Page 96 of Under Restless Skies

Celine clicks her tongue. “People change, Mayara.”

“I guess.” I raise my empty cup. “Are we allowed to get more, or is there a limit?”

“Sure!” She laughs. “I mean, I think if you take more than ten cups, someone might complain, but I’ve never seen that.”

We get up and fill our cups again. This time, I drink mine in one sip, then get some more. Alayel still hasn’t seen me, or maybe he’s pretending to ignore me. I almost walk to him to say hi, but I’d rather he at least looked at me first.

Meanwhile, someone else is looking at me. Marcus is standing with a friend, still glaring.

And I’ve had enough.

I walk to him and ask, “Is there a problem?”

“No.” Marcus grimaces. “Why should there be?”

“We were friends. Acquaintances, at least. Were we not?”

He turns to the male recruit beside him. “Can you give us a moment?”

My stomach turns cold, realizing he’s about to say something serious, or maybe accuse me of a crime I didn’t commit.

I glance back and see Celine sitting, raising a glass and smiling at me, as if to tell me she’s fine, then I take a few steps away from the circle with the man I once thought I could love. The only man I ever kissed. The only man who’s ever touched me. And when I consider that, of course it hurts that he hates me for some reason.

When we’re out of most people’s earshot, I say, “I don’t… I know we’re over, but I don’t understand why you look at me as if you hate me. I wish we could say hi, maybe you could even tell me what it’s like to be in the second year of the academy. We don’t need to become best friends, or even friends, but…” I look down, unsure what to say.

His chest moves up and down slowly. “I’m sorry I gave you the impression I hated you. I just don’t feel anything, that’s all.”

“I understand that. You got here, your life changed, and you forgot about me. You have someone new.”

“I do not.” He raises a finger, a spark of anger in his eyes. That sudden burst of passion is something I never saw in him and betrays his feelings for the princess more than if he had confirmed he was involved with her.

“Sorry. Either way, I’m not hoping we’ll get back together. But you don’t need to be an ass, that’s all.”

“I’m an ass?” He snorts. “Do you even hear yourself?”

“I’m not glaring at you every time I see you, Marcus.”

He sighs. “Apologies. The glare was unintended. I… don’t wish we were together either. All I wanted was at least some tiny, tiny courtesy. You no longer wanted to see me, you could have let me know.”

“How? You never showed up.”

His eyes narrow, and he looks behind me.

Another familiar scent is nearby. I turn and see Alayel, who wraps his arms around my waist and smirks at Marcus. “Well, hello, if it isn’t my future brother-in-law.”

Marcus glances at Alayel’s hands around me, then sneers at him. “Dare say that again, and I’ll wipe that smile from your face.”

Alayel laughs. “You really think you can scare me?”

“Enjoy your night.” Marcus waves a hand and walks away.

I turn and glare at Alayel. “Finally saw me?”

He nuzzles my neck. “I saw you from the moment you stepped on the sand out of the tunnel far away, more brilliant than all the algae in the ocean.”

“And yet you didn’t greet me.”

“I was waiting for you.” He faces me, then gestures at Marcus. “Were you his betrothed, then? The most beautiful woman in Dracolius City, he said. We joked that he was making that up. Now I realize it was true.”