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“How do you know so much?”

“History class.”

I should’ve known. “Why don’t you ever pass out at the sound of my voice?”

He shrugs. “Because we’re singing together?”

“Maybe I should study sirens before joining you guys. I don’t know what I don’t know. You know?”

Bash snickers. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Maybe it just had something to do with the alcohol consumed—either by you or the guys in question.”

“Maybe.”

Rudder comes over to us. “There’s a party over at Earwyn’s tonight. Want to join us?”

My stomach knots.

Bash looks at me. “What do you think?”

“Earwyn and her dogfish are the last people I want to see on spring break.”

“Her parties are always the best,” Rudder says. “Think about it.”

I take a deep breath. “I still have exams to study for.”

Rudder smirks. “I could practice one of my new spells on them. Make them be nice to you. Or they could grow an extra head. It’s a new spell, and could go either way at this point.”

I laugh. “I wouldn’t mind seeing them grow extra heads. That could actually be entertaining.”

“Let me know.” He swims away.

Bash cups my chin. “You’d actually consider going?”

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But then after that, I have to study. The last thing I need is to have to repeat the first year.”

“Even if you do, Earwyn, Cove, and Vanya are all graduating. You’ll be free of them.”

“I’m sure someone would rise in their place. There are plenty of people who resent me.”

He rakes his fingers through my hair. “You forget that your uncle gave the edict for everyone to treat you as if they were dealing with him personally. Any harsh word to you is taken as a direct insult to him, and everyone loves him.”

I sigh. “I wish people would just see me as me. They hated me from the start because of Drake. Now they’re being forced to be nice to me because of Tiberias.”

He kisses my palm. “The only way they’re going to form opinions of you is if they spend time with you—like at the party tonight. If you keep hiding away from everyone, they’re going to keep believing you think you’re better than them.”

“That’s what everybody thinks?”

He doesn’t deny it.

“Awesome.”

Bash pulls me close and stares into my eyes, sending a shiver down my spine. “You’ll win them over. Once they get to know the real you, they’ll have no other choice but to love you. Just like you won me over despite my preconceived notion that you were like your dad.”

“That’s what you thought of me?”

He looks away for a moment before meeting my gaze and nodding. “Yes, and once people figure out how amazing you are, I’ll have to beat other guys off with a stick. Actually, maybe I should keep you to myself. Let’s not go to the party.”

I smile. “Stop!”