Page 84 of Bonds of Starfall

"You’re a good liar." She smiled, but it felt wobbly.

His thumb stroked over her bare knee, his other hand still holding her chin. Her check-ups weren’t routine anymore—they were a way of getting a fix of the man who had stitched up her broken, bloodied heart. The tension was thick; it should’ve been stifling, but Rin loved it. It made a tiny part of her perk up, feeling… not quite dead.

"Sweet girl," Lucien sighed, "what am I going to do with you?"

Rin swallowed. "I wish I knew."

The rest of her check-up was charged, the desire filling the air and refusing to leave.

It clung to her as she left Solar City General, promising Lucien that she would take it easy until he would pick her up for dinner tomorrow night—at his apartment. She had kept him away from the dorms so far, but she couldn’t help but feel his and Cyrus’s collision was imminent.

That evening,when Rin opened the door to her dorm and heard a voice inside, her whole body went cold.

"Xara?" she called, stepping into the room.

The girl in question sat at the kitchen counter, Keir by her side. Their heads were bent over a laptop, soft pop music pouring from a speaker set on the edge of the counter.

Xara’s straight brown hair fell over her shoulder as she lifted her head. "Vesperin!" Xara stood, eyes sad as she walked closer and wrapped Rin in a fierce hug. "I’ve missed seeing you. I’m so sorry." She pulled away, holding Rin at arm’s length as she stared at her. "Things have been so hectic. I’m going to be spending more time at the apartment now. All this time out of routine has been messing with my performance."

Keir leaned against the counter as he crossed his arms. "Anything you need us to do, you let us know, okay?"

Rin stepped out of Xara’s hold, not liking the feel of her hands on her. The touch was unwelcome after having Lucien’s plastic, glove-covered hands prodding her body at her check-up earlier that day, his soft murmurs in her ear. "I’m fine. Thanks," she said coolly. She wasn’t fine. Not at all. Forsomany reasons.

They weren’t pestering her about why there was a man in her room, so she assumed Cyrus had been hiding well. She didn’t know what she was going to do if Xara started staying here regularly. Fuck this. This was what she got for harboring the Prince of Sibeth.

Stiffly, Rin inclined her head to the laptop. "What are you doing?" she asked, turning to the fridge and opening it, the cool air rustling over her thighs and making her skirt flutter. She grabbed a bottle of orange juice, twisting the cap and taking a shallow sip.

The sugary taste filled her mouth. As she drank, the darkness speckling the edges of her vision abated. Lucien had told her to eat. He had been worried about her riding her motorcycle backto the dorm earlier, but she had lied and told him she’d stop and get something at a cafe downtown before leaving. Her appetite was nonexistent. The only time she ate regularly was when Lucien was watching her, making sure her plate was emptied.

"Keir’s helping me with an assignment. It’s been killing me trying to understand." Xara shook her head, blowing out a breath.

"I’m not helping. I know fuck all about this," Keir intervened.

"You know better than me, especially because you were an engineer in our last life."

Xara’s ease of bringing up their past life memories made Rin ill. If Cyrus was telling the truth, Rin should be able to casually bring up their shared history with a smile and flutter in her stomach. Not grow sick with nausea.

Rin set the half-empty juice down, too sick to finish it.

She wanted what they had—the ease, the lingering touches, the way they could communicate with just a glance. She had had that with Kit. Before it was taken too soon.

They bickered lowly, while Rin stared at the countertops. Her eyes settled on a small white bottle, a generic label wrapped around the front, reading,Somnocept. Rest. Reset. Repeat.

The bold letters on the label made her throat close up. Where had she heard of that before? She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing at her temples.

A flash. The same white bottle, lying on a familiar marble countertop. The label,Rest. Reset. Repeat.

"Vesperin?" Keir called. Rin opened her eyes, finding them both staring at her with concern etched into their faces. "Are you okay? I’m sorry. We’re probably too much for you. You’re still grieving, and we’re talking about stupid shit. I’d hate us, too."

"No. It’s fine. I just remembered something…" Rin tapped a finger on the counter, aware that she needed to get back to herroom to Cyrus, but the sight of the pill bottle made her stay. "What’s that?" She pointed at the small bottle.

"Oh, that. Those are mine." Xara’s cheeks grew dark as she lifted the bottle and turned to put it in the cabinet, next to all of her other things. Rin had one, too, on the other side of the fridge, where she kept her favorite snacks and drinks, a few cups she didn’t want anyone else to touch… "I’ve been struggling to sleep lately. Somnocept helps. My doctor recommended it to me."

Rin hummed. Maybe she could do with some of that, too. Somnocept. The name echoed in her head, rattling around like the soft clinking of pills.

Rin grabbed her juice, along with a package of honey potato chips, just in case Cyrus was hungry. She waved them before her. "I’m going to turn in for the night. See you later?"

Xara nodded. "Goodnight! We’re going to stay up a bit longer. This is due by midnight." She returned her focus to her laptop, the blue light shining on her face.