Page 31 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

The dining hall wasn’t what she expected. It was light and airy, and it reminded her of her favourite café just outside of Mossgrave where she would sit and read. Parlour palm plants sat on the middle of every table, adding a little colour to the room, and it smelled like bread.

As she sipped her freshly squeezed orange juice, the spot next to her at the table filled up.

“You are fully dressed, I can’t quite believe it.” Gideon laughed as he kindly mocked her.

“Believe it.” she gestured to her new attire.

“Nice.” Gideon chuckled. “You look good in training gear.”

Emara gave a small giggle. “You must be bored at the sight of my bare skin.” She grabbed the straw in her drink with her teeth and finished off the rest of her juice.

“I wouldn’t use the term ‘bored.’” His eyes tore from her face to his food, and he tucked in. “So, how did you find your blocking partner?” he teased, changing the subject.

“Not nearly as interesting as Cally does.” Her head nodded over to the lunch line where Cally and Torin looked to be flirting. “I walked in on your brother and Cally having a party for two last night.” She grimaced at the memory.

“Ouch! That could not have been good for the eyes.” He pretended to shudder and ripped a piece of bread off with his teeth, his eyes drifting back to hers.

“I fear they may never recover,” she joked. He laughed warmly and she looked away. Gods, he was handsome. “I don’t know about you, but I am just dreading the aftermath of the break-up when Cally gets bored or—”

“There won’t be a break-up.” Gideon swallowed down the bread and twisted in his seat to face her. “Torin doesn’t do relationships, he’s more like…I don’t know…all about the chase, I suppose? Cat and mouse, you know? He doesn’t get attached to anything or anyone.”

“That’s good. Cally is the same.” She found herself jumping to her best friend’s defence.

They both turned their attention to Cally and Torin, who were standing in the corner next to the line for food. Torin looked like he had just uttered something smutty to Cally because her eyes were on his belt and she bit into her lip.

“Ugh!” Emara rolled her eyes. Again.

Gideon stifled a laugh. “What? Is Torin not your type? He’s usually every girl’s type.” Gideon looked like he might be studying her face for a reaction.

“I don’t have a type,” she challenged, sweeping her eyes over his lips. “So, he’s not every girl’s type.”

Torin probably was every girl in the kingdom’s type, but Emara would never admit that. Not when he knew it.

Gideon’s chin leaned forward. “Yeah? I have a type. I’m a sucker for—”

“Hey, block partner.” Cally’s plate hit the table hard, and she sat across from them both, a smile gleaming from ear to ear. “What are you guys talking about? Looks intense. Fill me in.”

Emara’s heart thundered against her chest as she dragged her eyes from Gideon’s. “Not as intense as what looked to be going on over there, Callyn Greymore,” she said in full spirit, although she meant every word. She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrow like her grandmother used to when she was checking her behaviour.

A pain crunched in her heart. She would never see her do that expression again.

“I can’t help it, Emara Clearwater; he is just the most attractive guy I have ever laid eyes on,” she enthused. “No offence, Gideon,” she said, putting her hand up. “You’re obviously handsome, too.”

“None taken.” He laughed as he continued to rip apart a half loaf of bread with his teeth.

Emara’s eyes drifted over the dining hall as Cally spoke about Torin for an hour, asking any questions Gideon would entertain. Torin sat at the other side of the room with a man who had a shaved head. He was older looking than him, yet not quite his father’s age. She recognised him from this morning’s session.

As if feeling her gaze burning into him, Torin looked up. Flustered at being caught, gawking, she began playing with the fork in her hand. He had seen her looking. Oh, Gods! How embarrassing.

She needed a distraction.

She placed her fork down, “So, Gideon, do you have a partner in the next session? We could partner up if you don’t.”

Oh, holy mother of all Gods, why did that just come out my mouth?

She tried to hide her embarrassment with false confidence, sitting straight in her seat. She needed a distraction, not a rejection!

Cally shot her a look of interest as if to say, “We shall talk about this later.”

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