Page 101 of Bonds of Magic
“And I’ve been trying to get your attention for a minute. What’s so fascinating about Sarah’s table?”
“Nothing.” I shrugged. “Just thinking about something she told me once, about healing from spear wounds.”
Nat rolled her eyes. “You would be. Anyway, are you in?”
“In for what?”
“Poker night. You missed last night, but we can do it again next Thursday.”
“Um.” My eyes darted over to Cory, who looked as enticing as ever. Would I have a lesson with him that day? My brain felt fuzzy. Even if I didn’t, would I take the chance to spend the night with him anyway?
“Sure,” I said, still distracted by the spring sunlight slanting in from the high windows and dancing across his cheeks. “Count me in.”
Teresa chose that moment to stand up, so I made hasty excuses to a baffled Nat and followed her out of the refectory again. This time, her path took her back to Hex Haven. I let the distance between us grow, and watched her turn into her own room, shutting the door behind her.
I frowned. Heads of havens didn’t have to teach as many periods a day as I did. I had about twenty minutes before I had to get back to the gym. Was it worth it to stick around and wait?
I sighed. I could stand around all afternoon and still not see anything useful. And I could really use the extra time to prep for class. I’d been so tired after the last one that I hadn’t left the gym as clean as I usually did before lunch.
Somehow, I made it through my next class, which left me with one more to get through: Cory’s. My heart thumped the minute he walked in the door, all my tiredness forgotten in the excitement of seeing his face. I felt like a teenager with my first crush again.
For a moment, I closed my eyes, letting the sense memory of last night wash over me. Cory’s body under mine. His skin in my teeth. His mouth on my cock. I was glad I’d given in to that. He’d seemed to enjoy it almost as much as I did. And he took instruction like a pro.
I was a little surprised he kicked me out so fast afterwards. I wouldn’t have minded staying longer. But it wasn’t a good idea to fall asleep in his room, and given our track record, I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t have. But maybe next time, he could come to my cabin and—
I shook my head, blinking my eyes open. I’d been about to drift off, standing in the middle of the gym. I had to concentrate on the present moment.
Still, it was hard to keep my mind on the lesson I had planned when Cory stood there, ten feet away from me, listening to me explain the exercise with wide, slightly worried eyes. He always looked worried in Combat, but he was doing a lot better as the weeks went on. He was never going to be a Hunter, but he didn’t need to be.
I hoped.
When the bell tolled the end of Fourth Hour, the students broke up into little eddies of activity. I’d assigned some to clean the mats, others to drag them back into a pile in the corner of the room. By their sophomore year, I’d let them do that with magic, but for now, it was all elbow grease. I had to show Clara Tuttle where the extra cleaner was, and when I got back to the main room, Cory was gone.
Without saying goodbye.
I rolled my eyes at myself. Who did I think I was? I’d explicitly told him this was nothing more than physical. I didn’t think I’d need to remind myself of that fact too.
The only students left were the ones putting the mats away, which included Rekha, Adenike, and Meredith today. They walked over to the side wall to pick up their bags and coats, and Rekha gasped, loudly enough for me to hear it from the other side of the room.
I turned around, alert for danger, but there was no threat. Rekha was putting her vocator back on her wrist, and I could see from where I stood that it had lit up, indicating she’d received a message.
“Ooh, who’s messaging you?” Meredith asked.
“Who do you think?” Adenike said with a snort. “It’s from her not-so-secret admirer.”
Rekha shot them both a sharp look. “Don’t call her that. She’s a professor.”
“Yeah, and she’s cozying up to you like she wants to ask you out.”
Rekha rolled her eyes and tugged her sleeve down over her vocator.
“What are you doing?” Meredith asked, pushing her sleeve back up. “Check it now so we can see too.”
“You guys need to get your own lives,” Rekha said drily.
She looked around the room. I picked up a clipboard hanging on the wall and began to walk along the racks of weaponry, ticking off an imaginary list. Behind me, I heard the gentle chime ofRekha’s vocator, and then heard an excited inhale of breath—probably from Meredith.
“Itisfrom Professor Molina,” Adenike said.
