Page 58 of Daughter of Garnet

"Well, it's going to be awkward going to bed tonight. Do I have to worry he's going to knife me in my sleep?"

I cringe, knowing that I am going to get an earful as soon as I walk into that classroom.

"I'll talk to him. It'll be fine."

Gods, I hope it'll be fine. Warren is my friend, and I don't want to lose that, even though he's been an asshole lately. There's too much history there to walk away.

We can work through this. We have to. I have a sinking feeling that I need him working with me, not against.

CHAPTER 29

Zoe

Warren is across the hall from our regular seats, wedged between two people I've never met. He won't look at me as I try to get his attention. I'm not going to jump up and down and wave my arms to force him to look at me, so I will have to corner him after class.

Viv waves me over from our usual seats, and I slip through the row to sit beside her.

"What's going on with Warren?"

"He saw Cliff kiss me." It feels good not to have to lie. I've kept so many secrets from Viv lately, and I don't think I could stomach one more.

She gasps so loud that attention flies to us. "You and Cliff? Since when?"

My cheeks heat as someone sits beside me. I don't look to see who it is, just drop my voice and lean closer to her. "Since yesterday. It's new, but serious."

"I need all the details. We're going to lunch together, and you're going to spill everything, okay?"

"Okay," I concede.

I won't be able to tell her everything, but I will tell her enough.

The instructor still isn't here, so I relax back in my chair and grab my notebook and pencil from my bag, accidentally dropping it on the foot of the person next to me.

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't worry about it." I turn to find Ray, smiling, body angled toward me. "Hey, Zoe."

"Hi?"

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?"

Viv leans over me to wrinkle her nose at her brother. "Why are you sitting over there?"

He shrugs. "This seat was easier to get to."

It wasn't. He could've entered on either side of the aisle and climbed over just as many people.

Before I can say anything, Professor Hayes saunters in.

"Everyone, quiet down. We have a special guest speaker today."

Behind him is a man so tall he makes the professor look like a child. His shoulders are broad, and his dark hair has slashes of grey over the temples. There is something about him that feels familiar, but I can't figure out what.

"Good morning, class. My name is Theodore Bradly." I hear murmuring all around me. Bradly. That's Dominic's last name. Does that mean this is⁠—

"I am your Archon."

Oh. Oh no.