by Lyn Forester
I peek at them from the corner of my eye. “When did you two start agreeing on things?”
We reach the stairs, and Garrett cups my elbow. “You make it sound like we’re antagonistic toward each other.”
Nikola’s hand rests lightly on the small of my back. “We both have your best interests at heart.”
Uneasiness rolls through me. I don’t like this new alliance that seems to have developed since yesterday. Rooming together gave them entirely too much time to scheme.
At the bottom of the stairs, I take a long step to put distance between us, and their hands fall away. “If you have my best interest at heart, then you’ll treat me like another student and not as a demi-Councilor. The point of APA is that all students are equal. Please treat me as such.”
“You can’t expect us to ignore our position—”
I cut Garrett off. “I do.”
“As a student who has been here longer,” Nikola interjects smoothly, “I place myself in your care until I learn how the school functions.”
“Yes,” Garrett agrees, his voice tight. “I am in your care, as well, Caitlyn.”
And just like that, they trap me with obligations backed by the Dean’s command that I watch over them.
Can life get any more complicated?
As we enter the cafeteria, my gaze seeks out the table where the twins and Declan usually sit. I find it in the same moment Felix’s head lifts, attention on the door. My heart soars as our eyes meet, then Felix’s expression morphs from excitement to perplexity, then anger.
Yes, it appears life can get much more complicated.
He contains himself while I walk Nikola and Garrett through the food line, explaining the various selections and pointing out the particularly horrible ones they should avoid. I take a plate and begin to extend it for a protein cube filled omelet before I give myself a good, firm shake. I never take the omelet, and Nikola’s and Garrett’s presence now won’t change that.
Instead, I venture farther down the table and select my usual toast, adding three small bowls of jam to my plate. More than I need, but I hope the offer of sweetness will soften the storm brewing in Felix. My usually fun-loving guy has had his temper tested too many times lately, and by the tension in his body and the way he ignores his brother, he’s ready to explode.
Grabbing one of the jars of water, I walk ahead of Nikola and Garrett to reach the table the twins sit at first.
I brush past Connor with a quiet greeting and settle at Felix’s side, offering him two of the jams. “Good morning, Felix.”
His grass-green eyes lock on me. “Is it? I didn’t realize that it was demi-Councilor Lonnete returning to the school, complete with her entourage.”
“Please don’t be angry.” I scoot closer so our knees touch under the table. “This wasn’t my choice.”
His lips purse before he visibly forces himself to relax. “Why are they here?”
“As candidates for my future secretary, my father and grandmother sponsored their transfers into our class.”
Garrett sets his tray down next to mine and holds out his hand. “Garrett Latven.”
Connor reaches across the table. “Connor Williams.”
Reluctant, Felix extends his hand. “Felix Williams.”
Nikola comes next. He sets his tray beside Garrett’s and extends his hand. “Nikola Koskov.”
Beside me, Felix stiffens.
Connor shakes Nikola’s hand, murmuring his introduction once more.
When Nikola’s hand moves toward Felix, though, he doesn’t reach out to accept it. Nikola’s dark gaze shifts to me, his voice smooth to cover Felix’s rudeness. “Would you like to introduce us, Caitlyn?”
Felix’s hands spread out on the table, his fingers turning white in agitation. “I know your voice.”
“We met Nikola at the reception,” Connor reminds him. “Garrett was there, as well.”
“We didn’t speak then,” Felix growls.
Nikola’s fingers curl against his palm, his arm dropping back to his side. “My apologies for failing to make your acquaintance. It was a busy night.”
Felix stills next to me. “You were in Caitlyn’s room. Before Quarter-Light.”
Nikola gives a slow nod. “It is my duty to be at Caitlyn’s side at whatever time she desires me.”
Felix rears back, his knee pulling away from mine. “And she desired you before Quarter-Light?”
I glare at Nikola, willing him to clarify things, but he remains silent, face impassive. “It’s hardly your place to question when demi-Councilor Lonette calls for me.”
