Even in the flashing rainbow colors, Aqeanoe—I prefer Blue Hair—pales. “I—”
“Unless there’s some reason you wouldn’t want to?” Elethior pushes. “Unless you attempted topoisona fellow student?”
“We’re not on school grounds, man,” says Human.
“Wow.” I slow clap. “Really making a good case for the Conjuration Department’s superiority. Why would our location matter if there was nothing wrong with the shot?”
Human’s mouth slams shut and Aqeanoe scowls at him. “Dumbass,” he snaps. Then, to me, “You shut up. This isn’t—”
Elethior’s grip on his shoulder must pinch tighter. Aqeanoestaggers and winces. “Don’t finish that thought. Take the shot or leave.”
Aqeanoe grimaces at Elethior. Holding eye contact, he accepts the shot and downs it.
I chirp in surprise, but before I can get out a word, Aqeanoe’s teal skin is covered in purple and gold stripes. Lesiara U’s colors.
That’s… that’s it?
That’s not even a good prank.
Aqeanoe tosses the empty shot glass aside. “There. Fuck, dude, you ruined it. Gods, you’ve always been a killjoy.”
“This stupid rivalry isover.” Elethior’s volume doesn’t seem to be due to the music; his brows are low, his eyes irate. “Lay off. Oh, and you’re done here—Prismatic doesn’t tolerate spiking drinks.”
Elethior waves behind Aqeanoe to a security guard. I hadn’t noticed him, but he folds out of the crowd with a snarl, orc tusks thick and shoulders pushing several feet wide.
Aqeanoe and Human protest, but the security guard corrals them away.
A disbelieving scoff bursts out of me and I scrub a hand over the back of my neck. “Holy shit. Is that how you see me? Gods, tell me I’m at least alittlemore respectable. I mean, I have subtlety. I havestandards. I have—”
Elethior shifts in front of me, taking Aqeanoe’s place, too close, too towering.
It’s significantly less uncomfortable from him.
I make the obscenely stupid mistake of meeting his eyes.
I can still taste him. Mint and coffee and the external layer of his cologne teasing the edges of my senses. I can still feelall of it, everywhere,the kiss remembered in parts of my body that weren’t complicit in it. The inside of my elbows. My eyelids.
“Are you all right?” he asks, bending in, his loose hair curtaining us on one side. His eyes run over my face like he’s searching for injury or upset.
My tongue touches my lip. Feels one of the places where his piercings pressed to my skin.
He tracks the motion. Lingers on it.
My hand is still behind my neck and I tug it down to fist at my side. “Fine. Yeah. Thanks. But I—” Pride zaps up my spine. “I didn’t need your help. How are you here?”
One side of his mouth cocks. “Your friend told me you’d be here.”
“Who?”
His looks toward the VIP area.
Realization hits me in a drawn-out groan.
Orok, who I sent to get my stuff from the lab because I was a big coward.
Orok, who must’ve seen Elethior there, and theytalked about me.
Orok, who used to be my closest friend, but is now dead to me, RIP to our relationship. We had a good run.
