by Lyn Forester
“And Mr. Williams Senior!” Mr. Halcroft calls. “What say you?”
“A change in current laws with regard to halfbreeds opens the path for entrance into higher-level positions not currently available to them, such as council seats and ranking officers,” Felix grumbles into his desk.
“Yes!” Mr. Halcroft pumps his arm in the air, his white hair coming undone from its tidy backcomb.
He spends the next two hours going around the room, pointing to each student who expands further on the possible changes.
At last, he swings back to Trevor. “Now, Mr. Ocasia, do you see how things can change?”
The guy slumps low in his seat, his knobby knees protruding from either side of his desk. “Yes, Mr. Halfcroft.”
Our teacher turns back to address the rest of the room. “But we are only brushing the very tip of the forest here. Which is why you’ll be divided into groups of three to write a paper postulating on the changes to come over the next four years.” He gives us a broad grin. “Then, right before graduation, we can review your papers and see which team’s predictions were the closest! Isn’t that exciting?”
Groans meet him, but he shrugs it off, too caught up in his own academic passion.
He spins to the holo-screen at his back and runs his palm down the side. “Now, I took the liberty of pre-assigning your groups. Please make a note of your partners and schedule time to meet for research.”
I lean forward as the list comes up, scanning for my name. I find it in the third group, alongside Garrett and Connor. Nikola and Myrrine share a group with a girl from a blue guard family, while Felix and Declan are paired with Trevor.
“Now, I know you’re down one right now, Mr. Williams Senior and Mr. Ocasia, but I trust you can make do until Mr. Arrington returns from his extended leave.”
Felix chuffs quietly. “Nothing like starting off with a deadstream.”
“Very good.” Mr. Halcroft nods, completely missing the dig at Trevor. “Now, this won’t be your only assignment for the year. I have other exciting topics ahead for you. But for now”—he checks the clock—“take lunch. Afterward, I’ll give you the rest of the day to meet up with your team and acquaint yourselves. You’re dismissed.”
Masks
“Anyone else think Mr. Baresly got even meaner while we were gone?” Felix mumbles as he rubs a long, red welt on his forearm.
The short Etiquette teacher did seem extra angry today at lunch. We only made it halfway through the main course with how many times he stopped to reprimand us. Declan’s roommate, Trevor, was put on timeout again, much to the amusement of his fellow classmates. He seems to have backslid to his original crybaby state after our mini-vacation. Despite a vigilant eye and ready ruler, Felix is the only one among us who managed to incur Mr. Baresly’s special form of discipline.
“It seemed standard instruction,” Garrett says from behind us, and Nikola murmurs a quiet agreement.
Both men received praise from Mr. Baresly, which won them no favors from the rest of us. There’s something to be said for having already passed Etiquette class before at their last school.
The rest of the students fled as soon as lunch ended, while we lingered outside the room until the hall emptied. A small part of me hoped Garrett and Nikola would take the hint and follow the rest, but they remained behind, annoying in their persistence to not leave me alone with the twins.
They make Felix twitchy with irritation while Connor descends into cold civility.
“You shouldn’t have put your elbow on the table.” Connor grips his twin’s wrist to prod the wound. “I actually think the little troll went easy on you.”
“Ouch.” Felix snatches his arm back and turns to wave it pathetically in my face. “Sprinkles, magic sugar kisses.”
Heat floods my cheeks, conscious of the two men behind us, and when my gaze lifts to Felix, I find zero playfulness in his expression. Instead, his hard, grass-green eyes watch me wearily.
This is a challenge of some kind, a demand I prove my allegiance still lies with him. It makes my hackles rise. I shouldn’t have to prove myself to him. He should trust in me. But our relationship is new, barely even begun before we were separated. We haven’t had time to learn the twists and turns of the path we chose.
My hands lift, fingers gripping his arm to hold it steady. Gaze locked with his, I lower my mouth, then sink my teeth in hard around his wound.
