Chapter 82

“Honestly, Ari, you did kill yourself studying for this test,” Rafe says, looking at me seriously, “and I know you know the material up and down. He must have included trick questions

“Rafe,” I sigh, leaning back against the arm of the couch, “I don’t need the Prince going to yell at my professors for me, that’s not going to make a man like Neumann be any nicer or give me better grades.”

“I don’t want him to be nicer, I want him to be fair,” Rafe corrects.

“Well, at least we’re all doing shitty in Chemistry,” I sigh, “not just me. So. He is technically being fair.”

Rafe shifts uncomfortably in his seat, unhappy to not be able to do something to help me, I know. And my heart warms more to see him like that, to know that I have a big brother who’d tear the world to pieces to make it a cozier place for me.

But still, I want to prove myself here I really do. I don’t want to cut corners and get special treatment, and I know Jesse and Rafe get that.

“Well, we’ll burn an effigy of him on midwinter,” Jesse says, his eyes on his own textbook, studying some kind of military theory. “That will make us all feel better.”

Rafe nods sagely, smirking at Jesse, but he gets up when the dumbwaiter bell rings, heading to the little door to get our dinner.

Luca gives me a little nudge with his toe and I turn to see him give me a little smirk and a wink. I smile, biting my lip and leaning my weight against his leg a little more, pleased to

see him.

Because while these past few weeks and months have been absolutely grueling?

Luca has been….absolutely the best part.

Every day we meet at breakfast and I’m absolutely buzzing to see him. We eat with our legs. pressed together beneath the table, and I kind of forget that anyone else is around, so lost

Chapter 82

to do their warrior stuff all day, and I either head

Nights are where Luca and

much as we can. We’re all stressed, I know the program makes us that way. But with

I spent most of my evenings stretched out on the couch, holding my stomach because

laugh the hardest, pushing those buttons expertly like a scientist whose singular job is to make me laugh so hard my ribs

company.

Ben smile happily at Luca and me, I think pleased to be able to watch

perhaps predictably, he’s less

one night after Luca, Ben, and Jesse head down to the gym to do a little boxing practice. Rafe, to my surprise, stays back with me, sitting on the couch with me, studying

not bothering to pretend that he’s talking about

slowly shakes his head at me. “You have a mate, Ariel,” he says softly, like he doesn’t

knowing how to respond to that. Because, of course, Rafe thinks that he’s talking

Rafe sighs, glancing at the door where the three boys

Chapter 82

O

now I’m going to have it with you. But can you promise to keep this between

three of us are very close, but I’m well aware that the bond between Rafe and Jesse is particularly close–knit.

my brother asks me to

do it.

point a couple of years

“Who was it!?” I ask, leaning forward towards

grin and he moves on. “Anyway, dad wasn’t mad at me or anything, but we sat down and he told me some stuff that really…stuck with me. And I’m going to say it now to you and you can do

Fascinated, I nod.

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