long leaf lately—I’m tired, but things don’t feel quite as heavy as they used to. Iamsignificantly hungrier than normal, but unfortunately, the kitchen’s pretty sparse right now.
I suppose I could get started on my tactics paper:Fae Curses. Could be interesting.
My ability with incanting hasn’t improved in the slightest, so getting decent marks in the more mundane subjects is my best chance at not failing out. It surprised me when I realized I cared about that recently. There’s even an ache in my chest when I think about dropping out, like I’d miss out on belonging to something bigger than myself. But more than that, there’s this urge to be better than I am. Like I actually could, for once.
I’ve just opened my textbook when my mother hobbles in. She kisses my forehead before sitting next to me, resting her hand on mine. “Thank you for making that delivery. I’m not overworking you, am I?”
Ever since the night of the ball when I blacked out from long leaf, she’s been extra concerned about my well-being. “I’m fine. Life’s been better lately.”
She brings her hand to my collar, and I flinch away. “You’re missing a button,” she says.
“Yeah, not sure when that happened.” I’ll have to get it fixed before I wear this shirt again. Stupid rules of propriety.
Mother smiles, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
That can’t be good.I drop my pen and give her more of my attention.
“I think it’s time we moved on from Haven,” she says.
That gets my full attention. “What? Why?”
Her mouth quirks. “We’re here partly because Haven always has work for seamstresses, and because the Academy could provide opportunities for your future. We wouldn’t have been able to afford your room and board if we’d lived anywhere else.”
“And I’m going there now. So why leave?”
Her face wrinkles as she tilts her head and gives me half a smile. “Do you honestly think you’ll make it to your second year?”
Ouch.She’s not mincing words today, is she?
My jaw tightens, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of an answer. But it doesn’t matter; she knows she’s right.
