His face remains serious, clearly not falling for my feeble attempt at making light of the situation. ‘What if something happens? What if you can’t get in? Or you get lost, or you’re stopped by one of the librarians that looks like they’re three gusts of the wind away from dying?’
‘Then I’ll turn around and run. If they’re so old, they won’t be able to chase me up the stairs.’
‘This isn’t funny,’ he scolds. ‘Anything could go wrong down there. At least take Tilly with you, and I’ll be the look out. If I see anyone coming, I can distract them long enough and then make up an excuse to head down to the library.’
I sigh, knowing he’s right and from the determined look in his eyes, I get the sense that he’s not going to drop this.
Reluctantly I nod. ‘Fine. I’ll talk to Tilly and see what she says.’
‘Talk to Tilly about what?’
I almost leap out of my damn skin. Spinning around, I see Tilly walking over toward us. Her curly hair is tied up into a bun on the top of her head, but several tight curls decorate her forehead and the nape of her neck. They bounce a little with each step.
‘Aria thinks she should go down to the library by herself,’ Xavier says, leaning over to the table beside ours and yanking a chair away from it to put beside him.
Something between a scoff and a laugh erupts out of Tilly as she plonks herself into the chair. She crosses her legs over one another and cocks a sharp brow my way. ‘You don’t need to talk to Tilly. She says no and that it’s a stupid idea.’
I frown.
‘Told you,’ Xavier says smugly.
‘Plus, if I’m being honest, there’s something I want to look into when we’re down there, so I have my own selfish reasons for wanting inside Agate’s vault,’ Tilly adds.
‘Then it’s settled. You and Tilly will go down there, while I stay in the Grand Hall to keep an eye out for anyone coming back from the celebration. The two of you can cover more ground, and look for what you both need. And hopefully be out quickly enough that we don’t have to make up some excuse about why you’re both walking out of my unit while everyone is coming back in.’
‘I’ll just tell them we were having a three-way and needed privacy. Easy as that.’
‘Tilly!’ I chuckle behind my hands as Xavier’s cheeks deepen to a red that almost matches the colour of his hair. ‘Sometimes I get worried about the things that you let out of your mouth.’
‘I have to let it out somehow, it’s not like I’m getting any action around here. The people in my year are all so stiff and boring. They wouldn’t know what to do with a vagina if one landed on their face.’ She sighs woefully and leans her chin on Xavier’s shoulder to look upat him. ‘Doyouhave any friends in your unit that look like they know their way around a vagina?’
His eyes meet mine, wide with panic. I can’t hold back the laugh that spills out of me this time. He looks like he needs help, but this is far too entertaining, so I settle back in my seat and say nothing.
FORTY-SEVEN
The second I step into the Training Centre I can tell something is wrong. Students seem tense as they go through their warm up routines and spar with each other. They’re quiet. No quips are passed between them as they dance around each other, there are no cocky smirks when someone lands a strike. Their heads are down, their mouths are set in tight lines, and their movements are efficient and calculated.
A shiver rolls down my spine as my boots pad across the room to the far end where the first years usually train. The intensity in the air is suffocating. No one even looks my way as I walk past, which is a first. Usually I get at least one glaring look.
Eventually, my eyes land on Isla and Sebastian in our usual training spot. He’s standing in front of her and moving her hands into a defensive position. Making sure she’s keeping them up and shielding her head.
My stomach curls in anticipation and nervousness the closer I get to him. We never went further than a few gropes and light touching in the shower. He washed my body, and I washed his. We spent that time learning the road maps of each other, every curve and dip, scar and freckle. It wasn’t sexual per se, though the evidence of the slickness between my thighs and his hard length tapping against my hips and prodding into my backside each time I moved suggested at how aroused we both were. But neither one of us took it further, both content to lather soap into each other’s skin and just enjoy the moment. In away, it was more special than anything else I’ve ever felt. It felt honest and raw. It felt beautiful.
Now though, I’m worried how it’s going to affect us in this dynamic. I don’t want him to go easy on me now. I’d probably end up resenting him if he did. I want him to see me as capable and strong. When it comes to training, I need his brutality, I need him to be stern; it’s the only way I’ll know if he respects me or not. As an equal. As a warrior.
I’m only a few feet away from him and Isla when the door to my left opens. I stop dead in my tracks when Headmaster Zain walks out of Professor Nicks’s office, the latter looking like he’s about to burst out of his skin with fury.
My gaze runs over Bartollo’s black and maroon fitted suit, all the way down to his brown dress shoes. He sticks out like a sore thumb here, but his presence explains to me why everyone’s so quiet and tense.
‘Miss Nocthare,’ Headmaster Zain stops in front of me. ‘You look well. I’ve heard you are settling in much better than the last time we spoke.’
Not being accused of murder does that to a person, I think, but don’t dare say out loud. I’m slowly learning to keep my mouth shut. Kind of.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Tell me, how have you been finding Malachite? I heard you’re still having trouble with your element.’
I cringe. Good to know my failure is a topic worthy of being discussed between faculty.
