Chapter 17
Maeve
THE BATHHOUSE IS CROWDED TONIGHT, with thick steam rising toward the ceiling and numerous women soaking in the pools. Alina, Lyra, and Poppy walk ahead of me, and we find a place to put down our things and strip out of our clothes.
“Here you go,” I tell Isis, who’s curled around my bicep. I hold my hand out, and she slithers down the length of my arm, over my hand, and into a crevice in the rock wall. She enjoys the humidity in the air, and every so often she likes to join me here.
“Thanks,” she hisses, already coiling herself comfortably into her little niche. In the darkness and with her glossy black scales, no one will be able to see her.
With Isis settled, I turn to find the girls, and I have to squint through the billowing steam. Lyra’s bright red hair is like a beacon, making it easy for me to spot them.
I step down the few stairs into the main bathing pool, wincing a bit at the heat, then wade over to them where they’ve congregated in a corner.
Poppy has her lavender hair pulled into a bun on top of her head, and she tips her head back against the rocks, closing her eyes.
Lyra and Alina sit on one side of her, so I snag the spot on Poppy’s other side.
As I settle into the hot water, I tune in to what Lyra and Alina are talking about.
“I think it’d be fun. But only if we go together. I don’t wanna go alone.”
“I don’t know . . .” Alina says, tone hesitant.
“Go where?” I ask.
Lyra turns to face me, making the steam rising from the pool curl off in a different direction. “I heard there’s going to be a party in Wysteria for Samhain.”
I arch a brow. “Where’d you hear that?”
But Lyra just gives me her trademark mischievous smile and says, “I have my ways. But I think it’d be fun. We’ve gone to the festival three years in a row, and this is our last year here. We should make it count.”
The reminder makes my stomach pinch.
My last year at Coven Crest.
Our time at the academy has gone by so fast. And I still don’t know if I’ll have a place in the Arcanum Collective next year.
A sense of sadness starts to creep over me. I’m going to miss this. After this year, my life will never be like this again. Our mornings in the dining hall, evenings soaking in these pools together, drinking copious amounts of tea while studying—soon, it’ll all be a memory.
“Maeve?” Alina asks, drawing my attention. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I dunk my head under the water quickly, then smooth my hair back from my face as I break the surface. “Just thinking.”
“About the party?” Lyra asks. “You want to go, don’t you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe. I was thinking about this being our last year here.”
My words might as well be a sadness spell, because all three of my friends lose their smiles.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about that too,” Poppy says quietly. “It’s hard to believe this is our last year together.”
“Stop right there,” Lyra says, pointing a finger at Poppy. “You’re going to make me cry talking like that.”
“Me too.” Alina wipes her eye, then smiles. “We can start getting sad next semester. Until then, no talk of endings. Deal?”
We all look at one another, our smiles returning.
“Deal,” Poppy, Lyra, and I echo together.
“Good.” Alina reclines back against the edge of the pool, letting her eyes close.
“Okay, back to this party,” Lyra says, making me roll my eyes.
“Why do you want to go so badly?” I ask.
“Because it’s our las—” She cuts off quickly, then says, “Because it would be fun, and I want to go with you. Cairn has to work, and Poppy said Aric isn’t visiting for Samhain, so it’ll just be us girls. Well, and the grumpy dragon.”
Alina’s lips flick up into a tiny smile at the mention of Raelan, but she doesn’t open her eyes.
“We can drink and dance and flirt with the spirits who come through the veil. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
Now my lips are slowly pulling up into a smile.
That does sound pretty fun, and I could use a break from worrying about the fellowship, even for one night. Briefly, I wonder what Severin’s plans for the holiday are. Do vampires even celebrate Samhain like witches do? Felex never did, but he didn’t like socializing much anyway.
I flick water at Lyra and say, “Fine, fire witch. I’ll go with you to the party.”
“Yay!” Lyra’s raised voice causes some of the other women who’re bathing to glance in our direction, but anyone who knows Lyra—or knows of Lyra—is used to this. “Alina, Poppy, you’ll come too, won’t you?”
And Poppy surprises me by nodding resolutely and saying, “Yeah, I’ll come.”
Since last year, she’s really started to come out of her shell. Being with Aric has been good for her. I’m glad that after how rocky it was, everything worked out for them.
“Yes! That leaves you, Your Highness,” Lyra says, turning her gaze to Alina.
And given the smile trying to pull at Alina’s mouth, I already know what she’s going to say.
So I guess we’re all going out to party on Samhain.
Hopefully it’ll be a night to remember.