Page 2 of Faerie Gift

“Hey there, Tavi,” she called out when she got close. “How are you doing today?”

We waved identical plastic-wrapped food at each other. Yup, we were the same on the inside.

“I’m well enough. What are you up to?” I asked her.

She pursed her lips, staring down at the meal she held in her hand. “Just picking up dinner to take back to the office. How about you? Do you have everything you need?”

Seriously, Nurse Julie was the sweetest. I’d gotten super lucky to count her among my friends. “I think I’m okay.” I thought back to the box of potions stored under the pillow in my bunk. So far I’d managed to keep from wasting them when I messed up, and was only taking one every thirteen days on the dot. “But I appreciate your checking up on me,” I finished.

“Okay, well, if you need me, you know where I am.” Wings fluttering behind her, Nurse Julie put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing before moving past me out of the cafeteria.

“I appreciate it.”

I settled in my seat and carefully unwrapped my meal, staring at the sandwich. Wheat bread with dried-out crust, the meat inside looking like some kind of byproduct rather than anything edible. Bologna, maybe?

I couldn’t say I was surprised.

“You shouldn’t have to eat alone. It sucks. Good thing I came out when I did.”

Blinking up in surprise, I watched Nora slide onto the bench opposite me. She pressed her glasses higher on her nose and stared at me through narrowed eyes.

“Thanks,” I told her. “It’s good to see you.”

I’d met fellow Halfling Academy student Nora Kwan a few times before winter break, but our frequent trips to the library over the holidays quickly marked her as a new friend. I’d take as many of those as I could get.

Nora was older than me by a few months, quiet, with black hair cut just beneath her chin, narrow eyes, and a distinctivebookwormvibe.

An orphan, she’d entered the first-year class with me as half fae, half human. We shared the same dorm room in the castle but never had a chance to bond much thanks to our very loud, very obnoxious bedmates. AKA Persephone and her group of identical mean girls.

“Is that what you’re eating?” Nora pointed her fork toward my sandwich.

I groaned, nodding, wishing I could take a bite of her pasta with peas and prosciutto. “Apparently so. Chef doesn’t like me much. He makes sure I pay for requesting special dishes.”

“Damn those food allergies. They’re no joke but people hate it when they have to go out of their way. Now it looks like you really are paying the price,” she said softly. Then shook her head and twirled the noodles around her fork. “But I guess it beats swelling up like a balloon.”

“Yeah, it’s better than dealing with the garlic.” I shuddered.

“You’re telling me. I think I just found an entire chunk. Not even chopped. A whole clove.”

Her pastadidlook suspect but I wasn’t about to say anything to her. “I took down my Christmas tree today,” I said instead, grabbing hold of my sandwich and taking a bite.

Drier than the desert.

“That’s good,” she replied. She twirled her fork again and this time knocked several pieces of garlic aside. “You had it up long enough. Christmas was last week.”

I chuckled. Nora definitely had opinions and no shame in sharing them. Plus I had the distinct feeling she hated Christmas as much as I did, although I didn’t blame her. I hadn’t looked forward to the holiday this year either. It was my first I’d spent alone since running away from home. Of course my mind drifted toward my uncle William, who’d been my caretaker for the last twelve years of my life, and what he was doing without me there.

Those thoughts led to nothing but depression.

Uncle Will no doubt hated my guts now. I’d run away from the home he provided, stolen his money, and definitely rebuked the marriage he’d planned for me. If he found me…

No, those were banned thoughts too.

“You’re probably right,” I told Nora. “Besides, it was getting old trying to clean up those loose needles on my bed all the time. Speaking of beds, how is your insomnia?”

Her gaze dropped. I’d noticed the dark circles under her eyes, marring her porcelain skin. “I don’t know. It seems like the insomnia is getting worse and worse. It’s probably the stress of the culling. I barely made it through.” Her voice took on a woeful tone.

“You did make it through, though, and that’s what matters.” I reached across the table to place my hand on top of hers.

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