He hisses but doesn’t flinch as he did when Connor touched the welt.
When I release him, a bright red ring of teeth marks his flesh, far brighter than the original wound. He studies it for a moment, then loops his arm around my waist to pull me close to his side.
He leans down to nuzzle my ear. “I see you took notes from last time.”
I lick my lips, still tingling with the warmth of his skin. “I’m a fast learner.”
Teeth graze my earlobe, and I stifle a gasp. “I missed you, Sprinkles.”
I turn my head, nose bumping against his. “I missed you, too, Vice.”
From the corner of my eye, I catch Garrett and Nikola watching us, and my back stiffens. How fast will the report go back to my family? How soon before I receive a discussion on how to comport myself in public?
As if he senses my sudden unease, Felix’s hold changes, and he smoothly steps behind me to take up a position on my other side, wedging me against Connor in the process. “What do you think we should do with the rest of our day? Want to get snacks and take over the big screen in the Entertainment Hall?”
“We’re supposed to go to the library.” Connor’s arm bumps against mine as we walk, and his pinky grazes mine.
The tiny contact sends comfort through me, and I relax between them. “We should begin research.”
Felix blows out a loud breath. “No fun. We just got back. We should celebrate.”
“Nothing says yay, we’re back at school like a solid three hours in the library,” I say, voice dry. Time at the library sounds like a nightmare right now, but we have an assignment to begin.
“Oh, no.” Felix loops both arms around my shoulders, clutching me close. “Bro, did you hear that? Something’s wrong with Sparks.”
Fighting back a laugh, I push at him halfheartedly. “The sooner we start, the sooner we finish.”
Connor’s cool hand slips across my forehead. “Bro, I think you’re right. We should definitely skip the library. We need rest and restoration, stat.”
“Let’s go back to my room,” Felix suggests, his voice a low rumble. “My roommate won’t come back until after dinner.”
My heart trips at the idea of being alone with them, and my already shaky resolve crumbles.
“We’re supposed to meet with our groups,” Nikola points out, his voice devoid of emotion.
Felix twists to glare at him. “Then go find Myrrine. No one’s stopping you.”
Nikola’s lips tighten, and he gives a stiff nod to indicate the hall ahead. “That’s what I’m doing.”
I shift my attention forward once more to find Myrrine waiting outside our classroom, next to their other group partner. With two feet between them, the human girl stares at Myrrine with a mixture of fascination and fear. For her part, my roommate pays her little attention as she stares down the hall.
As soon as she spots us, though, she hurries over. Before Felix can protest, she yanks me from his arms to run her palms down my sides in search of wounds. “Caitlyn, are you well?”
Embarrassed, I push her exploring hands away. “I’m fine.”
She leans down, breath ruffling the hair next to my ear. “I brought back more salve. I will heal any injuries.”
I pull away. “As I said, I’m fine.”
“Bro,” Felix whispers loudly. “My girlfriend’s having hot girl time with her roommate. I feel so confused right now.”
Myrrine peers past me and sniffs. “I see you are wounded.”
“You going to offer to heal me, too?” he purrs, tone suggestive. When I turn to glare a
t him, his eyes widen, and he glances at his brother. “Bro, I think I just pissed off my girlfriend.”
Connor nods, expression solemn. “I think you’re right, bro.”
Felix’s lower lip juts out. “Does this mean we’re fighting?”
Connor nods again. “Could be.”
“Does that mean we get to make up?” Felix sounds entirely too pleased at the idea.
Connor pushes his glasses up. “Entirely possible.”
Felix turns back to me, flinging his arms open. “Sprinkles, come here!”
I fold my arms beneath my breasts, unwillingly amused by him, as always. “I think you’re forgetting a step.”
Arms still out, Felix glances to his brother. “What am I forgetting?”
“The apology.” Connor walks forward, coaxes my arms back to my sides, then laces his fingers through mine. “Let’s go to the library.”
Felix rushes after us. “Wait, we haven’t made up yet!”
