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Stevie shakes her head. “Love isn’t limited, Dove. It grows to however big you need.”
I nod, but not with real understanding. I only have room in my heart for Gael. “So, Austin, you’d be fine if Jess said there was another wolf she wanted to be with?”
Austin shakes his head. “Oh, no. I’d absolutely flip my shit. I wasn’t raised in a pack, so I don’t have the same sensibility.” He turns to Jess and takes her hand. “But if you found someone and came to me, I’d be open to discussing it.”
Jess smiles. “Aww, thanks, babe. But you’re enough to deal with. Maybe one day, though.”
The three of them continue trying to convince me that poly relationships are great as long as everyone holds communication as the utmost priority. I listen openly, trying to see it from their perspective, but I just don’t see how anyone can truly love more than one person at the same time.
I love Gael with my whole being. I’d die for him. Hell, I’d infiltrate a demon school to find him. And while the heirs have certain effects on my biology…
Enormous, sometimes irresistible effects…
I know I could never love them.
Never.
Not the way I love Gael.
Eventually, the topic changes and we compare our schedules to see if we share any classes. “Oh, look, we all have Supe History after lunch. And Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we have Alchemical Arithmancy.”
That’s more of a relief than I expected. With only three classes on Tuesday and Thursdays, I’m glad I only have to face the heirs alone in two of them. Tomorrow, though…
I guess I’ll find out then if I’ll see the heirs in my remaining classes.
A sliver of excitement ripples through my chest at the thought. Excitement? Or anxiety?
“Oh, did you hear that they’re hiring a new potions master?” Stevie leans in as if the news is a secret.
Jess and Austin shake their heads, and I watch, fascinated by the way they seem to bond over trivial gossip.
Just like in the TV shows.
Stevie continues, “I saw her going into the headmaster’s office on the way here. She looks like she doesn’t know a tincture from a distillation, but apparently, she’s the best there is.”
“How can you judge her skill by the way she looks?” I ask, genuinely confused by the idea.
“Well, she just looks sort of disheveled. Her hair isn’t well kept, and her clothes are…” Stevie pauses. “You know what? You’re right. I shouldn’t judge her based on her looks.”
I lean forward, wanting to be very clear. “I wasn’t implying that you shouldn’t, Stevie, just asking a question. What makes someone look like they aren’t skilled? Where I’m from, the most knowledgeable in their field are often the most lax with personal upkeep.”
“Right, like the absent-minded professor trope, sure,” Austin agrees.
“Well, even if you weren’t saying it, I still shouldn’t do it. And you’re right. She might have frizzy hair and skirts that don’t match because she’s too busy thinking about master-level potion stuff.”
The bell rings for lunch, and the four of us clear out of the library. There aren’t nearly as many students in the library as in other buildings, so we don’t get crushed on our way out.
About halfway along the path to the dining hall, a tall blonde demon steps in front of us. She looks right at me. “Hey, um, can I talk to you?”
I look behind me because no way is one of Olivia’s demons talking to me.
The demon rolls her eyes. “I’m talking to you, new girl.”
“Her name is Dove, Leandra,” Stevie corrects.
The demon, Leandra, lets out a forceful sigh. “Dove, can I please talk to you? In private.” She eyes Stevie and Jess before staring at me again.
“Whatever you have to say to her, you can say in front of us,” Austin says.
