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RED

Istaggered into my Killfield cottage that night, exhausted. The moment I closed the door behind me, there was a loud, metallic groan—then awhoosh!of chilly air nearly knocked me off my feet. Shivering, I snatched my red hoodie off the back of a dining chair and slid it over my head. I was not used to air conditioning. I’d spent sixteen years living without it.

After a bit of searching, I managed to locate the button that turned off the AC, but it was still way too cold in my cottage. So I flipped up my hood and made my way to the kitchen. It was well past nine o’clock, and I was famished. And today I actually had to cook my own dinner. So I pulled out two pots—one for the pasta, one for the sauce—glad that at least today’s menu was quick and easy to make.

“The sauce would taste even better with some fresh tomatoes in it.”

I whipped around at the sound of that familiar voice. The voice of the invisible stranger. But he wasn’t invisible anymore.

“Nice to see you.” He winked at me. “I’m Conner.”

The invisible stranger was a teenage boy not much older than I was. But he was quite a bit taller.

Conner offered me his gloveless hand. When I shook it, I felt an unusual warmth under his skin, like there was magic bubbling just below the surface. His whole body was relaxed—from his stylishly disheveled blond surfer hair, to his mischievous smirk. It was like he knew he had all this power brewing inside of him, but he wasn’t all that bothered about it.

“You’re a very powerful Knight.”

“Yes, we already settled that,” he replied with another wink. “I’m not like other Knights. I don’t slay, Ishlay.”

“What does that even mean?” I asked.

“It means I’m way cooler than your average Knight.” He winked at me.

Conner definitely dressed differently than any other Knight I’d met. He wasn’t wearing hard metal armor like Kato, or even leather armor like the mentors. Instead, he wore something that looked a lot like a wetsuit—except instead of neoprene, it was made of some mysterious material that glistened like thousands of tiny dewdrops in the sunlight.

“Sooo.” Conner’s smile was as natural as his magic. “I told you my name. And if you’re going to keep checking me out like that, I’m going to need your name too.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I forced a laugh to cover it up. “I wasn’t checking you out.” I was surprised by how steady my voice sounded because my heart was racing. “I was looking at your suit.” I squinted at the glistening material. “Are those scales?”

“Dragon scales, actually,” he said brightly, setting his helmet on my kitchen counter. “They provide superior protection and also absorb my invisibility spell better than metal or leather.”

I filed away that little nugget of magical knowledge. Who knew when it might come in handy.

“Still waiting on that name.” His smile was easy, relaxed. “Or should I just call you Little Red Riding Hood?”

Blushing, I pushed the red hood off my head. “I’m Savannah.”

His gaze slid to my burning cheeks. “Na, Red will do just fine.” His eyes twinkled, sapphire-blue and mesmerizing.

I blinked, trying to dispel the enchantment. It only kind of worked.

“So, Savannah Winters?—”

“Wait, I didn’t tell you my last name.”

“Ah, well, of course I know who you are.”

“Then why did you ask for my name?”

He didn’t answer my question. Instead, he said, “You’re famous, you know.”

“I am?”

“Of course. Everyone is talking about the girl who wasn’t chosen but ran off to the Spirit Tree to get magic anyway. Don’t worry,” he said quickly, probably in response to my wincing. “I haven’t told anyone the best part: that you’ve had magic all along. That secret is too good to share.”

“Well, thanks.” I frowned. “I think.”

“You’re very welcome.” He joined me in the kitchen. “Now how about we take care of those sauce tomatoes?”