As a sign of shapeshifting stress, it was disturbing. Rather than ask Caliel to outfit us for the day, I pulled on the regulation hoodie and leggings. That he didn’t offer to do otherwise was a sign I’d made the right choice.
I dug my bag of cycle powder out of my drawer and shoved it in my pocket before hurrying out the door and down the hall.
A few students headed in the same direction as me. As I passed the washrooms, I hesitated, sensing…
The door to the male side opened, and Riggs emerged, his skin damp enough from his shower that his clothes clung to him.
“Hey.” His eyes lit up. “Time for breakfast?”
“You bet,” I said. How had I known he was there? I shrugged it off, intent on my mission. “I need crystal dust.”
His brows dropped. “Caliel still having problems?” He drew the sword, and the students skittered away from us, nervously creating space.
The pulse of energy that surged through me when he touched the glowing blade to my arm was eagerly absorbed by my inner guardian. I sensed the monster’s anger drop away, at least for now.
“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it.
“Anytime.” He sheathed the gleaming weapon before he held the stairwell door open for me.
The cafeteria was busy. As we entered, I glanced over to our table to see Sid and Adilyn already there. So much for the Faerie sleeping in. No sign of Leah or Nar. My gaze drifted over the others in the room and then snapped to a seated figure as if zeroing in on true north.
Lean, with coppery skin and piercing eyes—my heart did a curious gymnastic maneuver, and my feet stopped moving.
I had no doubt it was the young man I’d seen in Drosfi. And he was staring directly at me. I trembled, and heat flushed right through my body. I couldn’t look away.
I hadn’t realized I’d frozen until Riggs touched my elbow. “Do you know him?” he asked.
“Yes. I mean, no. I’ve seen him before, very briefly. When we were getting out of Drosfi—you were in the cart.”
“Covered in shrubbery,” he muttered, staring at the young man. Who still hadn’t taken his eyes off of me. “He seems smitten by you, though.” Riggs’s voice had deepened, and his brows had drawn down.
“He must be new. I haven’t seen him here before,” I said. Students were piling up behind us, too polite—or more likely, too intimidated by Riggs—to push past us. I ripped my gaze away from the new student and caught up to the one ahead of us, grabbing a tray on the way.
“He’s at the Team Hippogryph table,” Riggs said as we helped ourselves to scrambled eggs. “Wonder why he’s here?”
“Why are any of us here?” I countered, and then cursed myself when he winced, ever so slightly. “I only meant we all have our reasons.”
Riggs nodded and added a roll to my plate, and then another. “Here. You like these.”
I raised a brow at him. “You know I like Nacre crabrolls?”
“Yep. And pastries covered in bright-pink icing.”
“Do you see any?” I looked around hopefully.
“If I do, I’ll snag you some,” he promised.
“Please do.”
We filled our trays. I managed to avoid looking over at the team Hippogryph table as we made our way to our own.
“He’s still staring,” Riggs growled through gritted teeth.
Sid looked up from his breakfast. “Who’s staring?”
“Guy over at the Hippogryph table,” Riggs replied.
I looked over as I sat down, and the big guy was right—the young man was still staring. So I stared right back, as brazenly as I could manage.
