he trash. He was leaning against the fridge, arms crossed, shirtless, glistening from his early

mid-sentence. The assignment was barely halfway done, an

ing me," Eli

leaned on the kitchen island. "You stared at her like she w

dropped his pen.

yed, brooding boy thing going. You even leaned on your locke

and groaned into his hands. "Sh

fore. I get it it's messing with your head. But girls like her? Complicated. You've

ys the guy who's had more fl

m. Take notes, little brother. Be confident. Don't

. He stood up, his voice lower now. "

faltered.

yxa and Dareon shared under illusione

crossed at her door, his jaw tight. "You're

ed out the window, watching sunlight filt

" he shot back.

e's just... different.

m," Dareon muttere

nched. "I didn't come here to b

bitterly. "I remember. That's

the search. The healer could be there.

did, his voice was low. "And when you're

ly. Because sh

xt day, the air was unusually thick w

"We're reshuffling project partners for the upcoming history

. Elias's stomach tightened

e it

ell - El

eart

yes briefly. She turned away just as

to look to know she'd seen it. The quiet soun

moved to the back of the classroom where

ed her witho

and clearly delighted to be paired with someone like him. The moment their names were read toget

ptain. She gave him a strained smile, her eyes still flickerin

ith," Nyxa muttered as Elia

adows on her cheeks, her fingers clenched tigh

tched. "Bec

not an

. "Because the way you look a

ked. "Diff

she whispered, more to herself tha

ward. "Then s

y, conflicted. "You don't kn

he said, voice

y quickly, eyes shining with some

. I mean it, Elias. You don't want

get to de

stiffened. "Yo

rner of Elias's lips something unf

is tone. Something had cracked in him a quiet control

his voice. He

her sharp, bold, unflin

sweet, quiet

e exchange, jaw clenched so tight it ached. She

ay he smiled at stray cats. The way he always offered his notes to str

ows in her eyes and secrets in h

hate Nyxa.

otect what she b

iggling at something Dareon had said. The demon boy

ias leaned in. Th

n't li

one

ore any real proj

ias caught her wrist gently not hard enough

" he said softly. "Eve

he was fire and she h

ist slide from his grip i

word, she turned

atching her go, his jaw tight, his chest

ses

rmin

ess

was, it wasn

anym