I nodded. “Thanks for getting me home.”
“This is from Ayden.” He held out something wrapped in a white napkin.
I took it from him and opened it, smiling at the cookie. Then he handed me a folded note.
“Later,” he said after I took the note and walked off briskly.
Okay.I was getting used to Ariyon’s little mood swings. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold.
Opening the note, I read Ayden’s neat handwriting.
Fallon,
I tossed and turned all night, agonizing over the fact that I hurt you. I’m so sorry. It will never happen again. I promise. The cookies were amazing, I saved you one. It was the dash of love that tasted the sweetest. I hope you still want to go to the dance with me?
-Ayden
My heart burst with excitement that he still wanted to go to the dance with me. With a big smile, I took a bite of the cookie, relishing the nutty chocolate flavors and thought about the note. On paper, Ayden was the ideal guy. Sweet, thoughtful, protective. Who wouldn’t want that?
Then I peered into the courtyard just as Ariyon leaned up against the black brick wall, smiling down at Blair. Ayden was great, but for how long would he be okay without a physical relationship? We would never kiss, never have children, never hug. That wasn’t going to last.
But neither could anything with Ariyon. I wasn’t Blair Crawford, a royal from an outstanding family that he could marry and take the throne with. Even in his painting of her, he’d put a queen’s crown on her. Clearly, he saw her that way.
Both Madden boys were going to break my heart and I knew it; all I could do was brace for impact and enjoy the days I had.
* * *
“Yes, Fallon!”Master Clarke screamed in triumph as I made a piece of paper sail across the room with nothing but sheer will.
I grinned, pleased with how my magic was developing. It had been a month since the incident with Ayden and he was back at school and being sweet. Meanwhile Ariyon and Blair were full-on dating and could be found casually making out around every single corner in this damn school. I tried to act like it didn’t bother me. He never promised to be anything to me, but ever since he gave me that note and cookie from his brother, he had changed. He’d shut me out again. He was never around, always with Blair, or just ignoring me.
Whatever. I had bigger things to worry about. Like the Winter Belles Ball and my midterm exam.
“So tell me again about the practical part of the midterms?” I asked Master Clarke nervously.
He chuckled. “The midterms are the same day as the school dance. You will be given a few tasks to assess your ability, and the queen will be watching so that she can recruit students for her Royal Army.”
“But she hates me, so she won’t recruit me, right?”
He chuckled at my boldness. “Likely not.”
Well, that was a relief. It took some of the pressure off.
“If she likes what she sees, she will invite that student to join the Junior Brigade next year. It’s a training group here at school that gets you ready to serve in her army after you graduate.”
That actually sounded kind of cool, but I understood I wasn’t here at this school to actually try to become a functioning member of The Gilded City society. They were just trying to keep me from going dark.
“Is that what Ayden is in?” I’d seen him practicing out on the field in full armor with a flaming sword.
He nodded. “He’s in a more advanced version of that, yes.”
I finished up my elective hour with him, which consisted of just the two of us working on tossing things across the room with our minds, and then I left for my group elective with Master Knight.
Just as I hit the fresh, outside, courtyard air, Yanric swooped low, cutting right in front of my face and forcing me to stop.
‘Eden says to meet her in the library. Your elective with Master Knight was canceled because she has to help prepare the field for the midterm practical.’He perched on my shoulder, and I nodded, directing myself towards the library.
Right before I stepped inside, he flew off to perch on a nearby willow tree. I entered the space, waving at the librarian, Mrs. Silvers, as I passed.
