"I am not a radical element!" Amelia hissed, her cheeks flushing crimson. "I am Amelia Vance! My family built this wing of the library!"
"And now they're in a federal magical prison," Chloe smiled. It was a cruel, sharp thing. "So... scoot. You're blocking the light."
Amelia stood there, frozen. The humiliation was absolute. The entire cafeteria was watching the Queen fall.
My wolf whined.
Pack looks out for pack.
"Don't," Rhett warned, grabbing my wrist. "She's an enemy, Lina."
"She's a student," I said, pulling away. "And she's drowning."
I stood up.
But before I could move, someone else did.
Arthur Penhaligon.
The lanky, cardigan-wearing archivist was walking across the cafeteria. He looked completely out of place, holding a brown paper sack lunch. He walked right past the popular table, ignoring Chloe entirely, and stopped next to Amelia.
"Hey," he said. His voice wasn't loud, but in the silence, it carried. "I saved you a seat."
Amelia blinked at him, looking like he had just spoken in tongues. "What?"
"Over there." Arthur pointed to a small, empty table near the exit. "Come on. I have extra fruit snacks."
Amelia looked at Chloe, who was sneering. She looked at the cafeteria, watching her with hungry eyes. Then she looked at Arthur.
She lifted her chin. Only slightly.
"Fine," she said, her voice trembling but haughty. "I suppose I can sit with you. If you insist."
"I insist," Arthur smiled.
He led her away. As they walked past the popular table, Arthur paused. He looked down at Chloe.
"By the way," he said cheerfully. "Your library books are overdue. The fine is up to forty dollars. I'd pay that before we send the gargoyles to collect."
Chloe paled.
Arthur winked and led Amelia to the corner table.
"Well," Kai exhaled, leaning back in his chair. "That was unexpected. Did the Librarian just savage the Mean Girls?"
"Arthur," I said, smiling as I watched them sit down. Amelia was stiff, refusing to look at anyone, but Arthur was already unpacking his lunch, chatting away as if nothing had happened. "His name is Arthur."
"He's brave," Lucien noted. "Social suicide is a bold move for a Human at a magic school."
"He doesn't care about social standing," I realized. "He's outside the hierarchy. That's why he's perfect for her."
"Perfect for who?" Ivy asked, finally tearing her eyes away from Stone (who had also been watching the scene with a thoughtful expression).
"Amelia," I said. "She just lost everything. Her money. Her status. Her friends. She thinks she's nothing."
"And Arthur?" Rhett asked, stealing a grape from my tray.
"Arthur treats her like she's just a girl," I said. "Not a Queen. Not a villain. Just a girl who likes fruit snacks."
