Page 60 of Malcroix Bones Academy

Miranda grimaced, hesitated, then gave me a fierce look.

“She’s a nightmare,” the lavender-haired witch declared in a low voice. “Took one look at me, asked who my parents were,then informed me I would be introducing her to my mother as soon as possible so that she could… I don’t know? Become a movie star? Shag a movie star? Sell skank clothing to movie stars?” Miranda gritted her teeth. “She apparently wants to be afashiondesigner, and imagines herselfquitethe important person I should be falling all over myself to do favors for. Including subjecting my mother to her bullshit, apparently.”

Miranda paused, her eyes drawn to someone at another table.

Still scowling, she jerked her head in that direction. “There she is now. Should’ve known she’d be chummy with the absoluteworstmage in existence.”

I followed Miranda’s gaze.

I startled as soon as I had, shocked to see Elysia Warrington, that haughty, blonde, snobby witch from my bridging course, practically in the lap of the prince prick himself, Caelum Bones. Warrington slung her arms lightly around his neck as I watched, smiling into his face like she’d just gotten a present.

Bones, for his part, barely seemed to notice. He leaned his head in the opposite direction, speaking in a low voice to another mage, who sat on his other side.

I jumped again when I realized that other mage was Alaric Greythorne.

Good God.

How was my world in Magiquethissmall already?

“You know her,” Miranda said wonderingly. “How in Magique do youknowthat horrible witch, Leda?”

“I wouldn’t say Iknowher,” I answered. “But yes, I know who she is.”

I continued to watch the group at the other table.

Nine of them sat there together, likely friends from secondary school. Three of the dumbest, meanest-looking mages I’d seen so far had unfortunately noticed my stare and staredback with undisguised interest. One leered openly, his small eyes cold as he stared at my chest, only looking away to stare at Miranda in the same general vicinity.

“She was in my bridging course,” I said, still watching the hulking, muscular mage and his two, equally mean and stupid-looking mates. Realizing there was no reason to get that lotmoreinterested in me, I pulled my eyes off them with a grimace.

I looked back at Miranda.

“You’re right,” I said apologetically. “She’s absolutely horrible. How soon can you petition to change roommates? I think it’s warranted in this case.”

Miranda pulled a face.

“I’ll definitely be asking that question tomorrow,” she muttered. “Or else I may not finish my degree due to being in prison for murder.” She quirked an eyebrow at my laugh. “Is itreallymurder, though,” she asked with mock-seriousness. “If youaccidentallythrottle someone while you’re sleepwalking one night?”

I snorted again.

It came out louder than I’d meant, and I covered my mouth.

I felt a stare burning a hole into me then and turned, still smiling, to find Caelum Bones had shifted his gold eyes in my direction.

I met his gaze jarringly.

For some reason, I didn’t look away immediately, or even flip him the bird. Maybe more strangely, he didn’t look away, either. His gold eyes held mine, a faint sneer on his lips.

With an effort, I finally forced my gaze to Alaric.

My summer drinking and study and Dragon’s Keep mate was watching the two of us, his expression alarmed as his hazel eyes flickered between me and Bones. He looked like he was trying to figure out how we even knew one another.

As soon as Alaric noticed me looking at him, he raised an elegant black eyebrow. If we’d been sitting closer together, I would have thrown the question right back at him.What are you asking ME for? He’s YOUR psychotic friend.

I looked back at Miranda.

I realized only then that she was still speaking.

“…Jolie seems completely lovely,” she was complaining. “She’s funny, smart, nice, and has impeccable taste in clothes. She even laughed at Luc’s nerd humor just now, which Draken and I usually don’t even get. How is it you got the absolutebestwitch on our floor?apart from me and you, of course?and I got the absoluteworst?”