Page 117 of Revenant

I know I need to tell the guys…but they’re closer to being free than they’ve been in centuries, and I cannot be the one who complicates that, not yet.

37: Alicent

The guys have let me sneak away for a girls’ night with Moriah a handful of times over the last couple weeks. I know her family is local, but I’m grateful she decided to stay on campus for the Easter holiday. Honestly, the breaks from magic have been more than welcome. The last three months have been nothing but training and my other school work is unfortunately falling behind. At this point, I’ll be lucky to move to sophomore year.

I still haven’t told Moriah why I’m not in my dorm anymore. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to. I’ve just been steering our recent hangouts to her room—study sessions, movie nights, all of it. There’s something oddly satisfying about watching Amanda Bynes on a tiny laptop screen while the rest of my life feels like it’s unraveling.

Tonight, we’re watching She’s the Man, which is maybe the greatest film ever made, and I will die on that hill.

I launch myself onto her bed, tucking my hands inside the sleeves of the oversized fuzzy sweater I stole from her closet and have zero intention of returning. Moriah doesn’t even blink—just pops another grape Sour Patch Kid into her mouth like it’s her calling.

“I genuinely don’t understand how you eat those constantly.” I wrinkle my nose at her.

She shrugs. “I just like the grape ones. They’re not sour.”

“Okay, but don’t they get stuck to your teeth?”

“Yeah.” She pops in another one then turns to give me the most unhinged, sugar-coated grin. “But I like it.”

I giggle and turn back to the screen, settling back into the blankets and dedicating the rest of the movie to what really matters—young Channing Tatum and his abs. I count them. Appreciate each one individually and then again as a collective unit.

Moriah catches me drooling and says nothing, just tosses her candy at my head.

Worth it.

It’s easy to fall into a rhythm with her; it feels natural. But there’s been something weighing heavy on my mind, and I can admit, I’ve been avoiding bringing it up.

I clear my throat. “Can…I talk to you about something?”

Moriah’s head turns before her eyes, another grape Sour Patch halfway between her lips. “Always.”

Pushing myself up, I blow out a heavy breath. “I’ve never really been in this predicament before, and I just want to start off by saying…it just kind of happened.”

“Calder, spit it out. I can’t be stressed right now and I’m emotionally invested in this soccer game, and if you make me miss the part where Viola reveals she’s pretending to be her brother Sebastian, I’ll riot.”

“Sorry…” We stare at each other, and I come to the conclusion that it’s just best to rip off the band-aid. “I had sex with Koen.” I brace for impact, my hands flying to cover my face to shield myself from the inevitable.

When she doesn’t make a sound, I slowly part my fingers to look through them. And to my surprise, she’s smiling.

My hands fall to my lap. “You’re not mad?” I ask warily.

Moriah kicks her head back and laughs, nearly falling backward. When her eyes meet mine, they’re lined with unshed tears. “That’s what you wanted to talk about?”

“Um…yeah?” This was not the reaction I was expecting. “I just know you kind of had a thing for him and—”

“Let me stop you right there.” She grabs both my hands in hers, making sure I hear her loud and clear. “I’m one hundred percent, without a doubt, not mad. In fact, I’m thrilled! Koen’s a catch. Did I think he was hot? For sure. But that was pretty much the extent of the attraction. I hardly know the guy.”

My shoulders slump with relief. “I was so worried. It just…happened.”

“Trust when I say, it’s okay. Besides, I’d never let something as trivial as a guy come between us. There are plenty of fish in the sea.” She drops my hands and grabs her candy. “Now, can we get back to the movie? Sebastian’s about to drop his pants.” Moriah gushes, popping another purple body into her mouth.

I sink into that half-conscious lull as the movie plays on, subconsciously rooting for Duke and Viola even though I’ve seen it a hundred times. That’s when I hear it, a single howl that multiplies, the noise stacking until it becomes one continuous sound.

Moriah’s candy bag has tipped over, the gummies dotting her comforter like little casualties, and she’s already pushed herself off the bed and padded to the window.

“That’s strange.” Moriah returns and quickly starts picking the candy up off the comforter one by one, dropping them back in the bag. “Must’ve been some kind of dog?”

I’m on the floor in an instant, my head nearly under her bed looking for my shoe. The guys are either already on their way to me or they need me to come to them—either way I need to move, now. I find my sneaker edged against a box and yank it out.