Page 48 of Under Restless Skies

“Me neither.”

I grab my orange and take a bite of it, as most people empty the refectory. When I’m taking the second bite, Nelly pokes my ribs, and I look beside our table.

Alayel is standing there, looking at me, then he crouches so that his elbows rest on the table. I feel as if all eyes in the refectory turn to my direction at once, and heat climbs to my face.

“How was your first day of class?” he asks me.

Why is my voice about to break? Why is my body trembling? I smile and aim for a neutral tone. “I really enjoyed it. Instructor Katrine is great.”

“Glad to hear it. See you around.” He gets up and gives me the most charming grin a human can muster, then turns and leaves.

I’m left with a fast-beating heart, and forcing myself not to swoon.

“Ooooh, look at that,” Celine coos. “You’ve been keeping secrets.”

My face feels like it’s burning. “No. I mean… He was in my Trial, and then was involved in the decision to let me in the academy like this, so…” No more words come to mind, as they get scrambled with the memory of his smile.

Can I be that gullible? I have to remember him telling me that he wants me naked, legs spread for him, and how vulgar he is, and yet now, the thought sounds tempting rather than repulsive, and I don’t know anything anymore. I suppose I’m the one imagining the bastard prince undressing me, and I wish I could wipe the thought from my mind.

Nelly and Celine are looking at me, and I add, “So it’s nothing.”

“Do you think you sound convincing?” Celine chuckles.

“Maybe not.” I shrug. “I won’t deny he’s beautiful, but…”

“You have eyes,” Nelly says. “It’s normal. Celine here sees too much.”

The blond girl lifts a shoulder. “What can I do? I have eyes too, you know?”

We all laugh, washing away some of my discomfort for being so affected by Alayel’s presence. And Nelly’s right. There’s nothing wrong in noticing his looks—and doesn’t mean anything.

A hand snaps my table, making my tray bounce.

“Look at the new trash.” A tall, gorgeous woman, with black hair and blue eyes, stands by us. “Why are you even here? Isn’t there something you need to clean?”

I blink, confused. “It’s my lunch break.”

“You think he likes you? You’re just his new toy.” Anger is seeping through her pores, and at first I don’t understand what’s going on, why she’s acting like that, until I realize who she might be.

“Are you Silvia?” I ask.

“Oh, you know all about me, don’t you?” She’s even more furious.

I’m puzzled, but then I recall Alayel’s gross words about her. “I don’t. Did… did he hurt you?”

My tray flies in my direction, thankfully empty.

The next moments are a blur. A guard grabs Silvia, pulling her back. Another one seizes my arms just as roughly. Before I can protest, a hand clamps over my mouth, silencing me. It’s the Trial all over again, even if I didn’t do anything now. Or did I?

We’re hauled back to a corridor as dread spreads through my body. I swear I didn’t do anything. By Vigorlu, I didn’t even want to fight. All I wanted was to ask her if Alayel had been cruel to her. Now my dreams of becoming a sky sentinel might be over, and it’s not even remotely my fault.

Maybe I’m overreacting. And then maybe this is the end.

I take deep breaths as I’m pushed up the stairs, then hauled to a corridor.

“I’ll deal with it.” A man’s voice behind me is so deep and threatening that a new current of panic spreads through my body.

It’s been years since I’ve heard such a threatening voice, years since my mother was left in tears. So many tears, consuming her so much, that I had no more mother.