Page 17 of A Witch and Her Dragon
Her fingers curl into a white-knuckled grip around the strap of her shoulder bag. “Then I’ll write to Grandfather, andhecan tell you to back off.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.” I hold out a hand, gesturing to the staircase. My use of Alina’s full title seems to further irritate her, if the sharp look she gives me is any indication. “Shall I escort you to the library now?”
“I told you to call meAlina.” She lets out a frustrated huff, then stalks past me. And I realize for the first time how beautiful her anger is.
Even if it’s directed at me.
Especially if it’s directed at me.
You sick masochist, I think.
And then I follow her to the stairs, and we start back down from the astronomy tower.
Chapter 9
Alina
“ALL RIGHT, PAIR UP AND stand up. About three feet apart,” Professor Stone instructs, waving his arm at us from where he stands at the front of the classroom. Thin gray light slips through the big windows, and candles flicker in sconces, sending shadows dancing across our desks.
I get to my feet and tuck in my chair, then turn to face my partner.
Lyra’s crimson eyes are sharp and playful as she pushes her chair in and turns to look at me. She’s wearing citrine earrings, which sway with every movement of her head.
“Now, we’re going to practice an exercise that’s all about energy flow, synchronization, and, of course, air—our element of breath, communication, and movement,” Professor Stone says. “Take a moment to ground yourselves. Close your eyes if you need to. Feel your feet firmly planted on the floor. Imagine roots reaching deep into theearth, anchoring you, while your crown extends toward the sky, reaching up to connect with the limitless energy all around us.”
Lyra’s lips quirk up on one side, but she closes her eyes, and I do the same, taking a breath to ground myself. I quickly tap into my senses, focusing on what I can hear—papers rustling, students breathing, the tap of a boot against the stone floor—what I can smell—ink from our inkwells, the delicate scent of smoke from the candles burning in sconces along the walls, and something delectable floating up from the dining hall on the main floor—and what I can feel—my toes in my lightweight boots, my long robe tickling my stockinged calves, and something crawling up my—
I squint one eye open to see a rat clinging to my leg, trying to climb my stockings like a ladder. Without meaning to, I scream, making all the students around me jump and flinch.
“Miss Ravenscroft!” Professor Stone snaps, grasping his chest. “What in the name of—”
Before our professor can see what’s happening, Lyra quickly pries Juniper off my leg and tucks her into a pocket on the inside of her robe. I narrow my eyes at her, but all she does is flash me a quick smirk before flicking her gaze to our professor.
“Sorry, Professor,” she says, tipping her head and giving him an innocent smile. “It was just a spider.”
Professor Stone comes to stand beside us, his brown eyes sharp, but before he can say another word, the classroom door swings open with such sudden violence that I start and whirl around, my heart leaping into my throat.
And it’s Raelan standing there, his dark eyes looking murderous as they quickly find and home in on me. They burn with such intensity that I draw a small breath. Everyone else in the room turns to look at me as well.
It’s been two weeks with Raelan following me around, but unlike my roommates, I still barely know him. It certainly doesn’t help that he barely speaks to me. Or that on the rare occasions wedotalk, it’s usually just to argue.
I wrote Grandfather a letter after the argument with Raelan in the astronomy tower, but Grandfather brushed it off, choosing instead to ask about my classes and whether they’re still serving apple potpies for dessert.
Yes, they are. Yuki loves them. But then again, Yuki has an incurable sweet tooth.
Grandfather scarcely even entertained my request for a new guard, so I suppose I’m stuck with Raelan. For now.
“All is well, Sir Ashvale,” our professor says, letting loose a tired sigh. I think having one of the king’s knights lurking in the halls puts the faculty on edge.
But Raelan doesn’t even look at him. His stare holds me captive, sending warmth creeping across my face. Or maybe that’s all the pointed stares from my classmates.
I give Raelan a curt nod, and only then does he finally step slowly back and close the door with a soft thump.
“Our very own knight,” Professor Stone says without looking at me. He reaches up to adjust the bow tie around his neck, then returns to the front of the classroom. “How’d we get so very lucky?”
The other students laugh, and I bristle beneath my robes.
Raelan seems incapable ofnotembarrassing me. I’veyet to make any friends apart from my roommates, and the bitter part of me wants to blame it on him. Most of the students seem afraid of him—and after the show he put on in the astronomy tower, I understand why.
