Slowly, the woman shook her head. "If we had spells to learn faster, this entire school wouldn't be necessary. No, I'm sorry. Learning is one thing we all have to do the hard way. Evidently, that includes me, because I'm going to figure this out. As for you, young lady. You just keep doing what you're doing, because it seems to be working."
"Even though you don't understand it?" I asked.
"Ah, but I thinkyoudo." She caught her cup of coffee again, smiling as she lifted it toward her mouth. "You know what feels right, so go with it. So far, it seems to be working."
"Including taking some of Aspen's magic?"
"Especially that," she assured me. "And so you know, it's the main reason I have no interest in moving you. Your fathers approve of your relationship. Your companion does as well. From what little I know, it seems your shadows are helping Aspen find her control again, and it doesn't matter how you're doing it."
"But, um..."
"If dating is what helps, then just give me enough to explain it away," she broke in. "I have parents to appease. Parents who think of life on much longer timelines than you do. At the same time, Aspen can easily become dangerous. As long as you're buffering her excessive power, I can make a strong argument for why I need you exactly where you are."
"So don't come out as a couple yet, huh?"
She canted her head. "It's easier if you don't. I also won't ever tell someone when to come out."
"Yeah..." I breathed. "I didn't even think of it like that."
"Oh, but I did," she assured me. "That, Rain, is my job."
Chapter Thirty-Nine
KEIR
On Tuesday afternoon, I walked Rain back to the elevators on her side, swept a lock of hair from her jaw, and let her go. The girl looked happy again, and I couldn't get enough of it. Ever since Aspen had come back, Rain had relaxed - and more than I'd expected.
I was smiling over our chat on the way back when Hawke met me at the elevators on my side. "Held it for you," he assured me, since he'd been in class with us. "And what's with the stupid-ass smile?"
"Fuck off," I grumbled.
"No, I was serious," he insisted. "What has you smiling like you just met someone cute?"
I huffed at that. "The girls. Now that Aspen's back, Rain's just..."
"Into her?" Hawke offered as the car moved upwards.
"Cute," I told him. "Happy, giggling, and rambling on and on about her plants, her crow, her shadows. All of it."
"Nice," Hawke said as the door dinged to announce our arrival.
Together, we stepped off, making our way through the double doors and towards our rooms. Just as we passed the second door, Torian stepped out of the one past it. Wilder's, I was pretty sure. Glancing back, I checked to make sure I was right, but it didn't go unnoticed.
"Don't fucking say shit," Torian snarled as he marched toward us.
Yeah, that was one asshole moment too far. Shifting over, I got in his way and stopped. "What the fuck is your problem?" I demanded.
"Leave it alone," Hawke warned. "Keir, I got this."
I turned to snap at him only to find his expression begging me to let it go. "Sure, whatever," I grumbled, storming past Torian in the process.
Our shoulders collided. The kid didn't budge, though. The impact was hard, making me regret my dumb pride, but I wasn't about to back down now. My head snapped over, our eyes met, but we both kept going, that brief moment the closest thing we'd had to a conversation in days.
But that color of green hung in my mind. His eyes weren't neon. They also weren't emerald, lime, or anything so common. Spring was the best word I had, but an unusual shade, even for the fae. They were too close to yellow, and yet not close enough to count as hazel or amber. If I was honest with myself, the prick had gorgeous eyes.
I did not want to think about that.
So instead, I headed straight for my room, shutting the door a bit too hard. How had I gone from being so happy to see Rain and Aspen working out to so pissed about Torian? This, right here, was why I'd avoided these kids when they'd trickled into Silver Oaks. Never mind that four pure fae had all arrived, or that they were in the same year of schooling - which was not mine.
