Wren never expected her life to change the moment she set foot in the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. But everything shifted when she met Liam Mairi. Loving him was effortless, bright, and full of promise. Losing him was shattering.
His dea...
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There were, I decided, several perfectly reasonable explanations for what Liam Mairi had said to me last night. I simply hadn't found one yet, which was irritating because explanations were usually one of my greatest strengths. Given enough time and a sufficient desire not to examine something too closely, I could explain away nearly anything. Liam buying me a sketchbook because I'd mentioned drawing? He was thoughtful. Remembering I hated stewed apples and trading them off my plate without interrupting the conversation? Observant. Walking completely out of his way to find me in the sparring gym because he'd wanted to see me? Friendly, albeit in a slightly inconvenient direction. I'd been doing remarkably well with all of it until the bastard looked directly into my eyes last night and told me that every time he learned something about me, he discovered something else he wanted to know.
There was no respectable explanation for that.
I'd spent most of the night trying to find one anyway, and apparently Ryuu had finally grown tired of listening to me mentally rearrange the same evidence because his voice rumbled through my mind as I descended the stairs toward breakfast. "You could accept the obvious."
I could also throw myself off the parapet, I suggested, tightening my grip on the strap of my bag as another group of first-years passed me on the stairs.
"That seems unnecessarily dramatic."
So does accepting the obvious.
"Only to you."
I scowled hard enough that the first-years coming toward me abruptly shifted to the opposite side of the staircase. At least I was still frightening to someone. It was comforting to know Liam Mairi hadn't robbed me of every scrap of dignity overnight.
He's friendly, I reminded Ryuu for what had to be the twelfth time since waking, because apparently repetition could make an argument stronger if I was stubborn enough.
"So you've said."
He likes people.
"A terrible character flaw."
Women like him.
"Tragic."
He flirts.
"Frequently."
My boot caught the edge of the next step, and I recovered before I could embarrass myself further. See?
Ryuu was silent long enough that I could practically feel him organizing his rebuttal, which was never good for me. "I fail to understand how the male's history of flirting with other females explains why he sought you out specifically, listened to you discuss a book he has never read, asked to borrow said book, and then informed you that he wishes to continue discovering things about you."
