King of Cups (Stormcloud Academy 2)

Then Gianas turned away again, our conversation apparently concluded. A chill ran down my spine. What did that sleepy-eyed scholar know that I didn’t? He had looked at Zephyr and me like we were already halfway to the crypt.

My eyes swept across the sea of ancient desks, most of them already occupied by surly, under-rested sophomore students. One seat was free, though: the one next to Theo.

“Morning, stranger,” he muttered as I settled next to him.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m the worst.”

It had been days since we last talked. We’d both known that the moment Zephyr came back, my attention would be lopsidedly divided. I wanted to be better at our friendship, but the Kings had a gravity of their own.

“Are we allowed to speak?” he replied without emotion.

“Of course, we can. I’m not a damned prisoner.”

“I never said you were.”

Professor Gianas loudly cleared some phlegm from his throat.

“Enough chatter,” he growled to the class. “Let’s begin.”

“After,” I whispered to Theo.

Theo was about to drop another snide reply, but he stopped himself. It had nothing to do with me, though. Gianas was staring daggers at him.

We all sat in rapt attention for the next ninety minutes as he traced Stormcloud’s founders back through the centuries, before the unification of Europe, the ages of city-states, the Dark Ages, all the way to the fall of the Roman Empire. The founders’ lineage could be traced, he insisted, to local governors who served the final Emperors. These dynamic, ruthless men made deals with the invading tribes to retain their wealth, land, and lives. Their families founded the first post-Empire banks in the West, meaning the money that built this school was the oldest in Europe.

“It would not,” Gianas summed up, “be a stretch to say you are following in the tradition of Kings. Indeed, the legacy of this institution is more significant than political power or wealth. Stormcloud’s founders descended from the men and women that protected civilization itself. Good day.”

Dazed, we stood and filed out. It took a minute for Theo and me to return to the present moment. When we did, we were in the corridor outside the class.

“I need to see you,” Theo said in a businessman’s tone.

“Sure. This week is rough—”

“What do you mean, Biba? We were working on something important before Zephyr came back.”

“I know.”

“We owe it to Gail—”

“I said, I know, Theo.”

Did he have to bring up Gail? She was always in my mind, and I thought he understood that.

“Let me figure a morning,” I said at last. “I’ll get up early, and we can meet away from campus.”

“Fine,” he replied. “Thanks.”

Suddenly, Zephyr appeared from around the corner, behind Theo. I glanced past Theo and met Zeph’s distrustful expression. Theo turned around and regarded his rival. For a split second, I feared there would be words. Instead, Theo blinked. He gave a curt nod to Zeph and skulked away.

“Brant,” Zeph muttered, approaching me.

“Yes, Brant,” I answered.

“Not a good idea, Biba.”

“What’s that mean?”

“The fuck you think, huh?” he snapped. “You think it’s cute, fraternizing with him?”