Aurelia
"Avantika… what…what on earth are you doing here?" My voice came out sharper than I intended, breath still ragged from the heat.
She lifted her head slowly, her face blank, eyes unreadable. "I'm here to deliver your dresses. Lady Ferguson… she sent me."
I nodded, but my mind snagged on the wrongness of it. This wasn't anywhere near the dorms, or the classes, or even the training hall. These were the far corners of campus. Quiet, shadowed, almost forgotten.
"Right. So she sent you," I said carefully. "But why are you here? You know the way to the dorms."
"I… Miss Ferguson, I went to the dorms, but you weren't there. Someone told me you were doing interviews, so I started looking. I… must have taken a wrong turn. This door was open and…" Her gaze flicked to the scorched walls. "Then the fire started. I didn't know what to do but hide."
She was breathing fast…too fast…and for a moment guilt pricked me. My flames had been wild just now. Dangerous. She knew it. Still… Avantika had been with me since we were children. She'd seen me lose control before.
And yet… something about her still felt wrong.
"Fine," I said finally. "I was heading back anyway."
She nodded, falling into step behind me.
...
Avantika had brought dresses. Four of them.
"What's the occasion?" I asked, staring at the pile.
"Mr. Aric's birthday. Twenty-third of April," she replied in a duh tone.
"I know that. This seems… a bit much."
"Lady Ferguson insists you look your best. So… might as well try them on." She gestured at the selection. Pink, blue, white, and a bright orange.
"Which one says 'birthday boy's cousin'?" I muttered.
She trailed her fingers over each, finally tapping the blue. "Less extra."
"Hmm." I touched my chin, pretending to consider it. But my mind was still back in that shadowed hallway.
"You know, I'm not done with the interview yet. So just leave tt he blue one and the orange one. I'll try them on later."
Avantika nodded. "Okay, I'll get going then."
A minute after she left the dorm room, I slipped out to follow her. I wanted to see if she'd stop anywhere. But she walked straight to the parking lot.
I returned to my room to freshen up, telling myself it was nothing. She probably just got lost like she said.
But what if…what if that wasn't the case?