Page 4 of Heartflame

“Two of the Elder Council members who were killed were witches,” I said. “Nobody is safe right now, regardless of their race. Honestly, the only people in this world that are safe are probably us because this school is warded up the ass.”

Greg just stared at me for a long moment. “Oh. I… I guess you’re right…”

Typical Greg. Long legs, great form, lots of gold medals. Fucking shit for brains.

“So maybe don’t spread that rumor around, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “You’re right. I won’t tell anyone else about it.”

“Right,” I replied. “I’m heading for the showers.”

I peeled off my sweat-soaked shirt as I headed toward the locker room, my muscles finally starting to loosen up now that I’d stopped moving. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving behind a pleasant sort of exhaustion. I could tell I’d actually pushed myself today, and I felt good about that.

But my mind kept circling back to what Greg had said about Xavier though, no matter how hard I tried to shake it. The Purity Front had killed five Elder Council members. They’d attacked students. They’d tried to tear our entire world apart. It made sense that people would be suspicious of each other right now. Fear did weird things to logic.

But Xavier’s parents? I just couldn’t see it.

I shoved my gym bag into my locker and headed for the showers, grateful to find them mostly empty. The hot water felt incredible against my sore muscles, and I let the spray wash away the sweat and dirt from the run. My thoughts drifted as the steam rose around me. I thought about classes starting tomorrow, the semester ahead, and whether I’d actually make it to regionals like Coach thought I could. With Florence and Xavier not coming back to Widdershins, I had a really good chance. It dented my pride a little to know that I’d only be in the top because the others were gone. But then again, I guess it just proved that sometimes showing up was truly half the battle.

Plus, it felt good to have something to work toward. Something that didn’t involve fear or worry or wondering if the people around me were secretly harboring hate. And I wasn’t just going to rely on their absence to put me in the top running. I was gonna push myself and really try to break some personal records this semester.

Between that and classes, I probably wouldn’t have much time to think about anything else. All I had to do was finish out this year, get my degree, and take my place in the family business. The running didn’t really help with any of that, except melt the stress away when I needed to unwind. But it was better than getting caught up in parties, politics, and drama. I had enough to worry about without getting into all of that.

I finished rinsing the shampoo from my hair and turned off the shower, the sudden silence was almost jarring after the constant patter of water. Steam curled around me as I stepped out and grabbed a towel, rubbing it roughly through my red hair before wrapping it around my waist.

The locker room was still quiet, which I was grateful for. I didn’t feel like making small talk with anyone else right now. I dressed quickly in clean clothes and headed back to my dorm, my legs still pleasantly sore. The campus was beautiful in the late afternoon light, the Victorian architecture of the newly refurbished conservatory casting dramatic shadows across the manicured lawn. Security witches patrolled the grounds in pairs, their presence a constant reminder that things weren’t normal, no matter how much we all wanted to pretend they were.

My dorm was one of the older buildings, which meant smaller rooms but more character. I climbed the three flights of stairs and found my door at the end of the hall. Inside there were two beds, two desks, and two dressers. My roommate hadn’t arrived yet. His side of the room was bare; the bed was nothing but a bare mattress, his desk empty and waiting. I was surprised he hadn’t shown up yet. When I asked the housing office about him, they refused any information. Maybe I’d be spending the semester alone.

I collapsed onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling, my mind still churning. Xavier. His parents. The idea that people I’d known my whole life might be connected to the very thing that had torn our world apart. It seemed impossible, but then again, a lot of things had seemed impossible until they weren’t. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, Greg’s story had gotten to me. I hadn’t heard from Xavier since last semester, before the attacks.

“No sense worrying about it now,” I mumbled, turning over in my bed. I reached onto the desk, pulling my class schedule from atop a pile of books. “What do I have tomorrow?”

I squinted at the paper, my tired eyes struggling to focus on the tiny print. Advanced Potion Making at eight in the morning. Of course. Because the universe hated me. Then Magical Theory at ten, followed by a break for lunch, and finally Entrepreneurship and Magical Law at two. It wasn’t a terrible schedule, all things considered. At least I didn’t have anything too late in the day. I liked having my evenings free for running or extra study time.

A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.

“Yeah?” I called out, sitting up in my bed.

The door swung open and I found myself staring at someone I definitely hadn’t expected to see. He was lithe and muscular, with long, curly blonde hair that caught the fading sunlight streaming through my window. His green eyes were bright with amusement as he looked me up and down.

“Well, well,” he said, leaning against my doorframe with a confident smirk. “I was wondering who they stuck me with this year.”

My eyes immediately went to his long, pointed ears. He was a Fae. That explained the overconfidence and the dramatic entrance.

“I’m Lysander,” he said, straightening up and sauntering into the room as if he owned the place. “Lysander of the Seelie Court, if we’re being formal, but literally nobody calls me that.” He dropped a single linen duffel bag on the bare bed across from mine and turned to face me with a grin that was equal parts charming and infuriating. “You’re cute. What’s your name?”

“Quill,” I managed, still taken aback by his entire… everything.

“Quill what? Don’t tell me you’re one of those mysterious types who doesn’t share last names. That’s so boring.”

“Quill Aster,” I said, watching as he turned his bag over and dumped all of its contents onto the bed. Several books slipped off the edge and clattered to the floor, the noise making me wince. “You’re a fae?”

“Guilty,” he said, tossing a handful of clothes into his dresser without bothering to fold them. “But that’s the most boring thing about me.” He glanced over my way, giving me a wink. “So, are we going to be roommates or like… roommates?”

He glanced down at my crotch, and I didn’t have to ask what he meant.

“Regular roommates,” I replied. He’d been in the room for less than a minute, and I was already exhausted. “I’m not interested.”