Page 16 of Trivium

She spun on her heels and sped back down the street toward home. She couldn’t do it.

As quickly as she turned, she collided into a man’s chest with a thump, her eyes distant, focused on the ground. “Ugh. Sorry.”

“Cold feet?”

She looked up to find the Slayer from the day before, wearing the same Academy uniform, the same tousled golden hair, and the same boyish smirk.

“Are you stalking me?” Her words were clipped.

“You’re the one stalking me.”

She lowered her voice. “I don’t have your book, okay?”

He rubbed the back of his head. “Actually, I’m headed to the Academy.” He looked around and then lowered his voice to mimic Ahmina’s as if it was some big secret. “You know, Initiation, second year.”

Embarrassed, Ahmina frowned. Of course he wasn’t here because of her. “Excuse me,” she said, pushing past him.

“You’re going the wrong way, Clever!” he said to her back, and she turned around to face him.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than harass first years?” She spat out the words, fists bunched at her sides.

“Oh, so you are a first year? Because it looks to me like you’re running away.”

“I wasn’t running—” she stopped herself. She was running. Well, speed walking, technically. She glared at him and crossed her arms in defense. He simply stared back. Time slowed, despite the crowd thickening around them. The truth was painful to admit, but in some weird way, it felt good to say it out loud. “Okay, so I was.”

“Running away.”

“Yes. Running away.”

He nodded, satisfied with her admission. They stood, studying each other as people brushed past in both directions. He was a head taller than her, his light golden skin decorated with a few patchwork tattoos on his right arm. Once again, she found herself getting lost in his kaleidoscope eyes as they bore down on her, sparkling in the sun. It would have been easy to linger there. Instead, she forced her gaze away, breaking the building tension between them.

“I just—” She buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Why not?”

Ahmina scowled. Why not? Because she was terrified. Because she wasn’t cut out for it. Because she wanted to live, even if it meant settling. Because she wasn’t brave enough. Because seeing a Soul Snatcher the day before felt like some sort of bad omen, predicting her untimely death.

Because she was a coward.

She was desperate to escape the life of an orphan. But if she was honest, it wasn’t just her longing for a better life. Defenders were respected. Admired. Given opportunities in society that she would never have otherwise, and she craved it like the moon craved the earth, always chasing it around in circles. So much so that she was willing to risk her life to obtain it. But that’s the thing about death, it doesn’t seem that bad until it’s right there, knocking at the door. Then, instinct kicks in and tells you to turn and run. To fight. To do everything you can to stay alive. And right now, Ahmina wanted to listen to that instinct.

“MINA!” Rory’s bushy auburn hair pushed through the crowd. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“Hey, sorry, I—” She looked quickly at the man before her attention returned to Rory. “—got distracted.”

“Who are you?” Rory asked, hands on her hips. The scowl of a protective best friend spread across her pale freckled face as she eyed him.

“Rhett Lennox. But everyone just calls me Lennox,” he said.

Ahmina couldn’t help but notice the way a chunk of hair fell into his face as he stuck out his hand to Rory, his unruly demeanor so effortless.

“Okay, well, we have to hurry; first years are already going in.” Rory ignored Lennox’s outstretched hand, instead grabbing Ahmina’s and pulling her back down the street toward the gates.

“Rory, I don’t think I can go,” Ahmina said, swallowing the lump in her throat as Rory led them through the crowd and into a small clearing around the now open gates.

“You’re doing that thing.”

“What thing?”