Page 76 of Slayer

Pride swelled within me, and I nodded.

Asher was next. He ran faster than the mannequin could be pulled and leapt in front of it, causing it to collide with his dagger. It went straight into the heart. Clean. Efficient.

Everyone clapped.

“All right, you guys are shaping up to be some pretty good trainees. I have no doubt by the end of the month, you will all have your hunter marks!” Celia told us before dismissing us and telling us to practice our stabbing.

The crowd dispersed in clusters, and I walked over to my backpack and water bottle, my arm already sore.

Alex stepped up beside me. “Hey, Stella, that was pretty incredible. Great job.”

“Thanks for all your help.” I said and smiled, hooking my bag over my shoulder. “See ya.”

I moved to leave, and he stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I noticed Asher a ways behind him, lingering like he was pretending not to listen.

“Wait, I was wondering since you’re new and all, would you like to grab coffee sometime? Like…a date?” Alex looked hopeful.

My stomach sank. Asher was right. Alex was flirting before. Which was totally fine, but he wasn’t my type. There was zero vibe there, and now I did feel like fresh meat or whatever Asher had said.

“Oh, that’s so sweet. I’m really focused on school right now though.”

His shoulders slumped, and he scowled. “Oh, come on. You gonna miss out on all this?” He gestured to his upper body.

Gross.

“And I would never date a guy who called someone ‘orphan Asher.’ It’s cruel,” I added for good measure because I believed Asher.

Alex’s eyes widened, and he shot Asher a glare over his shoulder.

Asher grinned. He was totally listening.

“See ya,” I told Alex and walked off in the direction of my dorm, the straps of my bag bouncing against my shoulder.

Was the “orphan Asher” comment too far? Maybe. People could change from grade school, but the bullies usually didn’t. They just got older.

I felt someone behind me and instinctively spun around to find Asher there, wearing a sly grin. “My inner seventh grader was just healed,” he said.

I laughed. “Have you been waiting for someone to tell that guy off?”

He nodded, and we started walking together across the path. “Pretty much. Though Daphne did pour chocolate milk down his back when she heard.”

Now I was grinning. “I like her.”

He just nodded. “She’s a loyal friend.”

That word again. Friend. Best friend. Loyal friend. She was also his girlfriend.

“And a great girlfriend too, I’m sure,” I said, emphasizing the words.

He stopped and tugged on my arm to hold me back. We were alone in the rose garden, the air smelling faintly sweet, petals scattered on the path. The sun had set, and only the moonlight and pretty lanterns were lighting our path.

“Listen, about that. Daphne and I have… We have history, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”

That was a weird thing to say. “Why would anything bad happen to her?”

He sighed, looking across at the dorm buildings looming in the distance. His expression looked haunted. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it, and I couldn’t help but watch the way his muscles flexed in his arm.

“She struggles with her mental health and⁠—”