Chapter 93: The Seat Beside Me

Astrid

Estelle turned her head slowly toward me, and for one second I considered running. Not because she’d done anything to me directly, but because Selene was still there, still kneeling, face wet with tears, while Estelle looked completely calm.

Hiding now would be ridiculous, so I stepped out from behind the corner.

Estelle’s expression softened instantly, that same innocent smile. "Astrid."

I looked at Selene, then back at her. "What’s going on?"

Before Selene could speak, Estelle answered first, light and unbothered. "Nothing serious."

Selene wiped her face fast, but her hands were shaking.

"She was crying," I said.

Estelle glanced at Selene, briefly, and Selene immediately lowered her head. That bothered me more than any threat would have.

"She was upset," Estelle said.

"About?"

Selene’s mouth opened. Estelle cut in first. "Something personal."

I didn’t move. Estelle smiled gently. "You don’t have to worry."

I almost laughed, because that was exactly what I was doing.

Selene finally stood, still refusing to look at me. I remembered her from before, loud, cruel, defiant. This version barely resembled that girl at all.

"Selene?" I asked carefully.

Her head snapped up, and for a second I thought she’d actually say something. Then she saw Estelle beside her and looked away instead. "I’m fine."

She clearly wasn’t.

"What happened?" I asked Estelle.

She tilted her head, still smiling. "You really should get to class."

Polite. Not threatening. But it landed like a dismissal all the same.

I looked at Selene one more time. She still wouldn’t meet my eyes. I had no proof anything had happened, so I nodded and turned away.

A few steps later, I glanced back. Estelle was still watching me, still smiling. I faced forward again, my heart hammering.

I arrived late to class, thankfully unnoticed at first, and sat with my notebook open, unable to write a single word. Selene’s tears kept replaying. I already did what you asked. What could Estelle have possibly asked her to do?

Then I thought about her ability. Illusions. Things that could make people see things that weren’t real, feel things that weren’t happening.

Could she have shown Selene something? Frightened her somehow?

I shook my head. I didn’t know anything yet. Maybe Selene was just upset about something entirely unrelated.

"Miss Vale?" the professor called.

I looked up, everyone staring. "Sorry."

A few students laughed quietly, and I forced myself to focus, though I barely wrote anything for the rest of class.

Reed was waiting outside when I finally left, leaning against the wall, holding a few papers I recognized instantly.

"The library," I said, remembering.

"You forgot," he said.

I took the papers. "Apparently."

He studied me. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

He raised an eyebrow and waited, not pushing, which somehow made it harder to hold back.

I told him. Hearing Selene cry, following the sound, finding her on her knees, Estelle standing over her.

"You don’t seem surprised," I said.

"I don’t know what happened."

"Neither do I." I hesitated. "Selene said she already did what Estelle asked."

His jaw tightened slightly. "Did Estelle see you?"

"She turned around. She knew I was there."

He was quiet for a moment. "Maybe it was nothing," I said.

"You don’t have to convince me it was nothing," he said.

Something in my chest loosened. He took the papers back. "Come on."

"Where?"

"The library. You have reports to finish."

"That’s your response?"

"What did you expect?"

"Something more dramatic."

"Would that help?"

I smiled faintly. "No."

"Then stay with me today," he said, already walking, like he hadn’t just said something that mattered.

The library was packed, students groaning over half-finished reports, someone asking how many words "detailed reflection" was supposed to mean. Reed led me between tables until I saw it, an empty chair beside him, everything else full.

"You saved me a seat," I said.

"Yes."

"The library is packed."

"I noticed."

I sat. He’d already organized my materials, Forest Survival, Combat Fundamentals, all of it. "Where did you get these?"

"Archives."

"When?"

"Earlier."

"You said you were overwhelmed," he said, opening his own notebook. I remembered saying it, once, casually, the night before.

"I remember," he said, and I looked away before he noticed how much that landed.

Too late. His mouth twitched. "What?"

"Nothing."

"You’re doing that thing."

"What thing?"

"Pretending nothing happened."

I pulled out my notebook. "I’m trying to study."

He helped me for a while, correcting details, our shoulders brushing once as we reached for the same page. I felt too aware of it.

A chair scraped. Xander stood there, looking at the papers, then us.

"Really?"

"What?"

He gestured at the table. "You’re sitting there. Beside him."

"You’re welcome to leave," Reed said, not looking up.

"I wasn’t planning to." Xander sat, picked up one of my pages. "This sentence is terrible."

"I wrote it."

"I know."

"Xander."

"I’m helping."

Reed took the paper back. "You’re distracting her."

"I brought constructive criticism."

A student passing by noticed all three of us. "You’re getting help from both of them?"

"Obviously," Xander said before I could answer.

"Lucky," the student said, and left.

Xander looked at Reed. "You brought her here."

"She needed to study."

"Convenient."

"You came here."

"To help."

I watched them, a thought resurfacing. They’re competing. Casually, I said, "I’m hungry."

Both of them looked at me at once. Xander started standing. Reed reached for his wallet at the exact same moment.

Silence.

"I can get food myself," I said.

"No," they said together.

Xander glared at Reed. "Sit down."

"Why?"

"I said it first."

"You stood up first."

"Exactly."

I closed my notebook. "I’m not hungry anymore."

"You just said you were," Xander said.

"I changed my mind."

"Astrid," Reed said.

"I’m studying."

Xander leaned closer. "You’re avoiding the question."

"What question?"

"Which one of us were you testing?"

I went back to writing. "Neither."

Xander laughed. Reed’s expression made it clear he didn’t believe me either.

Xander left before we did, claiming he had something to do, though I suspected he’d just lost the food argument and wasn’t happy about it. Reed walked me back through the quiet corridors.

"Are you two competing?" I finally asked.

"No," he said.

"That’s what Xander said."

He didn’t respond right away. "Did he?"

"You didn’t answer."

He stopped walking. I took another step before noticing and turned back. He looked at me, calm, too calm.

"Do you want me to?"

My smile faded, my heart picking up speed. I didn’t know what he was asking. Or maybe I did, and that was worse.

"I—"

He started walking again. "Come on."

I followed, cheeks warm. "You didn’t answer either."

"Neither did you," he said.

I glared at him. He faced forward, and I walked beside him the rest of the way, still wondering whether Ivy had been right all along.