Connor glances back. “Garrett, you coming?”
“Of course.” His heavy footfalls fill the hall as he jogs to join us.
Myrrine murmurs a quiet introduction. “Nikola, have you met Marianne?”
Connor leans past me to Felix. “You should go find Trevor, bro.”
His dark brows pinch together. “Who?”
“Declan’s roommate,” I supply.
“Oh, the snoring, crybaby slob.” Felix shoves his hands into his pant pockets. “I can’t believe we got stuck with him. Dec’s going to be so pissed when he gets back.”
Concern fills Connor’s voice. “You know, if you need to sleep in my ro—”
Felix’s glare cuts him off, and a silent conversation passes between them. I glance between the brothers, wanting to know the words left unsaid. Why would Felix need to sleep in Connor’s room? I struggle to remember who his roommate is. One of the city official kids? Do they not get along?
Steps stiff, Felix strides ahead to push open the double-doors, effectively ending the conversation.
We join him a moment later and awkward silence fills the space around us. Out in the grassy island that the school surrounds, other students gather in small clumps. Black slacks for first-year, red for-second year, blue for third, and a few brown for fourth. It seems Mr. Halfcroft isn’t the only teacher who gave their class a half day.
Overhead, the twin suns shine down, the glass dome helping to defuse the glare. The smaller one casts an orange sheen over everything, while its bigger brother hovers behind.
I lift a hand to shield my eyes and spot a familiar, lanky figure hovering outside the library. I nudge Felix, who stopped on the top step, and point. “There’s your partner now.”
“Woohoo.” He catches my hand and brings it to his mouth, teeth a soft nibble on my knuckles. “Will you come save me in an hour?”
My pulse flutters. “You should give it at least two hours.”
He rotates my hand to nuzzle my wrist. “I’ll die.”
“Stop being dramatic.” Connor shoves his brother into motion, and my hand slips free of his grasp. “You could write the entire report today if you put your mind to it.”
“And do all the work for him? I think not.” Shoulders slouched, he trots down the steps. “Besides, we need to save something for Declan.”
“Your grade would be better if you didn’t,” Connor mutters as we follow.
Surprised, I glance up at Connor. According to Felix, he and Declan are nerds, despite Declan’s jock like appearance. They always do fine in class. “I thought Declan liked class.”
“Science nerd, Sprinkles,” Felix calls over his shoulder. “Not the same thing.”
Connor adjusts his glasses. “Declan’s not a fan of sociology.”
“A poor trait for a future secretary,” Garrett adds, joining in on the conversation. “He’s not doing his brother any favors by shirking his studies.”
I bristle at the comment, and Connor’s good nature plummets as his attention turns to Garrett. “Declan never shirks his duties. If he did, he would be here now.”
Garrett bows his head, ceding the point, though he doesn’t withdraw his earlier assessment.
Ahead, Felix freezes, his muscles going tense, and for a moment, I think he heard Garrett’s comment. But he doesn’t turn back to defend Declan’s honor. Instead, he stays rigidly focused ahead.
I follow his gaze to the path that leads to the administration building, where a halion man appears. Obviously too old to be a student, he must be part of the school’s staff. His long, pale blue hair rests in a complicated coif at the back of his head, and his white slacks and tunic flutter around him, despite the still air. The outfit, combined with his opalescent skin, makes him appear diaphanous, a summer cloud drifting through our school.
We come to a stop behind Felix, and I rest a hand on his tense back. “Who’s that?”
He shudders and drags his eyes away. “The mind-fucking counselor.”
Fear ripples through me, and my gaze unwillingly returns to the halion man. He doesn’t resemble the one my father sent me to after learning of my secret life as a low-level disc-bike racer.
That Riellio had stormy gray hair and malevolent, storm cloud eyes. Meeting him, I knew he wouldn’t care about the why behind my actions. He would simply sweep into my mind and wash away any sign of rebellion to leave me the docile doll Father desired. I can still feel the slippery intrusion into my thoughts, the whispers that weren’t my own.
