She reached over and grabbed a grape off our shared plate, then popped it in her mouth. “Besides, it’s not the ones wholookscary that you need to worry about. Be worried about trickster fae like Kallie.”
Kallie gave a wicked laugh. “I think the most dangerous inmates are the hotties who might steal your guy.”
Kallie, Ava, and Marcus snickered, like they had some inside joke going on. I didn’t understand the reference.
“Did I miss something?” I questioned as Oberi nudged me for another piece of French toast.
Kallie giggled under her breath. “Not at all. In fact, I think you understandfarbetter than any of us.”
Her tone was teasing, but I didn’t know what she meant. “Understand what?”
“I think they’re implyingsomebody’sgetting some,” Ez said.
“What?” I balked. Hell if I was gettingany. I only wanted one chick in this place, and we hadn’t made it that far yet. “I don’t even talk to any girls besides Ava and Kallie.”
“Nobody said anything aboutgirls,” Kallie practically sang, and she and Marcus started laughing again.
I titled my head, totally lost. “What are you talking about? Did someone slip some laughing potion in your breakfast, because you two are acting weird.”
“Hey,” Marcus said quickly. “We have nothing to hide. But if there’s anything you want to get off your chest… now’s a fine time.”
My breath stalled momentarily. Did Marcus know about the fight ring? I hadn’t told anyone yet, because I didn’t want to get kicked out before my first fight. I wanted to be sure I was ready before I asked them to bet on me and let them in on the secret.
“What are you trying to get me to say, Marcus?” I demanded.
“Nothing,” he said innocently.
“Oh, don’t look,” Kallie said quickly. “Chancey just walked in.”
My fingers tightened around my fork. Shit! Theytotallyknew about the fight ring! And they wanted me to admit it out loud to Ava.
“Will you guys stop it?” I snapped. “If therewassomething I wanted to share, I’d do it at my own pace, thank you very much.”
Kallie whispered something to Marcus, though I didn’t hear it. They both started laughing again. Ancestors, they sounded like high school girls.
Ava leaned closer to me. “If therewassomething you were keeping secret, you’d tell me, right?”
“Yeah, of course,” I said as I shoveled food in my mouth.
Iwasgoing to tell Ava about the fighting… eventually. She’d been in such a low period lately, I wasn’t sure how to approach the topic, and I didn’t want a social-justice lecture either about how unfair it was that Captain was using me for his own personal gain. It was coming. I just knew it.
“You don’t have to hideanythingfrom me,” she assured me softly, placing a hand on mine. “I won’t judge you.”
The way she said it sounded like she was talking about something else entirely. I figured she didn’t know about my new hobby yet. I wondered if she’d be supportive when she found out. I thought about telling her now, but not in front of Ez. I liked him, but I didn’t know how far I could trust him. I couldn’t have him running off and blabbing about it to other people.
“Pidge, you know I tell you everything,” I assured her. “Just… let me work through this one on my own.”
Ava gaped, and I felt her breath rush across my skin. “I… um… take whatever time you need. Just know that I’m not mad… whatever it is. We never agreed to be exclusive.”
Ava wasn’t my girlfriend— she was right about that. But I hated that she thought it meant she didn’t get an opinion. I wanted to tell her about the fight club, because girlfriend or not, we were a team.
But I also feared she wouldn’t support me, regardless of what she said now.
“Hey, Charlie,” Ez cut in. “We should probably head to Ancient Magical History. Class starts in ten minutes.”
I almost laughed. Ten minutes early, and Ez was worried about getting to class. Almost everyone here waited until the last minute before class to tear their way across campus and slip in right before the professor. Prison was going to change Ez, that was for sure.
But I was glad for the distraction, because I suspected Ava would press me about my secret, and I couldn’t go telling her in the middle of the dining hall. I stood, leaving the rest of the food on the plate for Ava and Oberi.
