Page 74 of Stealing Embers
Blaze points to me but keeps his eyes glued to the floor.
White fire hair? I’ve been called worse.
“And we might have maybe sorta listened at the door just a little bit.”
Sterling presses his lips together, the corners turn up. Lifting a hand, he cups it over his mouth. Greyson groans and Steel just lifts his eyes skyward and shakes his head.
“Are you a princess?” a soft voice asks. Aurora’s clear eyes are fastened on me.
“Me? Um, no?” That wasn’t supposed to be a question.
“Are you sure?” Her stare is unnerving, and I squirm in my seat. It’s an innocent question from a little girl, but it still bothers me. Princesses have never eaten out of dumpsters or slept in public parks; they host banquets and sleep on a thousand mattresses in plush palaces. Princesses aren’t orphaned, anti-social loners; they know exactly who their parents are and have armies of people who love and adore them. Princesses aren’t left to fend for themselves in a savage world; they are protected and cherished.
I’m as far from a princess as any girl can get.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” I quirk a half-smile because she looks so disappointed in my answer. “There’s nothing special about me.”
She shakes her head. Wispy strands of blue-black hair float in the air around her face. “No, that’s not true. The air around you sparkles. You’re very special!”
I blink at Aurora and then cut Steel a look. Sparkles?
He’s watching me with a thoughtful expression that hardens after a moment. “Grey, Sterling, can you get these two back to their rooms? It’s late.”
Sterling heaves out a frustrated breath, realizing staying in the office isn’t a battle he’s going to win. “Sure. Come on munchkins, looks like you still need your big bros to tuck you in.”
Aurora slides off Steel’s lap and claps her hands together in glee. At the same time, Blaze lets out a moan, a scowl pinching his features. “I’m not a baby,” he argues. “You don’t have to bring me back to my room.”
Greyson leads the two to the door, Sterling bringing up the rear. “Oh, we know you’re capable of getting to your room, squirt. We just think you’re sneaky enough to find a new hiding place instead of heading there.”
A mischievous smile breaks out on Blaze’s face. His brother has him pegged. He must have given his parents a few gray hairs already. A clump of dark locks falls into his eyes and he swipes it away, winking at me as he exits the room.
“Did you see that? Is he trying to flirt with me?” I ask Sterling as he passes by.
“What can I say? He takes after his big brother.” Sterling throws me a matching wink as he follows the group out the door. Aurora’s excited voice can be heard down the corridor.
“Grey-Grey, wait until you see the new nail polish Mom sent me. It would look great with your complexion.”
Ash and I both snort a laugh before the door fully closes.
“I’m afraid I have to ask you to leave as well,” Sable says to Ash. She holds up a hand to stop Ash’s complaints. “We both know she’s going to tell you everything when she gets back to your dorm anyway. Please just let me deal with the issue between the two of them.”
“You promise not to send her away?”
“I’m not sending Emberly anywhere. She’s welcome to stay here for as long as she likes.”
Ash crosses her arms over her chest. Her eyebrows arch. “But what if the Elders demand it?”
“We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.”
Ash doesn’t appear completely satisfied but nods anyway. “I’ll wait up for you, okay? I’m sure it’s going to be all right.”
“Sure.” How can she say everything is going to be all right when she’s obviously concerned I’m going to get dragged out of the academy by this so-called Council of Elders?
When the door clicks shut, only the three of us remain. Steel’s attention is fastened on Sable.
“You know what they’re going to want. They’re going to expect her to fight.”
Chapter Twenty-Two