Page 23 of Centaur Bolt

My heart ached. It only brought home the fact that Marcus was really gone. Kiko and I walked the path in silence until we were almost at the building.

The Satyr proved she was a roommate-graduating-to-friend by offering encouragement. “Maybe Cara will be able to trace him through the gate.”

“I get the feeling they’ve been trying to find this Isobel for a long time.” Frustration clouded my voice.

“She’s an evil bitch.” Kiko led the way into the academy building.

I appreciated her effort, but it wasn’t making me feel any better. My gut was in knots, and my mind spun so fast it buzzed.

“Lunch’ll be ready.” Kiko sounded almost wistful.

“I’m not hungry, but you go ahead.”

As we ascended the stairs, thoughts of eating only consolidated the stomach knots into outright nausea. When we reached the second level, I noticed a sign.

“Library,” it said. With an arrow.

There was alibrary. My feet carried me in that direction before my brain made the decision to do so.

“Are you going toread?” Kiko’s tone hovered between quizzical and astonished.

“I am.”

She trailed uncertainly after me. “You aren’t going for lunch?”

“I will be,” I replied. “But I’ll check the library out first.”

She followed me, apparently deciding near-friend loyalty trumped a growling stomach.

Constance stood just inside the propped-open doors. She wasn’t alone. With her was an adolescent male’s dream woman—tall, with unbelievable curves above and below a tiny waist. Her hair was a shade of platinum that humans only ever got out of a bottle, and she wore a skin-hugging bodysuit the color of the sun.

She was so stunning, she almost glowed, despite the dark circles around her eyes and hollow cheeks.

Well, a few of us had been through our own nightmares to get here. I guessed she wasn’t any different.

As the woman followed the headmaster’s assistant farther into the library, she moved like sin itself. Of the few students seated at the tables, every male head pointed in her direction. They might have been drooling, I wasn’t sure. The lone female stared as well, but her expression was far from friendly.

“Bloody Dragonas,” muttered Kiko. “Don’t need pheromones. Look at her.”

I was in a daze about Marcus, but I couldn’t look away, either. She was really that gorgeous.

“Well, that bodysuit is rather revealing,” I pointed out.

“That’s not a suit,” Kiko whispered. “She’s grown scales as clothing.”

I blinked. Yowsa. That explained some things. Like how what they wore was almost pornographic. I thought about Cara’s silver bodysuit, and how it matched that of the Bellati at the gate, and Eli’s and Cass’s, too.

“Do the Liberis grow hair instead?” I asked.

“Yep,” Kiko replied.

The Satyr was definitely rubbing off on me. My mind immediately went there. Did they really grow hair on their—

Constance rescued me from my thoughts. “Hey, you guys saved me from tracking you down! Riley, Kiko, this is Vali. She will be joining team Centaur.” She smiled at the newcomer and gestured to us. “Riley is a Jumper. And Kiko is a Firestarter.”

The Dragona seemed restless and uneasy, unable to fully stand still. And something about her—there was a sadness in her eyes. But she made the effort to smile. “Hello,” she said. Her eyes met mine. “You’re a Jumper? I’ve never met one before.”

“They are rare,” Constance informed her, before gesturing to Kiko and me. “If you two could show her around? Bess was going to get her settled, but—” she broke off, her glance sliding to me, and away. “If you guys can do that for her? She will be sharing a room with Lora.”

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