him again f

d, where he usually passed through with a group of poli

ed. Quietly.

cted like it

I kept glancing toward th

ernoon, stirring sugar into her te

ebrow. "You do

al. That's kind of his superpower. Looking like

watching m

... inte

oo long

Oh, you are. God, Elena. That's lik

oked away. "I'm

d thing," she said gently

-

when I saw

ross the stone like a painting coming to life. I was on my way back fr

as t

e he'd been caught between a meeting and a memory. His tie was loose. Ha

ooked like that.

expression was far away - like

gaze shifte

rything

-

dn't

dn't

ent, it felt like the entire campus had gone still. Li

quietly, and walked

n't f

y pul

-

at my desk, trying to read for History of Empire, but the

d. Not

hing

like rec

-

, he sat alone d

ever h

st stirred his tea, untouched. Fingers tight around the cup. His friends surrounded him b

ollowed

rent," she murmure

know what

"You're a t

t say an

dn't ha

. "He asked about

ze. "

weren't at the comm

did he

He asked if you

was

uestion about

t t

chest flutter in the mos

-

found a note

d. Un

chedule like it had

tower. Sunset. Do

as no s

dn't nee

d've ig

I di

-

xcept during ceremonies. Or detentions. The stairs groaned under my

pushed the doo

er the west woods. The sun was sinking behind the trees, bleeding

turn when

dn't do this kind

et for a m

don

why

ng on mine like a question h

he said. "That's

-

More than space, really - there were rules. Houses. Rep

l, there

asked you here,"

why di

esit

alked

d my

like the oth

posed to be

aid. "It's

-

ence pr

d something I

ed me s

co

raven crest on the other. The

this?" I

give you when they decide you mig

lse j

e part

dn't

ou showing

in," he said, "ther

at the coin. T

red me," I said. "You c

ly. "I've been playing

d see it-beneath the calm, the poli

aking in him. Qui

w, I was p

e said, voice lower now. "Le

n't c

sho

idn't mo

the coin back. The touch was light. Barely the

d if he f

thless second, I

back. The moment bro

t be here,"

But that's exact

-

er before the

oud. My hands

n my coat pocket...

t taken