Page 27 of Revenant

Pryce doesn’t say anything for a beat, and I’m starting to think this was a little too heavy for an afternoon campus tour. What am I talking about, of course it was.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s life. I just unfortunately had to grow up a little faster than most.” I let the sound of our footsteps fill the space, trying to figure out how I can turn this very depressing conversation to something more lighthearted. “Unlike your nonna, my aunt Tessa couldn’t cook, which means I also don’t know my way around the kitchen.”

“Well...” He takes my hand in his, interlocking our fingers, and I can’t help the swarm of butterflies that take flight in my stomach. “Maybe I can teach you sometime. We’ll start off basic, maybe mozzarella in carrozza?”

“I know what mozzarella is, but carrozza?” I know by the look on his face, I’ve completely butchered the pronunciation.

He drags his thumb across his bottom lip, like he can press the smile back before it gets away from him, watching me from the side the whole time. “It’s what you might call a grilled cheese in America.”

I smack his arm playfully, and he laughs at my violence. “I love American grilled cheese.”

“Well, American and Italian grilled cheese are very different, tesoro.” We stop in front of Blackthorn Den, and he releases my hand before turning to face me. I have a sinking suspicion that the tour is sadly coming to an end.

Pryce brushes a stray hair behind my ear. “What’s with the long face?”

I lean into his touch as if compelled, his light gray eyes staring into my blues like he can see into my soul. “I was just thinking how–” Before I can finish my sentence, a familiar face appears over Pryce’s shoulder.

Koen clears his throat. “Eryx is looking for you.”

Pryce doesn’t bother turning around. “Tell him I’m busy.”

“Seems like your date is over, is it not?” Koen plants himself at my side as he steps between us. “Go before you make the situation worse.”

Pryce releases a heavy sigh through his nose and drops his hand from my face. I look at Koen. “It was a tour, not a date, and Pryce was about to let me borrow his notes from the class that I missed.”

“You can borrow mine,” Koen says definitively as if it’s not up for discussion. “Pryce, if you wait any longer, I make no guarantees Eryx won’t come searching for you himself.”

Pryce accepts defeat and creates space between us I didn’t ask for. “I’m sorry, tesoro.” His tone is heavier than I expect, one that almost sounds full of regret. I don’t have a chance to comment on it before he’s turning on his heel and heading somewhere I’m sure he mentioned on the tour.

10: Alicent

Part of me wants to go with Pryce, not wanting our little outing to be over. But I’m getting the sense that this is Eryx’s show, and the others are just side characters.

My first interaction with Koen was anything but pleasant. He acted as though my mere presence offended him, but at the bonfire, it seemed like something had shifted. As though being around me isn’t entirely dreadful—but tolerable.

Koen fidgets with his watch absentmindedly, the awkward silence stretching between us as if neither of us knows what to do now that we’re alone.

“Um, so you said I could borrow your notes?” I ask tentatively, already missing the comfortable ease I felt with Pryce.

“Yes. My notebook is in my room. I can meet you at the Ivory Roast Cafe on campus, and you can copy them there.” His words sound so formal, like this is a professional transaction between a legal team and not peers exchanging a PowerPoint.

My cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I…I don’t actually know where that is.”

His head tilts. “You were just on a campus tour, no?”

I blow out a shaky breath, because yes, Pryce was technically showing me around campus, but I wasn’t really paying attention. I was more caught up in how his hand felt in mine, how my body completely relaxes when I’m with him, and thinking that I could listen to him talk all day.

“It was a lot of information, and I forgot my map.” He looks at me expectantly. “...and my phone.” God, I hope I don’t sound as incompetent as I feel.

“Very well. I suppose I can take you there, fetch my notebook, and come back.”

“No, really, that seems like a lot. Why don’t I just get them another ti–”

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have suggested it,” he interjects, brushing the dark hair from his eyes, and I think I have to accept this is Koen being nice.

I nod my head, not knowing what else to say. He takes my silence as acceptance and leads the way. I do feel bad that he has to go back and forth, but I’m grateful he didn’t suggest us going back to his room to get it.