Page 230 of Interion

“Thank you, I love it,” I said, then turned my attention to the outfit. “And this? What is it?”

“That's your outfit for the test.”

I picked up a pair of black pants made from durable material. They had moss-green detailing along the sides, and the inside was lined with wool—they looked warm. There was also a jacket with a side zipper and black straps crisscrossing the abdomen. Both pieces were made from the same material, and I noticed they could be connected by a zipper at the edges. Zion pointed to the inner layer.

“It's all infused with thermal magic—the same kind used in army uniforms. It'll keep your body at a constant 98.6 degrees. Just don't get the fabric wet—if you do, it loses some of its effect while it's damp.”

“Right, no getting wet!” I said, setting down the outfit and looking over the other items.

Next to the bed were two straps: a quiver for the arrows and an attachment belt for the bow. To round it out, there was also a pair of green boots, and on a pillow, I spotted the support meant for my chest. It consisted of two interconnected bands—the thicker one would go over my breasts, and the thinner one underneath, across my ribs. It looked uncomfortable.

“Try it on, see if it fits. I have until the end of today to get it altered.” I grabbed the outfit and practically bounced out of the room.

“Just don't put on the support—it has suction cups, and they'll be hard to get off your skin. Save it for the day of the test.”

I got dressed quickly, skipping the breast support, and returned minutes later to examine myself in the mirror. The outfit hugged my body, accentuating every curve and angle. It fit perfectly, wrapping around me like it had been made to measure. There were pockets on the inside of the jacket, and the fabric kept me warm despite the cold. I zipped the two pieces together, and now I was looking at myself in a sleek jumpsuit. The boots were comfortable too, exactly my size—which made me wonder how well he knew me and how little I knew about him.

“It fits perfectly, Zion! How did you know my measurements?”

Zion was studying me, his pupils dilated into dark orbs as he took in every curve and angle of my body. That was the kind of look that made the blood drain from my brain and rush somewhere far more interesting. It was purely physiological. One look from Zion and my body already knew that blood flow would be put to better use between my legs.

“I took one of your outfits to the army seamstress, and she made it to fit.” He looked away and took a sip of coffee, then turned back to me with a triumphant expression. “The boots are waterproof, so getting them wet isn't a problem.”

“You thought of everything,” I murmured, looking in the mirror.

“Actually, there’s one thing I didn’t think of,” he grumbled, setting the cup on the windowsill. Then he came over and put his hands on my waist. “This outfit has a flaw.”

I frowned, trying to find it.

“What’s that?”

Zion wrapped his arms around me from behind, pressing soft kisses to the base of my neck before nestling his face there, sending a shiver through my entire body.

“It makes you ridiculously sexy. You have no idea what you’re doing to me.” He pressed his hips against me, letting me feel exactly what I was doing to him. At that moment, I was certain that if any more blood rushed south from my brain, I’d faint. As much as I wanted to press back against the bulge in his pants, I forced myself to pull away, removing his hands from my waist.

“Save the teasing for after the test. If I pass,” I warned, forcing myself not to glance down at his pants. I needed to at least look like I had some self-control, because actually having any was out of the question.

“You’re going to pass! I have no doubt about that.” He handed me another cup of coffee from the windowsill, but his eyes were still glued to my body.

“Was it expensive?”

Zion frowned as I sipped my coffee.

“That doesn’t matter. Someone has to spend our money, since you won’t.”

His words only confirmed what I suspected: the outfit had cost a fortune. Not to mention that metal fused with serun threads was an expensive technique, and this bow alone must have been worth a small fortune. Still, having something like this during the test was wonderful; the barrier would block people and animals from entering or leaving, but the snow would continue falling normally. The outfit alone already gave me an advantage over students who couldn’t afford one. At that moment, I remembered Hiro, and my smile immediately vanished. I turned to Zion, feeling like an idiot for only thinking of this now.

“Could you order another outfit like this?”

“Another one? For who?”

“For Hiro. I don’t think he could afford something like this. He’s the sole breadwinner for his family and won’t be able to get anything good enough.”

Zion’s lips twisted into a hard line.

“The seamstress won’t take anything last minute—she needs at least two weeks to make it, Kay.” I couldn’t hide my disappointment in myself for not thinking of this sooner. “But I have an idea! I don’t know if it’s a good solution, and I’m not sure it’ll fit since Hiro’s shoulders are broader than mine, but I still have the outfit from my test. If you want, I’ll take it to him to try on later.”

I smiled and threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tight.