Page 40 of Stealing Embers

“Not all academy classes are split by grade. This is one we all have to take to graduate, so there are several different years in here. Steel was trying to get away without taking it at all, but it backfired on him. Now he’s stuck with us.”

My eyes sweep the classroom, taking in the mix of students spread across several age groups. My gaze lands on Steel’s back then tracks to the girl sitting in front of him. Unless I’m mistaken, that’s the same girl he was seated next to in the cafeteria yesterday. A girlfriend maybe?

The auburn-haired beauty is twisted in her seat to face Steel. She’s leaning forward as if she needs to eliminate the small space between them in order to hear him.

Pfft. Like it’s anywhere near loud enough in this room to have to do that.

“Look, Grey. She’s at it again.”

Huh? Who’s at what?

Greyson sighs. “If he’d just be clear with her, he wouldn’t have to put up with it anymore.”

They must be talking about Steel. Maybe not a girlfriend after all. At least not yet. Or perhaps not anymore?

“Put up with it? Ha. Are you blind, man?” Sterling gestures to Steel and the girl laughing at something he just said. “Does he lookbotheredto you?”

Steel is slouched down in his chair with an arm thrown over the back. His legs stretch in front of him—one under the girl’s chair and the other lazily resting in the aisle. At first glance, he’s the picture of ease, but as I examine him more intently, he rolls his neck as if stretching a kink out and his shoulders look a little tense. But maybe I’m reading something into the situation that isn’t there.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” Greyson reluctantly offers.

“More likemaybehe’s keeping his options open. Besides, if I had a chick as smokin’ as Nova all over me, I wouldn’t be in a rush to shut that down either.”

I shift, suddenly uncomfortable in my seat.

I don’t know why Sterling’s observations are bothering me, but they definitely are.

Why should I care one way or another who Steel is paying attention to? It’s not like I want him to be a jerk to everyone since he’s one to me.

Okay, that’s a lie.

It bothers me that he’s capable of being charming, but chooses not to even try with me. What’s his problem?

“Sterling, come on.” Greyson gestures to me as if the topic of conversation is too delicate for my ears. I raise a brow to sayseriously?

Like this conversation is anywhere near as crude as the ones I’ve overheard before. A side effect of being invisible is that people tended to talk in front of me all the time, forgetting that just because I’m quiet, it doesn’t mean I’m deaf.

“Seriously, man. You need to develop a filter.”

“What would be the fun in that?” Sterling answers with a straight face.

I bark out a laugh. He does have a point.

Unable to help myself, my gaze drifts to Steel and Nova.

I have no idea what they’re talking about, but when Steel lifts his hand and points a thumb in our direction, turning his head so he can glance over his shoulder, I have a bad feeling I’ve just become the conversation’s hot topic.

It’s all but confirmed a moment later when another mountain-sized guy goes over to talk to Steel and the chick’s gaze cuts to mine and narrows. She glares a couple long seconds before returning her attention to both guys.

That was bizarre.

“Uh-oh, Emberly. You might want to start sharpening your claws.”

“Huh?” Startled, I turn confused eyes on Sterling.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but he’s right.” Greyson itches his eyebrow. “You don’t want to get on her bad side. She’s vicious.”

They can’t be serious.

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