Chapter 21
Poppy
Inside, Alina is sitting cross-legged on one of the couches, a book open in her lap, while Lyra lounges on the floor, sharing a plate of cookies with Juniper. Maeve is at the desk beneath the window, quill scratching across parchment as she works on what looks like an essay.
“There you are!” Lyra says, looking up with a grin, her curls puffing out around her in a red halo. “You ready to go to dinner?”
With Lyra, food always comes first.
I close the door behind me and lean against it for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. “I need to ask you all something.”
Maeve sets her quill down and swivels in her chair to face me. Alina marks her page and closes her book, and even Lyra sits up straighter, the half-finished plate of cookies forgotten on the floor beside her.
“What’s wrong?” Alina asks, concern flickering across her face. Even her spirit companion, Yuki, blinks up at me from over the back of the couch, looking worried.
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s just . . .” I take a breath and push away from the door, then peel off my loafers and set them beside the other shoes before going to sit on the couch across from Alina.
“Professor Silvermoon asked me to do something for her. She needs me to go to Faunwood this weekend to pick something up from her sister for the ball.”
“Faunwood?” Lyra’s eyes light up. “Oh, I’ve heard it’s nice there. Cairn mentioned wanting to take a trip.”
“It’s a beautiful little village,” Alina agrees.
I twist my fingers together in my lap. “But . . . I’d be going alone.
And I’ve never traveled alone. So I was wondering if .
. . if maybe one of you would want to come with me?
We’d leave Friday evening and be back Sunday afternoon.
Professor Silvermoon is arranging everything—the carriage, the inn . . .”
Lyra’s face falls immediately. “Sorry, but Cairn has a couple days off from the conservatory, and he’s coming to Wysteria this weekend. We already made plans.” She reaches out to touch my knee. “Any other weekend, I’d absolutely go with you.”
“That’s okay,” I say quickly, even though my stomach sinks a little. “I understand.”
“I can’t either,” Alina says, and there’s a note of regret in her voice. “Raelan and I are going to the cottage for the weekend. There’s still so much to do before winter sets in.”
Lyra perks up. “Are you finally putting in those new windows?”
“Yeah, and repairing the chimney,” Alina says, her eyes brightening.
She always gets so excited when she talks about the cottage she and Raelan are fixing up.
They found it abandoned in the woods when we were first-years, and they’ve been working on it ever since.
“We’re hoping to have it weatherproofed before the first snow.
Which reminds me . . .” She gets a faraway look in her eyes, like she’s mentally adding to the cottage’s to-do list—or maybe Raelan’s to-do list, but I don’t think he minds one bit.
“That sounds wonderful,” I say quickly, waving my hands. “Please don’t feel bad. I know how important that project is to you both.”
Alina gives me an apologetic smile. “Any other weekend, I’d absolutely come with you. But we’ve had this planned for weeks, and the glass is finally ready for the windows.”
“No, really, I understand,” I assure her.
Which leaves Maeve.
I turn to look at her hopefully, but she’s already shaking her head, and my heart sinks further.
“I’m sorry, Pops. I promised my mom I’d come home this weekend.
She’s been asking for weeks, and I keep putting it off.
” She grimaces. “If I cancel again, she’s going to show up here and drag me back herself. ”
“It’s fine,” I say, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice, though I’m not so sure it works. “Really. I’ll just . . . go alone. It’ll be fine.”
But even as I say it, my stomach twists with nerves. A whole weekend in a strange village, by myself, staying at an inn I’ve never been to, meeting people I don’t know . . .
I immediately start picking at my nails again.
Maeve stands, then crosses the room to sit beside me on the couch. “Actually,” she says, lowering her voice even though Lyra and Alina can definitely still hear her, “I think you should ask Aric to go with you.”
I blink at her, certain I misheard. “What?”
“Ask Aric,” Maeve repeats, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Her storm-purple eyes focus on me intently. “He’d probably love to go. And . . .” She pauses, something shifting in her expression, her dark brows pinching together. “Look, can we talk for a second? Just us?”
I nod mutely, and Maeve jerks her head toward the door. We slip out into the hallway, and she pulls me a few steps away from the door before turning to face me.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this,” Maeve says. “About you and Aric.”
My mouth goes dry. I’ve wanted to talk to her, to ask if she’s okay with me going on a date with him, but I wasn’t sure how to bring it up. “I’m so sorry, I should have asked you first before I—before we—”
“Poppy,” she says gently, tipping her head to one side so her glossy hair slips over her shoulder. “It’s okay.”
I blink. “It is?”
“Yes.” A small smile tugs at her lips. “Look, Aric is my stepbrother, and most of the time he drives me absolutely insane. He’s messy and loud and thinks he’s funnier than he actually is.
” She pauses to let out a sigh. “But he’s also one of the best people I know.
He’s kind, he’s loyal, and he’d do anything for the people he cares about.