“Nikola!” Angry, I lurch to my feet, but Felix moves faster.
He shoves back his chair and strides for the door, leaving his breakfast untouched.
Connor watches his brother go, then turns to me. “I’m sorry, Sparks. I’ll talk him down.”
I lower my voice to an angry whisper, “It’s not what he thinks.”
Connor’s hand touches mine, his green eyes, so much like his brother’s, soft with understanding. “Even if it were, he’s acting like a child. Your actions are your own.”
Folding his napkin, Connor rests it on the table, and with a nod to the other men, he follows Felix out. Instantly, a servant swoops in to clear the abandoned plates, whisking them away and wiping down the table.
I settle back in my seat, suddenly conscious of the eyes of the other students fixed on us. I glare at Nikola. “If that’s how you’re going to act, then you can stay away from me.”
Pink tints his cheeks. “My apologies. I’m not used to another acting-Secretary questioning my actions.”
“Indeed. Hierarchy at our school would not have allowed Felix to address Nikola in such a way,” Garrett agrees. “The idea of equality will take some getting used to.”
My brow furrows, confusion cooling my anger. “What do you mean Felix is an acting-Secretary? He’ll be Connor’s right-hand man once Connor takes his council seat.”
Nikola stares down at his plate, his food untouched, and Garrett shakes his head. “The Williams House won’t allow Connor to sign a binding contract with his brother until they both reach the age of majority. Many still question Felix’s... ability to perform as a proper secretary. I don’t mean to malign your friend, Caitlyn. This is common knowledge, and I apologize if it was not brought to your attention before now.”
I glance at Nikola’s profile. Yes, he did tell me something of the sort, but at the time, I thought it was one of his many tactics to drive a wedge between me and the guys.
A tray clatters onto the table, and Myrrine snuggles up to my side. “Caitlyn, you are free! I thought I would find you encircled by the twins.”
“They went to class ahead of me.”
Myrrine’s eyes widen with excitement. “Has Felix finally come around to the passion of education? He’s quite intelligent when he bothers to participate. He could be a worthy adversary.”
“Classmates aren’t adversaries, my lady,” Bastian interjects from his place behind her chair.
I twist to stare up at the hovering giant. “Won’t you sit, Bastian?”
He shakes his head in refusal, as he always does when asked to relax in public. Only in the privacy of our room does he allow himself to ease off on the whole bodyguard thing.
“Everyone is an adversary.” Myrrine cracks open her spiny purple fruit to display the gelatinous interior. With a special, long-stemmed spoon, she scoops out one of the seeds and lifts it to her lips, trailing a thin line of slime. She pauses to glance across the table to Nikola and Garrett. “Is that not true?”
Garrett casts me a look of apology. “Yes, very true. Only one person can truly win.”
“Exactly so.” She pops the seed into her mouth with entirely too much delight and swallows. “I look forward to seeing where you two land in the class hierarchy. I could use a good challenge if Felix is not up to the task.”
When we arrive in class, Felix and Connor sit in the back, with an empty desk between them. Felix s
its with his arms folded across his chest, scowling at the top of his desk while Connor scans his tablet in preparation for the class to start. Students already fill the surrounding desks, with only one left open where Declan usually sits.
I hesitate, hand on the strap of my satchel, as Myrrine moves past me to slide into her usual seat directly in front of the teacher’s desk. Bastian takes up his place next to the door, intimidating each student who enters with his stern suspicion.
Garrett touches my arm and points to three empty places next to Myrrine in the front row. “There are spots open over here.”
“Yeah, but I usually sit...” I glance back to the twins, who both studiously avoid eye contact.
Is this some kind of challenge to see who I’ll choose? I don’t like being put on the spot like that, and while I may expect such behavior from Felix, it surprises me that Connor joined him.
Nikola follows my glance and leans closer. “If you’d prefer to sit in the back, then do so.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Garrett scoffs. “Lonettes don’t hide in the back of the classroom.”
