Page 18 of Monster's Mistake

“Oh, who with?”

I give her a look.

“What? I wasn’t there when whoever it was asked you.”

I sigh. “You know very well who it is.”

“Just tell me, won’t you?” Anja asks.

“Meic.”

“Really? I didn’t see that coming.” The knowing expression on her face says otherwise.

“Didn’t you? Because according to him, you had something to do with his current personality shift.”

“Oh.” She looks away. “I might have told him to stop making gorgon jokes if he wanted to actually impress you.”

“Right, and did he mention that he thought we were fated mates in that conversation?”

“It was implied,” she says. “You should wear the black dress, it makes you look great.”

“Thanks.” I put it to the side and collect up my other clothes so I can put them away. “So he implied we were fated mates and you didn’t think to tell me?”

“I didn’t know for sure, and I didn’t want to get your hopes up if you are interested in him, or cloud your own feelings.” She strips off her blazer and starts switching her uniform for comfier clothes, no longer caring that I’m in the room with her unlike when she first got to the academy. Living with the same person constantly would pretty much rid anyone of their issues changing in front of someone else. “Are your hopes up?” she asks.

I sigh. “I honestly don’t know what to make of it.” I finish hanging the clothes I’m not going to wear back up and turn around, contemplating what I’ve gotten myself into. “What choice do I really have if fate is involved? It’s a lot of pressure being someone’s fated mate.”

“You can say no,” she responds. “Or I assume you can. That’s how it worked with Cethin.”

“What would have happened to him if you turned him down?”

“I don’t know,” she admits. “But I also didn’t want to find out.”

“Helpful.” I look at the black dress now lying alone on the bed. She’s right, it does make me look great. And Iwantto look good on our date. I want to spend time with Meic, and I want to discover some of the things we could have together.

But being his fated mate is huge. It means this isn’t just the first date of a potential relationship, it’s the first date of somethingsomuch more than that.

I shouldn’t be considering something so drastic at twenty-two. But I suppose if fate’s involved, then it must think I’m ready.

“Eurgh, why is this so complicated?” I ask out loud.

Anja shoots me an apologetic smile. “Because it’s new. Maybe it’s not as confusing as you think.”

I flop down onto my bed and run a hand over my face, managing to rouse Frank from his scaly sleep. He slithers down my forehead and I reach up to tickle his head, getting a soft hiss in response. “It feels confusing.”

“How do you feel about the date?” she asks. “Without the fated mate stuff.”

“Excited,” I whisper, realising it’s the first time I’ve really said it. “I’m looking forward to spending time with him that’s away from the dining hall or class.”

“Even if he makes dumb gorgon jokes?”

“I don’t think he’s going to do that,” I respond, though I don’t have any real basis for that other than what he’s said. “I’ve not really dated very much.”

“Why not?”

I gesture to my head.

A puzzled expression crosses the banshee’s face. “What about the snakes?”

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