Chapter 15
Aric
COACH GRAYWARD RUNS THROUGH THE game with us in the team meeting room, going over what we did well and areas where we could improve.
All the runeball teams play multiple games against one another over the course of the year, so we’ll face the Strikers again later this semester.
And if Hexrush and the Sigil Strikers both make it into the finals again this year, we’ll have an opportunity to take them down and get the Arcane Cup back.
“All right, go eat and enjoy your weekend,” Coach says. Then he catches my eye. “Vandermere, hang back.”
A knot forms in my stomach. What does he want to talk about? My performance? My grades?
On his way by me, Leo says, “Good luck. See you out there.” He slaps me on the shoulder, then keeps walking.
Once the meeting room has emptied out, Coach takes a seat beside me.
“So, I talked to a few of your professors this week.”
The knot in my stomach tightens. Is this it? Is he about to bench me—or worse, kick me from the team entirely? I almost start to babble, wanting to explain, to do or say anything I can to stay on this team.
But Coach says, “Professor Elwood was especially pleased. She said you impressed her with a rune charm of some sort.”
I think of Ma’s ring, which is currently tucked safely into my bag, still glowing softly. I’m not sure when the charm will wear off, but I do know that Poppy’s the reason I got it to work in the first place. She’s the reason I haven’t lost my place on this team. Yet.
“Now, this doesn’t mean you’re in the clear,” Coach says, voice taking on that stern edge he uses when he wants us to listen closely.
“I’m going to keep doing weekly check-ins with your professors until you get your grades up and are out of the woods.
We need you on this team, Vandermere. We would’ve lost this game without you.
So keep it up. I want you to hold the Arcane Cup this year.
You deserve it.” He claps me hard on the back, almost knocking the air out of me.
As a wolf shifter, he’s got muscle, even on me.
“I will, Coach. I promise.”
“Good.” He smiles, his fangs showing the barest amount. “Now get out of here. You’ve got better things to do than sit around with me all weekend.”
I shake his hand, then fetch my bag and head into the hallway outside the meeting room, only to find Leo leaning up against a stone wall, arms and legs crossed, waiting for me.
“So,” he says as he falls into stride beside me. “You off the team or what?”
I glance down at him. “Tryin’ to take my place already, huh?”
“I mean, I think I could be captain. I’m a natural-born leader.” He trips on a rogue textbook lying in the hallway, and I snatch the back of his tunic to keep him from face-planting.
“Yeah, and a natural-born klutz.”
Leo shakes me off, then says, “I saw you with that cute purple witch.”
A burst of defensive heat goes through me at the thought of other guys noticing her—and how damn cute she is. But that’s ridiculous, so I quickly tamp it down. It’s not like she’s mine . . . even though I like the idea. Maybe a little too much. “That was Poppy, my tutor. Remember?”
“Poppy, right.” Leo digs in his pocket for something, then comes up with a foil-wrapped candy.
He quickly pops it into his mouth before looking up at me.
“You’ve had girls falling all over you for as long as I’ve known you, but I saw that look you were giving her.
” He nudges me as we walk. “It was different.”
I furrow my brow. “Different? Different how?”
Leo shrugs and sinks his hands into his pockets as we step out of the athletics building and into the crisp afternoon air, our shoes thumping on the warm cobblestones underfoot.
“Good game,” a girl calls as we walk by. “Amazing save, Aric.”
I smile at her but keep walking.
“See?” Leo mumbles. “As I was saying. All over you. But that”—he points at my face—“isn’t the smile you were giving Poppy.”
He’s right. I know he’s right.
Something about Poppy feels different. I’ll admit, she’s not my normal type, but my normal type has never worked out in the past. And something deep inside me really wants this to work out with Poppy. Whatever this is.
When I don’t respond, Leo does what Leo typically does and launches into a new topic of conversation.
“You heard about the Blue Moon Ball?” he asks as we step into the main entrance hall of the castle and start making our way through the cluster of students toward the hallway that’ll lead to the east tower. “Everyone’s talking about it.”
“Yeah. Why?”
Leo looks up at me, one brow arched like he’s saying something obvious and I’m not getting it. “You should ask Poppy to go with you. Be your date.” He elbows me, and I’m distracted enough by what he said that it actually makes me stumble.
Why hadn’t I thought of that?
Oh, yeah. Because I’ve never been to a ball and have no idea how to dance. At least, not the way I imagine people will be dancing at a ball.
Then an image creeps into my head of Poppy in a gown, her hair hanging around her face, pink color touching her cheeks, and I realize I want to go. As long as it’s with her.
But I’m going to have to prepare first. And there’s only one person I know who might be able to help me with that.
Hopefully he doesn’t burn me to a crisp for asking.