I nearly laugh. “I nearly gutted your king in a throne room two hours ago, and now I’m in a pastel coffin getting fitted for—what? Math?”
She sighs and pushes to her feet, tucking her hair behind one ear as she turns to her own uniform. “If you don’t show up, they’ll banish you to the mines and replace you with someone who actually wants to learn.”
Mines. Heh. Cute.
Also, I’m pretty sure that’s not true. I heard what the angry older brother said. Everyone has to come here.
So that means this girl is a liar.
And liars need to die.
I go to push toward her when I spot a black notebook on the edge of the bed. It’s carved from some kind of oak, and a sharp opal crystal protrudes from its center.
It stinks of witchery.
“That is your Pathway Codex,” Elana explains as she buttons her top. “It leads you where you’re required and will be your best friend while you’re here. Everything you need will be in there.”
“I don’t like being told what to do and when to do it.” I yank the crystal out and fling it at the glass wall. It clatters uselessly against the runes etched into the stone. In a blink, it’s back inside the front of the book. I glare at the stupidPathway Codex. “Maybe I’ll burn it.”
“You could try and even if you figure out how, I wouldn’t.” My eyes narrow on the girl and she pushes into a sitting position.“It’s the only way out of the dorm.”
I scan the space again. Of course. No doors.
Magical books. School uniforms. Rules. Bossy brothers.
The thought of them makes me think ofhimand my breath hitches. I roll my ankle to see if I can still feel that dead girl’s shirt I stuffed inside my boot before Creed tricked me into a chat. I can’t bring myself to toss it, but it’s not because it hashisscent on it.
I just like it. End of fucking story.
Pursing my lips, I study the blouse and skirt again—gold and black for the Stygian bloodlines, I bet.
I tear both into strips, one for a makeshift bandolier to hold my knife. The other for a gag if some “professor” won’t shut up.
Elena sighs. “Or…you could look like a half normal gifted, put on the extra uniform in your wardrobe and try to make a friend.”
I pause. A friend?
She must be Argent-born. Gross.
Doesn’t she know friends can leave—and then what?
Daft gifted girl.
I stare at her as the last harbinger of compromise. She looks back, unflinching, but there is an unmistakable hint of uncertainty in her eyes. Like she knows I’ll bite if pushed.
Or if I get bored.
Maybe she’s smarter than I thought.
Fine.
Maybea-not-friend but person whose name I knowcan help me get back home before all hell breaks loose. And it will, but it’s like the royals don’t care. Odd, considering the island is a place no one is allowed to leave, but whatever.
Throwing the doors open to reveal the extra uniform, Iactuallytry it on. I roll the skirt around my hips once, twice—still disgusting, but at least it’s functional now and won’t restrict my legs if I have to crouch or spring.
The top is a no for me. But the black jacket hanging behind it isn’t so bad. I cut the bottom off just below my tits.
I smile at myself and turn to Elena.
