Page 12 of Tears of Gold

She grins wolfishly, white teeth flashing in the shadow. “I don’t want your mind, Ava. I just want to live longer.” Her smile widens, and her mouth grows rows of shark teeth. She sinks them into my fingers, and I open my mouth to scream.

Panting, I jerk awake and check my hand. Just a stupid dream! My heart pounds in my ears, an uneven, labored tempo. Despite the sweat on my skin, the air in the room feels cold and eerily thick in the dawn light, as if I’m not alone. Was someone here, or was it just the lingering shadows of my dream?

I push off the blankets and start my morning routine. My spirits are low, and I’m having trouble shaking free of the blues. I should apologize to Skye, Erritt, and maybe Vanrey, but the longer I leave it, the harder it becomes. Even if they’re wrong, I shouldn’t have lost my cool. Frustration builds like a high-pressure weather system inside me, and I groan as I wash my face.

Unfortunately, by opening my mouth about someone other than the Davinas hunting me, Harper surely won’t take me home to Earth now. But he seemed uncertain about his choice yesterday, so maybe I can still convince him.

I drag myself out of the dorms, planning to head down to the oval. Hopefully, a run will breathe some life back into me. Harper leans against the wall just outside my dorms, arms crossed and one foot up behind him on the stone.

He brightens when our eyes meet. “Morning. Feeling better?”

He sounds hoarse, and I take a second look at him, frowning. “Are you limping?” Last I saw, he was talking to Skye. “Did something happen with Skye?”

He pulls a face. “I’m fine. We went swimming.”

His tone makes it sound like his least favorite activity. “Swimming?”

“Yeah, in the pools near the oval.”

I sweep him with another close look. “And that’s why you look like a wrung-out old dishcloth?”

He snorts and grins. “Kinda feel like one too. The dragon’s trying to help me develop my qi.”

“Oh. You can do that?”

He’s wearing a singlet to run in, and the stretchy fabric clings to the planes of his torso. I think morning runs are the only times he doesn’t wear knives strapped to his chest. The fact I’m comfortable keeping company with a guy who carries weapons most of the time shows how much my life has changed in a few months. Not that I’m a hundred percent at ease with Harper; I’m hyper aware of every time our shoulders brush or our hands graze.

“Yeah, it seems so.”

I stop short at the sight of students and teachers laying out long strings of bulbs. They use their qi to lift and secure the nets to the building eaves, creating a web of lights between roofs.

“What’s going on?”

Harper covers a yawn. “Some New Year’s festival tonight. Haven’t you been paying attention in class? It’s all anyone can talk about.”

“No, I guess I haven’t.” It’s not like I’ve had much to celebrate. I turn and head for the oval.

“Cheer up, Ava. Things aren’t all bad.”

“I know.” I smile at him fondly. Harper ducks his head, but I can see his smile. “But it seems odd to have a New Year’s party when we haven’t even had Christmas—and it’s the hot season here.”

“True. I suppose Christmas has passed back on Earth by now.” He reaches over to ruffle my hair. “Ready to run?”

“Nope.”

“Best time to do it.”

I smile. “Yeah, yeah. I know the drill, slave driver.”

“I prefer master,” he says, flicking his hand to crack an imaginary whip. “Start stretching.”

“As you wish, master.”

“Oh.” He grabs the collar of his singlet dramatically. “I like it!”

I laugh and bend down to touch my toes.

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