And if he cares about you—which he obviously does—then he’s going to treat you right. ”
Relief floods through me so intensely that my knees feel weak. I was so afraid she was going to be upset with me. “You mean it?”
“I mean it,” Maeve says firmly. “You’re one of my best friends, Poppy.
And Aric is . . .” She furrows her brow, as if searching for the right word.
“Well, he’s Aric. But if you two want to date, or go to the ball together, or whatever, then I’m happy for you.
” She reaches out and squeezes my hand. “You have my blessing. Not that you needed it, but there it is anyway.”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I have to blink them away. I’ve always been emotional—something Lyra has teased me about on countless occasions over the years. “Thank you. That means . . . That means a lot to me.”
“Good.” Maeve’s expression turns more mischievous. She and Lyra are similar that way. “Now, back to my original point: Ask him to go to Faunwood with you. I’m serious. He’ll probably jump at the chance.”
The relief I felt a moment ago is quickly replaced by a new wave of anxiety. I almost start fiddling with my nails again. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
One of Maeve’s brows arches into a sharp point. “Why not?”
“B-because . . .” I fumble for the words. “Because we just started . . . whatever this is between us. And a whole weekend? Just the two of us? What if it’s awkward? What if we run out of things to talk about? What if—”
“Poppy.” Maeve’s voice is gentle but firm, and she takes me by the shoulders, looking me in the eye. “You’re overthinking this. Aric likes you. You like him. You’ll have a great time.”
“But . . . what if he says no?” The question comes out smaller than I intended, my voice almost lost in the tower’s winding stairwell.
Maeve’s expression softens. “He won’t. Trust me.”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. A weekend trip to Faunwood with Aric. Just the two of us.
Butterflies swirl in my stomach at the thought.
“Okay,” I say finally, my shoulders drooping as I give in. “I’ll ask him.”
“That’s my girl.” Maeve grins and loops her arm through mine before tugging me back toward our room. “We should probably head back inside before Lyra starts making up wild theories about what we’re talking about. Though it is kind of fun to leave her guessing. You know it’ll drive her crazy.”
As if on cue, the door swings open, and Lyra pokes her head out. “Are you two done with your secret conversation?” Her tone is sharp, her crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Maeve rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “We’re done.”
We file back into the room, and I sink down onto the couch again, mind racing.
Am I really going to do this?
“So?” Lyra prompts, crossing her arms and leaning forward eagerly. “What are you going to do?”
I glance at Maeve, who gives me an encouraging nod.
“I’m going to ask Aric to come with me,” I say, and saying it out loud makes it feel more real. And more terrifying.
Lyra claps her hands. “Yes! A romantic weekend getaway!”
“It’s not a romantic getaway,” I protest weakly, my cheeks tingling with heat. “It’s just . . . a school trip. To pick something up for Professor Silvermoon.”
Lyra’s expression turns more serious. She pops a hip and levels a look at me. “You like him, right?”
I nod, not trusting my voice.
“And he clearly likes you. So stop worrying so much. Just ask him. The worst he can say is no.”
That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.
Still, I force myself to nod. “You’re right. I know. I’ll ask him.”
“When?” Maeve asks.
“I . . .” I glance toward the window, noting the angle of the late-afternoon sun. “I could try to find him now. Before dinner.”
“Do it,” Lyra urges. “Before you talk yourself out of it. Because you know you will.”
She’s right. If I wait too long, I’ll spend the entire evening convincing myself it’s a terrible idea.
“He’s usually on the runeball field at this time of day,” Maeve offers. “Practice runs until just before dinner.”
The runeball field. Which means he’ll be all sweaty and glisteny.
My stomach flips. It’s been doing that a lot since Aric first knocked on our dorm room door.
I stand on shaky legs and smooth my skirt down over my dark tights. “Okay. I’m going to find him.” My feet feel heavier than lead as I move to the entryway and pull my loafers back on.
“Good luck!” Alina calls as I clasp my cloak and reach for the door handle.
Maeve gives me a thumbs-up, and Lyra blows me a kiss.
I slip out into the hallway, my heart hammering against my ribs. As I descend the spiral staircase, each step harder than the one before it, I try to rehearse what I’ll say.
Hi, Aric. I know this is sudden, but would you want to come to Faunwood with me this weekend? Professor Silvermoon needs me to pick something up, and I’d really like the company. Your company, specifically.
I almost cringe. No, that sounds too desperate.
Hey, Aric. Want to go on a trip with me this weekend?
Too casual.
I’m still trying to figure out the right words as I make my way across campus toward the runeball field, the crisp breeze ruffling my skirt and cloak.
The golden sun casts long shadows across the grounds, and I can hear the distant sounds of practice—shouts, the whisper of the arcane sphere as it flies through the air, the occasional burst of laughter.
I could still turn around, tell them I couldn’t find him.
No, they’d see through that, and Maeve would probably march me right back out here.
There’s no escaping this.
When I round the corner of the athletics building, the runeball field comes into view.
And so does Aric.