Page 16 of The Kingdom of Ruin

“A vampire. Typical,” the professor says with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose for a second before she pushes her glasses back into place and looks back at Vallie. “Miss Drummer, have you been crowned the heir of Floodborn Kingdom?” I frown, as do quite a few others, the question catching us off guard as we wait to see where this is heading. “I’m going to take your silence as a no. That being the case, why do you think anyone needs to explain anything at all to you?” An air of awkward silence drapes over the room, everyone staring between the professor and Vallie, who is getting redder in the face with every passing moment, but she still doesn’t utter another word before the professor continues. “And would you look at that? It seems that it’s actually you who has wasted our time.”

Snickers echo around me through the crowd as Vallie steps back, glaring at everyone in her wake, me included, but I opt to keep my gaze set forward. I really don’t need to cause more drama so soon after the dining hall. I need to at least try and make it through the first lesson.

The intense stare burning into the side of my head seems to be coming from a slightly different direction, and despite how much I tell myself not to, I take a quick look out of the corner of my eye.

Auburn hair. Deep black eyes. Chiseled cheekbones that look tough enough to cut diamonds. Avoiding his eyes, I note he’s wearing a blue cloak, labeling him a shifter. I know he’s watching me, but I can’t pull my eyes away until the professor clears her throat, regaining control of the room.

“I’m going to seat you in order of your last names. Maybe it will help squash any of these rights you feel you have simply because of your origin. Whatever special treatment your family name may get you back home is irrelevant. It means nothing here, and there’s no better place to get used to it than in your intro class.”

“I can’t decide whether I love or hate this woman,” Flora whispers, and I hum in agreement. I’m definitely leaning toward the more positive side, but the jury is still out.

She starts to rattle off the list in alphabetical order based on our last names, and I get uncomfortable waiting for her to get closer to the end. It’s a strange dynamic and concept, especially since I spent my entire childhood being homeschooled by my father, but I guess it makes sense, and no one else seems to be irritated by it.

“Raiden Holloway.” The brief calling of his name garners my attention, and I watch the dark and looming vampire slip into a chair in the front row. Vallie is already seated a few spots to his left, looking at him longingly, and I quickly turn away.

There’s no way in Hell you will catch me looking at someone like that.

I focus on the students taking their seats instead, noting that Raiden’s wolf friend is named Cassian Kenner. I don’t know what it is about the name, but the way he carries it…damn. It suits him.

Irritated with my train of thought again, I startle when I hear my name called out. “Addi Reed.” I follow the moving students and slip into the next seat in a rush as the next name is called out. “Kryll Tora.”

My attention is on the blond mage to my left, my thoughts spinning, trying to remember the name called out before mine, but I’m drawing a blank. He turns to me, as if sensing my stare, and smirks.

“Addi, nice name.” His blue eyes twinkle with mischief, a trait you don’t often see with mages.

“I didn’t catch yours,” I admit, clenching my hands in my lap to refrain from trying to touch my hair, even though I’m aware it’s braided to my head.

“Brody.”

“Nice to meet you, Brody,” I reply, his name rolling off my tongue as if I’ve said it a thousand times before, and his smirk only grows.

“I’m sure it is. Don’t worry, I have that effect on people.” He winks—fully winks—before turning to face forward like he didn’t just say…whatever the hell that was.

A shadow casts over me as Kryll Tora falls into the spot beside me, and I startle when I catch a glimpse of auburn hair again. I don’t feel the intensity of his stare this time, though. He relaxes back in his chair and faces forward with his hands resting on the table before him. Black ink marks his skin, peeking out from beneath the sleeves of his blue cloak.

He must sense me looking because a moment later, he lifts his sleeve slightly. “They cover my entire body,” he states, his voice deep yet smooth as it washes over me. “I can show you if you like.” Brody laughs as Kryll rolls his blue sleeve back down, and I sink my teeth into my tongue, fighting the urge to blurt something at him in response. But this ass beats me to it. “Or do you only want a glimpse if you lower yourself to your knees? Because let me tell you, it’s worth it. Am I right with that, Brody? I can’t remember it word for word since we weren’t there to catch her offer in person.”

Despite my efforts, I can feel my cheeks heat. They’re obviously friends with Raiden. That, or my snarky exchange with him yesterday has spread like wildfire. My money is on the former, especially when I realize I’m sitting right behind the vampire himself. He looks over his shoulder, glaring at me before his eyes soften when he makes eye contact with Brody and Kryll.

Fuckers.

It’s official. They’re all fuckers here.

“And that leaves us with Arlo and Flora Zeller.”

My head whips around so fast I’m certain I’m going to pull a muscle. I find Arlo and Flora taking the final two seats at the end of the row behind me. As if sensing my surprise, Arlo winks while Flora hides her face in her hands.

“Isn’t she the cutest little stepsister you’ve ever seen?”

His words only fan the flames on Flora’s cheeks, who looks down at the table with a sense of sadness I feel in my bones. That would explain the weird dynamic between them. The sense of familiarity tinged with longing that floats around them like a second skin.

Turning around to the front, I lace my fingers on the table. Now that I’m seated, I instantly miss the idea of sitting beside Flora. Not that it had been mentioned, or even thought, but subconsciously, it was there. She reminds me of Nora.

Flora and Nora. They even rhyme.

The familiar warmth from her must be what draws me close. I can’t decide if that’s a good or bad thing, but either way, I need to make sure I’m thinking logically and purposely and not just leading with my feelings.

Despite the occasional stare from either side of me, I keep my face forward and listen to every word the professor says.

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