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“Only when he’s nice to me.”

Dante rolled his eyes at me. “Come on. Let’s go.”

The other Apprentices were on the move, making their way toward the Knights’ Castle. There it was—beyond the blossoming forests, past the fields of paradise—a castle that outdid every fairytale castle ever. The Castle was actually six castles, each one distinct in color and shape and style. And yet the unique personalities of all six castles still managed to match together. The castles were linked by halls, passageways…and hedges of high, majestic towers.

“So, how do you know those Victory kids so well anyway?” I asked Dante as Dutch and Rhett watched us, snickering.

We’d just passed under a stone bridge to enter an open, grassy space at the center of the mega Castle. It was large, hexagonal in shape, and looked like the perfect spot for a picnic.

Dante turned away from the two boys. “Unfortunately, I was grouped with them for the Assessment yesterday.”

“What, like both of them?”

“Oh, it’s not just the two of them,” Dante sighed as the Apprentices spread out inside the grassy hexagon. “I was with the whole Victory gang. All four of them.”

“I’m sorry.”

He flashed me a lopsided grin. “Don’t be. It gave me the chance to prove that I’m the far superior Apprentice.” He flexed his bicep, as though that proved his point.

I snorted.

“Savannah.” His face grew more serious. “There are a lot of very fit, very smart, very competitive people here.”

“I’m not sure where you’re going with this…”

He set his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t let any of them tell you that they’re better than you. Because they’re not.”

“Wow, Dante.” My throat tightened up with emotion. “I don’t know what to say.”

“None of them can hold a candle to you, Sav,” he continued. “You’ve already got them beat. You’re special. Just remember what I’ve been telling you our whole lives: no one could ever be as much of a freak as you are.”

The sappy, happy feeling in my chest burst like a balloon. “Gee, thanks, bro.”

He flashed me a bright white grin. “No problem. And there’s much more where that came from…should you ever need another pep talk.”

I gave him a flat look. “I think I’ll pass, thanks.”

He shrugged. “You might change your mind.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath on that. No, on second thought,dohold your breath. If you pass out on the ground, you won’t be able to annoy me anymore.”

Bronte looked at us like we were exotic zoo exhibits. “You two fight a lot.”

“Siblings do that,” I told her.

“I wouldn’t know,” she said quietly. “I don’t have any brothers or sisters.”

“You’re not missing much.” I stuck my tongue out at Dante.

“He stood up for you when those boys were mean to you,” Bronte pointed out.

“Yeah, that’s because Dante has decided he has exclusive rights on annoying me, and he’ll beat up anyone who challenges those rights.”

“She’s not wrong about that, you know,” Dante said with a shrug and a wink.

Bronte sighed. “I wish I had a brother to annoy me.”

“You can have my brother if you want,” I offered.