ett

was losin

only logica

ard against the wooden slats of the chair that the br

hing softly, her quill scratching a

light on clover and

to my senses with every breath I took, completely overri

skin-an irritating, volatile itch that

as her

Sterling's o

held enough Glowgolds in the vaults of Gold Dome Bank t

vian elite, casting fluttering glances at Colin Reynold

look at boys from th

wrists in front of fifty peers

t a w

mson Dawn common room to see if s

ide my sleeve, the rough wool scraping a

carve her pride into ribbo

ght, she

ement out of the

ith the freckles, Collette Hayes,

archment bird fluttered back and

eyes lighting up with a sudden, brilliant warmth,

felt as though someone had cast an

that

tarvation, labor, and bruises, clawe

year

scholarship, before I enter

bout of lung-rot, and our father had gambled away th

g floors and hauling crates at the Su

noon, the kind of rain that s

girl had tumbled inside to escape the downpour, her hair soa

was

dn't s

ter, wiping down sticky glass jars with a rag

Surprise Candies, her laughter ringing

rom her leather purse, rolling across the floo

it up and han

e-really looked at me-wi

oin, and popped a yellow-st

to her companion, her eyes dancing.

ed the crumpled gold foil wr

ll ha

advanced potion treatise, tucked into the da

reminder of a world

eal Giana reache

s produced a brigh

he shell with

trawberries and ozone instantly

w Surpri

ath hi

inch to the right, u

losing her eyes in sheer satisfaction,

weight of my stare, he

es col

t went b

eyes were

n unbearable, aching tenderness that made t

cheeks flushing a d

ut a second candy-wrapped in gleaming silver foil

idn't

gers steady, offering me a pie

anced through my chest, s

yself internally. She is poiso

yes away fr

oom, my features locking i

ch physical space between us as the bench allowed, off

y of my vision, I s

eplaced by a wounded, fragile stillness th

o

er ha

eful, feral brute who didn't

better

only way

om the high tower, a sh

had even closed her ledger, I shoved my inkwell into my

't loo

ounding against the flagstones, fleeing from the s