A shudder rolls through me. Grandmother pulled me from the meeting after only thirty minutes, and I hadn’t been sent again. I always wondered what she said to Father to change his mind.
Connor reaches out to grip his twin’s shoulder. “Deep breath. You’re here with me.”
Felix twitches and shrugs off the comfort. “I know that.”
He scrubs a hand through his messy black hair, as if scrubbing away something darker, tucked into the recesses of his mind.
His focus shifts back to the library and his waiting partner. “Trevor, you better not pull my grade down!”
With that, he strides off to grab his teammate and drag him into the library.
I reach for the comfort of Connor’s hand. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. I wish Dec were here. He helps keep Felix calm.” He squeezes my fingers, then meets my eyes, reluctance clear on his face. “Be careful with Felix. Don’t let him push you.”
Stomach tightening, I lick my lips. “What do you mean?”
Connor glances past me to Garrett, and a polite mask slides over his face. “Just that. We should get going ourselves. The sooner started, the sooner finished, right?”
During our time in the library, I struggle to focus, my thoughts circling around Connor’s warning. Sure, Felix seems more volatile right now, but do I really need to be careful around him? What is Connor worried about Felix doing?
I tap my stylus against my tablet, the notes in front of me blurring into an illegible mess. Garrett wants to focus on government structure, while Connor wants to put our time into the city officials’ backgrounds, to try to guess how they will lean in votes. The two butt heads almost as much as Garrett and Nikola, and it chafes on my nerves.
Why can’t things go back to the way they were a month ago? Just me, Declan, Connor, and Felix. Settled at school and feeling out a partnership that, while complicated, felt right. Like the solid stream of energy on a light ring. Each a piece of the whole. Garrett and Nikola throw unnecessary pieces into the mix, while one of our vital parts goes missing.
Everything’s off alignment now, and we seem destined to crash unless we find a new balance.
A few tables down from ours, Nikola sits with Myrrine, the halion girl too close for his apparent comfort. He leans away from her as much as possible without actually changing seats, and I catch Myrrine sniffing him every so often. Since Myrrine is a lover of women, her interest in Nikola comes as a surprise, but not an entirely unwelcome one.
Maybe she can distract at le
ast one of my babysitters, leaving me to contend with Garrett alone.
“Caitlyn.” Connor’s quiet voice breaks through my thoughts. “Will you help me find reference material on this?”
Confused, I set my tablet aside. “Sure, I’ll try.”
The school restricts what we can view on our tablets, but the library is more lenient, with desk-ports set up in personal cubicles for students to use. I’m sure they track every keystroke, but it’s not like we’re looking up illegal stuff.
Standing, I follow Connor around the study room wall and into the heart of the library.
Here, tall shelves form aisle-ways, displaying ancient paper texts behind impenetrable plas-glass walls. Relics from both halion and human history intersperse the books, some taking up an entire display case.
One entire section focuses on the development of folding-ports. The exteriors stay mostly the same, but the interiors morph with time from chips and wires, to tiny specs suspended in gel, with one brief foray into crystal technology. Little vid-screens below each display explains the article’s significance.
Connor leads me past these to the desk-port area, kept separate from the study room to prevent the quiet conversation of student groups from interrupting solitary study. Each cubicle is its own room, with floor to ceiling walls to prevent casual spying.
He walks past the first three, and I peer into their empty rooms, curious why we don’t use one of them.
At the fourth cubicle, he ducks inside, and I follow, glancing around at the bare, gray walls. A desk takes up most of the space, with the desk-port mounted to the top. It faces the open door for maximum privacy without allowing for an actual door. Only one chair waits behind it, the room designed for single occupancy use.
I’m not sure how much help I’ll be with only one port. “What did you want to look up?”
He turns and cups my elbows to pull me forward. “Nothing. I just...” He leans down to rest his head on my shoulder. “I haven’t gotten to say a proper hello since we got back.”