Page 37 of Monster's Melody

He’d glared at me, but his snakes had danced in victory, which had only made me laugh harder.

Vorzak was doing fine in Extreme Water Sports, fine enough that he could master all the challenges on his own, but he made a big production of insisting he needed my assistance and stayed at my side throughout every single class.

This would be annoying, except I was secretly pleased, and of course, I adored swimming with his snakes.

They constantly were forcing Vorzak to switch positions so that another snake could have a chance to swim at my side.They’d tried growing so that they could all swim at my side, except it somehow impacted Vorzak’s balance and they kept dragging him off course or pinning his arms to his side or getting tangled in his legs.So now just one or two swam at my side while the others impatiently waited their turns.

I hated to admit it, but even though I was learning a lot about poisons in my Art of the Poison Garden class, I was no longer plotting how to use my newfound knowledge to cause Vorzak gastrointestinal distress.

This wasn’t good news because it meant, despite my best attempts, I was falling for himagain.

I mean, I guess it was better this time, since he was no longer oblivious to my existence.However, despite his snakes constantly petting and adoring me, Vorzak themannever made a move.

Not one single kiss.

He did stand really close to me during Dragon Riding 101, so close that I could feel the body heat emanating from him, and he was now joining us for meals, doing his best to either sit beside me or across from me.

Both options were incredibly distracting.

The man was hot as Hades and his snakes were always adorable.

I just wished he’d make a move!

Kasi and Mikaela both laughed whenever I complained that he was moving slow as molasses.

“He leaves you gifts all the time!”Mikaela exclaimed.

This was true.

It had been really annoying in the beginning, when I’d been trying to avoid the man.

I’d open my locker in the women’s locker room and find a hand-carved puzzle box that had a tiny snake figurine locked inside it, or I’d walk into Culinary Arts and find a new apron with ocean waves all over it waiting for me.

“How does he know so much about me that he manages to get the perfect gifts?”I demanded at lunch one day, glaring at Kasi and Mikaela suspiciously.

That’s when Kasi told me that Vorzak was in her Familiar Training class.

“What?Why?His snakes aren’t familiars.They’re part of him.”

“I don’t know, something about him not being able to communicate with them, so needing to learn other ways to work with them.Anyway, he’s been quizzing me about you.Favorite foods, favorite colors.”

“And youtoldhim?”

“Of course, I did.You’re my roommate and one of my best friends.And you’re in love with him.So, ofcourse, I’m going to help you win him, even if that means I have to helphimwin you first.”

“Which is as it should be,” Mikaela interjected.

“Exactly.He needs to prove that he’s good enough for you, which means winning you.I didn’t tell him about your scarf collection though.”

Mikaela raised her hand, “Um, that might have been me.”

“Seriously?”I exploded.

Mikaela shrugged.“He’s in my Inner Beast Management Class.I always avoided him, but thensomeonedrew his attention and now he insists on sitting next to me to try and quiz me about you.I held out as long as I could, Jasmine, but youknowhow I feel about snakes.”

Kasi snickered and I burst out laughing.

“I can’t believe you two.Here I am trying to avoid him and my two best friends are helping him court me.”