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In my head, Julita guffaws.Is she still fussing about those awful earrings? The wretched things nearly pulled my earlobes off. I left them on the side table outside her bedroom—not my fault if someone else snatched them.
This is a squabble I’m not interested in getting in the middle of. I edge to the side, away from the door. “I’ll mention it to her.”
Julita’s dormmate makes a scoffing sound. “You be careful with her. I’m sure she’s calling you a friend while she can use you, but that’s all she does. Use, use, use. Likes to get everyone she can twisted around her little finger.”
She seems awfully worked up over a pair of earrings. Were they fitted with godlen-blessed 5-carat diamonds or something?
Julita seems to shake herself as if shedding the venom.The things people will say that they’d never dare speak to your face. If anyone’s a snake in the grass…
“I’ll keep that in mind too,” I say, raising my hands in a peace-making gesture.
The woman clicks her tongue. “I’m simply saying, she’ll lull you into thinking she’s being nothing but helpful. But underneath she’s always only looking out for her own selfishness.”
Another woman I hadn’t noticed stands up from the chair she was curled up in by the far corner of the room. “Anya, simmer down. It’s not Julita’s fault if people find her charming.”
Both my gaze and that of the woman confronting me snap to the interrupter.
It’s not surprising I didn’t notice her when I had a much more imposing figure in front of me. This girl is slight and modestly dressed as nobles go—which means her dove-gray gown appears to only have three layers instead of five and only a little embroidery on the silky edges. Her fawn-brown hair sits in a simple loose ponytail.
She does have one striking feature, though. She gazes back at us calmly with a single pale green eye, a mauve silk patch with gold-gilded edging covering the other.
She gave up a whole eye in her dedication ceremony for whatever gift she asked to be blessed with. I hope the godlen she devoted herself to gave her a good one.
Anya sniffs and lifts her apple to her lips again. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business, Esmae. It’s not as if you had much to do with Julita to even know.”
The single-eyed woman—Esmae—lifts her shoulders in a subtle shrug. “I know it’s hardly good form to lay into someone who isn’t around to defend themselves.”
Julita’s presence in my head stirs with apparent interest.Never would have thought simpering Esmae would leap in on my behalf. I suppose she’s spent all this time shyly admiring me from afar.
Anya rolls her eyes and bites into the apple. With a sputter of disgust, she rears back her head and fishes for a handkerchief to spit out her mouthful. Then she glares at the fruit. “Wretched daimon. Rotting the thing while it’s in my damned hand.”
A roaming daimon spoiled the apple in the last minute?
My forehead furrows, but I’m close enough to see how the previously white flesh is now mottled brown and black.
Esmae treads over, wrinkling her nose as she takes in the apple. She catches my gaze. “The college’s spirits have been overly restless—and cantankerous—lately. Although perhaps this one merely liked the poetic justice of souring what’s held by the sour.” She shoots Anya a pointed glance.
Grumbling under her breath, Anya tosses the ruined apple in the waste basket and stalks into her bedroom. My stomach turns, both at the thought of taking a bite of that rotted fruit and the implications of it rotting at all.
Daimon are as likely to ripen fruit as rot it. It all depends on the mood that strikes them. But I’ve never heard of them interfering with food a person’s already eating.
I’d only expect that if they were particularly riled up about something. Something like…
Julita fills in the uneasy suspicion for me.They’ve been more agitated than usual for a few months now. Since not long before the prince was poisoned. I think they sense the blood that’s being spilled for dark purposes on these grounds—and they’re not happy about it.
When she first told me about the conspiracy, she said she knew there were more than a few nobles involved “based on the effects.” I think I’m seeing what effects she meant.
As my stomach roils on, Esmae shoots me a sympathetic smile. “Sorry about Anya. She isn’t shy with her opinions.”
It’s hard not to wonder if there might have been a little truth to those opinions, though. After all, Julita does seem to be unnervingly good at cajolingmeinto doing what she wants.
I manage a quick smile in return. “Thank you for stepping in. I should really be on my way.”
And if my ghostly passenger thinks I’m making any more stops during this tour around the royal college, she can eat straw.
I hustle out of the dorm before anyone else can drop in. Julita remains mercifully silent.
Until we come around the next bend and she lets out a sharp hiss followed by a barked command.Stop there. Back up so he won’t notice you.
