Chapter 17
Aric
“YOU DON’T HAVE A SPIRIT companion either?
” Poppy asks as I walk her back to her dorm room after our Tuesday afternoon tutoring session.
We spent an hour studying for my upcoming test in Professor Fleur’s Exotic Flora class, but after that, we broke one of Poppy’s rules—no-off topic discussions—and I’ve learned a number of new things about her.
One: Her mom owns the Wandering Cup, a café in Wysteria that I’ve been to at least a dozen times.
Two: Poppy has a cat friend named Pepper, and she named him that because he had a spicy disposition when he was younger.
Three: Like me, Poppy doesn’t yet have a spirit companion—which is somewhat rare amongst third- and fourth-years.
I shake my head. “No. Not yet. I’m starting to wonder if orcs even can have spirit companions.”
Poppy gives me a little smile—it’s not nervous, not like the ones she used to give me—and says, “Of course you can. We just have to have patience. We’ll meet our companions when we need to, and not a moment sooner.”
She says it with such conviction that I’m actually inclined to believe her.
“I’ll take your word for it,” I say. Then I remember something. “Hey, any updates on the ball planning? Decide on a venue yet?”
Her face lights up, and it makes her lavender eyes sparkle. “I talked to Alina, and she asked His Majesty about hosting it at Ravenscroft Castle.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “He said yes.”
“Seriously? That’s amazing.” I grin at her. “The castle is going to be perfect for it.”
“It was your idea,” she says, her cheeks flushing slightly. “So . . . thank you. It really was a great idea.”
“Happy to help, Brains.”
We reach her room, NT33, and standing outside that room is Raelan Ashvale.
I asked Maeve about him when she was a first-year, and she told me all about the princess’s broody knight—and also may have accidentally let slip what he really is: a dragon shifter.
I was concerned about him being around my sister at first—I’ve not heard much about the rare dragon shifters, but most of what I have heard isn’t good—but I decided if the headmistress trusted him, I could too.
And now I actually kind of like the fact that he’s always looking over the girls .
. . even if I’d never tell Maeve that. She’d probably kick my ass.
Or fry me with a bolt of lightning. She might be the only witch at this academy, apart from the headmistress, that I’m actually afraid of.
“This is me,” Poppy says, somewhat shyly, like she’s nervous now that Raelan is overhearing our conversation.
“We still on for Saturday?” I ask.
Poppy nods, and her glasses slip down her nose.
I wonder if I could fix those for her . . .
“Yeah. Want to meet in the entrance hall after breakfast?”
I smile. “Can’t wait.”
My words make Poppy’s cheeks flush, and Raelan shifts his weight and clears his throat, as if to remind us that he’s standing there. Not that we could ever forget. You’d probably have to be dead not to notice his presence.
“Bye.” Poppy waves, then slips into the room and closes the door behind her.
And she leaves me standing with Raelan.
I turn to face him, and he’s probably one of the only people in this academy who doesn’t have to look up to meet my eyes.
“Hey,” I say, holding my hand out between us. “I’m Aric Vandermere. I don’t think I’ve ever introduced myself.”
“You haven’t,” Raelan says matter-of-factly. He glances down at my hand, then decides to put his in mine, giving it a firm shake. “Raelan Ashvale.”
“I know,” I say. When he arches a brow, I explain, “Maeve told me about you. You know, the princess’s knight and all.”
Raelan’s arched brow smooths out, but he says nothing.
This guy’s tougher than I realized . . .
I’m suddenly thinking he might actually set me aflame for what I’m about to ask, but he might be my only shot at this. And Poppy is so worth it.
I take a step down the spiraling staircase, then gesture for Raelan to follow. At first, he hesitates, dark eyes narrowing. But when I gesture with more oomph, he finally relents, his boots near silent on the stone steps as he follows me down to a narrow landing beneath a stained glass window.
“What is it?” he asks, voice clipped, like he doesn’t have an ounce of trust in me.
“Do knights go to . . . balls?” I finally ask.
Raelan’s eyes remain narrowed. “What?”
“Balls. You know, dancing?”
He blinks. “Are you asking if I know how to dance?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess I am.” I laugh despite the absurdity of the situation. Raelan doesn’t.
“Yes. I know how to dance.” He shifts his weight and crosses his arms. “Why?”
A door opens somewhere up the stairwell from us, and I wait until the student passes us by, making sure it’s not Poppy or one of her roommates.
Raelan stares at me the whole time. I feel like he’s being weirdly intense, but from what Maeve has told me, I think this is normal for him.
Before I can explain, Raelan tips his head and says, “Wait. Is this about Poppy?”
Unlike the feeling that came over me when Leo talked about Poppy, I’m comforted knowing Raelan is around and can look after her if she needs anything. I may not know him well—or at all—but I get the feeling he wouldn’t let anyone hurt the witches in room NT33.
Not that I have a right to be comforted by that, I remind myself. I’m not her boyfriend or something.
My stomach squeezes at the thought, and I refocus on the conversation.
With the stairwell now quiet, I nod. “Yeah. I was kind of hoping to dance with her, but . . .” I reach up to scratch the back of my neck.
“I’ve never been to a ball before. And I’m okay with embarrassing myself, but the last thing I want is to embarrass her.
Especially on a night she’s working so hard to make perfect. ”
A long moment passes. Raelan keeps staring at me. Finally, he softens a bit, like he’s letting down his guard. “And you want me to teach you.”
I nod and give him a smile. “Exactly.”
He draws in a breath, then lets it out in a long sigh. “All right.”
I blink. It feels like this was way too easy. I expected to have to do at least a little bit of convincing. “Really? You don’t . . . want something in return?”
Raelan regards me for a long moment, then shakes his head.
The light coming through the stained glass window catches his skin, and I notice what look to be scars around his throat.
“No. Just . . . be good to her. She deserves that.” This time, he’s the one to hold out his hand, and I take it without hesitation.
“I will,” I say. And I mean it.
“Good. Meet me on Sunday evening, about eight.” He turns and starts back up the stairs.
I call out to his back, “Meet you where?”
“The astronomy tower.”
My stomach sinks, but then Raelan is gone, disappearing up the spiraling staircase back to his post outside NT33. I consider chasing after him to ask if we can meet somewhere else, but he’s already going out of his way to help me, a total stranger. And I don’t want to risk him changing his mind.
So I grip the strap of my bookbag, clench my teeth, and continue descending the stairs.
And I just hope I can actually make it to the tower this time.