I’ve heard a lot of crazy things in my short life, but this is top-tier.
You can’t be Noctryn and Veil.
It’s not possible to be good and evil. Light and dark. That’s like saying the sun is part moon and vice versa.
Impossible.
And how does he even know I didn’t place? He wasn’t in the halls this morning. Not that I was looking for him or anything.
“Are you snooping on me?” I ask incredulously.
He gives me a slow, deliberate blink. “Don’t flatter yourself. Every upperclassman will be looking at that list today. We want to know who we’ll be training with over the next few years and who we’ll be fighting beside afterward,” he says, leaning in slightly, voice dropping low. “That includes all within Salaryan’s combat force. Not just you,” he adds.
My eyes go from him to Makon and back again.
“Well, it won’t be me by your side. I can guarantee that,” I say, a small, slightly hysterical laugh breaking free. “There’s just been a mistake, that’s all. I’m a Veil, through and through.”
“Are you, though?” he asks with a polite smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
I’m not sure what comes over me, possibly fear, probably anger. I shove him in the chest with everything I have. He doesn’t move an inch.
Of course, he doesn’t move.
“I am not a Noctryn! I’m not like you or him,” I shout, looking at him while pointing at his brother.
His face remains cold and detached, which makes me feel like I’m the crazy one here.
“I have a moral compass. There are lines that I refuse to cross to accomplish my objectives.”
“I think you’re wrong. I think that you are a little darker than you’d like to be. And it scares you.” His lip curls. “The academy picked up on it, and you’re now in panic mode. Perhaps you’re a bit moreheathenthan you thought, after all,” he says coldly, holding the intense eye contact just a little too long, with that damn smug smirk in place.
“Want to know what I think? I think you are an asshole!” I shout, my voice rising despite doing my absolute best to maintain my composure.
He shrugs. “That, among other things,” he replies with calm indifference. His expression is unreadable. He has perfected the mask of apathy, and it’s chilling.
I give him a curt nod. I’m done here. “Well, like I said, I have places to be.”
“As do we,” Makon answers, strolling over as he takes another big bite out of his apple. His eyes travel over me, assessing before turning to Kingston. “You ready?”
“Beyond,” Kingston answers dryly.
Makon chucks the core onto the gravel.
Animal.
“Should have stayed off his radar, Norissa,” he says under his breath as he walks past me and through the gate to the training field.
Kingston’s gaze lingers on me for a moment longer before he tips his head slightly, the gesture more of a mocking farewell than an actual one. “Until next time,Heathen,” he says, his lipscurling into a half smile before he turns on his heel and walks away.
I stand there for a moment longer, staring after them.
Liminal.
Why have I never heard of this before?
I gather my wits, but mostly my courage, and head inside to find the headmistress’s office and straighten this mess out.
It’s time to get some answers.
