Despite our rocky beginning, I actually like him. At least, I do when he’s not going out of his way to act spiteful. With all the free time he’s devoted to my remedial training, his patience and care with animals, the way he protected me from harm when those two absolute dickbags attacked me during magic class, and the genuine pain in his eyes when he put the dragon out of its misery, how could my heart not soften? It pains me that he might not see what I see.

By the time I remember that I wanted to ask him about the process of obtaining a pass to leave Flighthaven, he’s disappeared. I sigh. Probably for the best. With the way he stormed off, I doubt he was in a very obliging mood.

Here’s to hoping Olive can help me out.

Crossing my fingers, I go in search of my roommate.

Chapter Twenty-Four

A good opportunity to ask Olive about leaving campus never presents itself during dinner. My unusually subdued roommate sports pink-rimmed, bloodshot eyes. When I ask if anything is wrong, she shoots me down, claiming she just received some bad news—nothing big—in one of the letters from her family. I don’t pry. I simply let her know I’ll be around if she decides she wants to talk.

Once we return to our room, she motions for me to sit on her bed. “How do you feel about breaking the rules?”

I settle on her mattress, considering her proposition. “How big of a rule are we talking?”

She pulls a small bottle from beneath the mattress and holds it up. “Oh, nothing major.”

In the dim light, I can’t tell what she’s holding. “Is that some kind of drug?”

“No.” She snickers. For the first time this evening, she appears more upbeat. “It’s just nail polish. Against the rules, sure, since it’s not part of our military uniform. But I thought we could paint our toenails. No one will ever know.”

I can’t care less about painting my nails. I do care about Olive, though, and if such a simple task chases the shadows from her eyes, I’m more than happy to agree. “Let’s do it.”

While we paint our nails scarlet, we giggle and gossip, much like Leesa and I did back in our bedchambers as children.

Gods, how I miss my sister. But I’m grateful for this time with Olive. These moments are so…normal, so reminiscent of home.

I finish my first coat and pass the bottle to Olive. “When you mentioned breaking the rules, I thought it was going to be something way worse. Like sneaking out.”

“Don’t put it past me.” She dips the brush in the polish before painting her big toenail. “But where would we go? We’re pretty secluded here.”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Back home, I would sneak out at night and meet with a guy I run a food pantry with. And sometimes, when I got too stir-crazy, I’d slip out and wander around town.”

Her jaw drops. “Seriously? You’re quite the little risk-taker.”

“Seriously. If my mother found out, she’d have been livid, but I was sneaky.” I grin, and Olive flashes a smile of her own. “Speaking of family, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your brother…if you don’t mind.”

She sucks in a breath, face sobering. “I don’t usually talk about my brother. Did someone say something?”

“I overheard some fledglings mention you and your brother. Since I had to hurry back to class, I didn’t hear much, but I got the impression something bad happened.”

Her eyes glisten.

My heart squeezes. “I didn’t mean to upset?—”

“It’s okay.” She brushes away the tear sliding down her cheek. “No one at Flighthaven knows what I’m about to tell you, so please don’t repeat it.”

“Of course not.”

She makes a pained sound. “Flighthaven wasn’t a good fit for Gregory, and, well, he defected.”

“Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly does that mean?”

“He couldn’t stand it here, so he left. He went home.” She lowers her gaze. “Nothing my mother or father said could get him to come back.”

“Not even the threat of the king taking away your family’s titles and lands?”

If what Olive said happened, she wouldn’t be a noble any longer and wouldn’t have to serve here unless she enlisted.