The reminder of my station comes with a cold slap of reality. When I first arrived here a month ago, being one of many came with a sense of relief. The school demands the same diligence from all their students, and station doesn’t matter. But with Nikola and Garrett here now, everything feels different, the world off-kilter from what I grew to expect.
At my silence, Garrett peers to the back of the class, too, and sighs. “Right. We’re all equal. My apologies. I will get used to this. Please, go sit with your friends. We’ll make do.”
Connor glances up, his glasses flashing for a moment in the overhead lights. He pushes them up, and our gazes meet. He gives me a sympathetic smile, and my heart lifts. He’s not angry or pouting; he just didn’t notice I came into the room.
Garrett pats his empty side and looks to Nikola. “Do you suppose the teacher has extra tablets for us to use?”
Nikola checks the empty desktop. It sits on four-poster legs with no visible drawers for hiding additional school items. “Not unless he brings them with him.”
“Great.” Garrett shoves his hands into his pockets. “We’ll look foolish in front of the whole class.”
Guilt slices through me, and I rip my attention away from Connor. It’s my fault my family uprooted Nikola and Garrett from their school and sent them here unprepared. I at least owe them this much.
Stiffening my spine, I walk to the empty seats next to Myrrine. “We can share a tablet until your items arrive.”
I take the center desk, and Myrrine glances at me in surprise before giving me a huge smile. “Welcome to the front, Caitlyn.” Then she twists and calls, “Felix, Caitlyn has taken the challenge of sitting in the front row! Will you do the same?”
“You know I plan to sleep, Pinky,” Felix grumbles, and I peer over my shoulder in time to watch as he drapes himself across his desk, arms hanging over the front.
Yellow swirls in her cheeks. “You’ll never get out of probation with that attitude!”
His middle fingers pop up in response, and the classmates around him snicker.
Myrrine turns back around with a huff. “I do not like him.”
Nikola takes the seat on my right, between me and Myrrine. “Some people just don’t enjoy education.”
“Any time he bothers, he always bests me.” Her hands clench into fists. “It’s such a waste.”
Garrett drags the desk on my left over to butt up against mine before he sits. “Maybe he just doesn’t feel challenged enough.”
She gives me a considering look. “How did you get him to participate last time?”
I keep my voice at a whisper. “We had a bet to see who could answer the most questions.”
“A bet?” Her lips purse, before she twists back around. “Felix, I bet you cannot answer more questions than me today.”
His head lifts. “And?”
Her head tilts to the side. “What do you mean?”
“What’s the prize?”
She sits straighter in her seat. “Winning is the prize.”
I fight down the urge to laugh. “Yeah, that’s never going to work.”
Proving my point, Felix drops his head back into his arms. “That’s not how that works, Puffball.”
She turns back around. “I don’t understand.
“Betting usually has a prize both parties desire,” Nikola explains. “Obviously, the desire to simply win isn’t enough.”
She nods solemnly. “I will have to think on this.”
“Good luck,” I whisper. “There’s not a lot you can tempt him with that’s available at APA.”
“Yes, the school does make things more difficult.” She lifts her tablet with far too much enthusiasm. “But, that’s just a challenge of its own. I will discover something that he desires.”
“Or, you could just accept that you’re the best student in our year,” I point out. “That’s a good achievement.”
She turns to glare at me, her eyes fading to a pale, hard blue. “But I am not the best student. I am simply winning right now by default.”
The way her lips curls when she says the word makes it sound dirty.
Mr. Halcroft walks into the classroom, ending our conversation. The elderly man sports his trademark tweed jacket despite the climate control that allows for the light-weight school uniforms. As Nikola predicted, he doesn’t bring spare tablets with him.
“Looks like we’re sharing,” Nikola whispers.
“Sharing what?” Myrrine asks.
“The school didn’t have spare tablets and wristbands for us, so we don’t have access to the textbooks,” Nikola informs her quietly as Mr. Halcroft turns on the holo-screen at the front of the room. “Caitlyn has offered to share hers.”
“Three people to one tablet is too much.” She reaches over and grabs the side of his desk, dragging him over in a loud screech of legs against the floor. “We will share.”
“Um, thank you.” When Nikola glances to me, I nod in encouragement. He turns back to Myrrine. “That is very kind of you.”
“Show your thanks by giving me a challenge.” She sniffs, then leans closer to Nikola. “You have a pleasant smell.”
He leans back, out of sniffing range. “Thank you?”
“Hmm.” Her lips tug down in a frown. “I do not like that you smell pleasant.”
He stiffens in his seat. “I’m sorry?”
Mr. Halcroft claps his hands together to gain everyone’s attention. “I hope you all kept up on your reading while you were on vacation. We will be jumping straight into a discussion on law and how it relates to current events.”
Myrrine’s arm shoots into the air, and the rest of the students groan. Myrrine’s known for asking questions that drag out the lessons.
Mr. Halcroft’s eyes twinkle as he points to her. “Yes, Ms. Albonei?”
Her arm drops back to her desk. “Are we not supposed to focus on Species Resources today?”
“Ah, someone has memorized their syllabus.” He rubs his palms together. “Yes, Ms. Albonei is correct, but we have a rare opportunity in front of us that should not be wasted. Our fair city has just gone through not one, but two, government shifts. An event unheard of in our history. So, instead of me telling you how all of this could affect you, I am going to have you tell me how this may affect us going forward.”
He gazes around the room. “In this school year, we have students representing the high houses, all level of Peace Keepers, the halion clans, and social administration. Each of you will bring your own perspective to how this shift in government may impact our future.”
A new hand goes into the air.
Mr. Halcroft points to him. “Yes, Mr. Ocasia?”
Declan’s roommate, Trevor, glances around nervously, his large Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows hard. “But no policies were changed. The new Mr. Blue is upholding the previous Mr. Blue’s contracts, and Black Corporation isn’t dem
anding changes. Won’t things remain the same?”
“Ah.” Mr. Halcroft points to the side of his nose. “But will it?”
Again, Trevor casts a nervous glance around the room. “Yes?”
“Let’s ask one of our new students, shall we?” Mr. Halcroft turns to where we sit in the front row. Myrrine wiggles with excitement before he zeros in on Nikola. “Mr. Koskov. You come from an administrative background, yes?”
Nikola’s dark head dips. “That is correct, Mr. Halcroft.”
“Care to offer an opinion?”
Nikola straightens in his seat, gaze locked on the teacher. “They only reviewed contracts that directly affect the city structure as a whole. Resource distribution being the primary concern. Minor contracts, not open to the public, will be reviewed going forward.”
Mr. Halcroft rolls his wrist. “Go on.”
“While basic foods will continue to export to the lower levels at the current rate, the allocation of land on the Rim may shift. The Fruit Agriculturalists are petitioning to expand their orchard by half an acre, which will take resources away from the rice fields. If Mr. Blue favors the reallocation, then the Grain Division will lose a quarter of its resources, forcing them to either cut back production or overproduce their land. The former will lead to job loss, which will lead to an economic shift as people are forced to find new jobs or move levels. The latter will lead to production failure within three years without Troehan Clan intervention, which will bankrupt the Grain Division and further shift the economic market.”
“Ah, microeconomics. Yes. I love it. Let’s hear from another of the administrative student.” He points to Garrett. “Mr. Latven.”
Garrett shifts to attention. “The new Mr. Blue is much younger than his predecessor, which means he’s more susceptible to outside influences if he’s uncertain of a decision. Mr. White, who has held his position longer, is the most likely source for support, which opens the way for more halion friendly regulations.”
“Exactly so!” Now Mr. Halcroft shifts to Myrrine, who fairly bounces in her seat. “Ms. Albonei!”
“The previous Mr. Blue blocked rulings that would have given halfbreed and full-blood halions more backing by the much larger Blue Guard force and denied the proposal to institute a combined task force. The new Mr. Blue might be swayed to overturn those rulings!” She leans back with a gasp, her cheeks flushed a deep-purple.
