“Twice in one day?" I asked. "And how'd you even get up here?”He flashed his easy smile. "Someone put a lit match in one of the bathroom's garbage cans. Damn shame. The staff's kind of busy. Come on, I'm springing you.”I shook my head. Setting fires was apparently a new sign of affection. Christian had done it and now Mason.”

“What?" I asked uneasily. "Why are you looking at me like that?"He shook his head, the smile rueful now. "Because sometimes, a person can get so caught up in the details that they miss the whole. It's not just the dress or the hair. It's YOU. You're beautiful. So beautiful, it hurts me.”

“Hathaway!" Stan barked, coming from the direction of the field. "Nice of you to join us. Get in there now! You're lucky you aren't one of the first ones, " he growled.People were even making bets about whether you'd show. " "Really?" I asked cheerfully. "What kind of odds are there on that? Because I can still change my mind and put down my own bet. Make a little pocket money. ”

“I want you to break the spell. Finish it off.”"What do you mean?”"The spell you did on me and Dimitri.”"That spell is done. It burned itself out.”I shook my head. "No. I keep thinking about him. I keep wanting to…”He smiled knowingly when I didn't finish. "My dear, that was already there, long before I set that up.”

“His smile returned as he tilted his head toward Sydney. "You were wrong. She really is the new general in town."I smiled back, hoping he wasn't aware of my body's reaction to us standing so close. "Maybe. But, it's okay. You can still be colonel."He arched an eybrow. "Oh? Did you just demote yoursefl? Colonel's right below general. What's that make you?"I reached into my pocket and triumphantly flashed the CR-V keys I'd swiped when we'd come back inside. "The driver," I said.”

“Come on, Hathaway," he said, taking my arm. "You can be my partner. Let’s see what you’ve been doing all this time."An hour later, he had his answer."Not practicing, huh?""Ow,” I groaned, momentarily incapable of normal speech.He extended a hand and helped me up from the mat he’d knocked me down on—about fifty times."I hate you,” I told him, rubbing a spot on my thigh that was going to have a wicked bruise tomorrow."You’d hate me more if I held back.""Yeah, that’s true," I agreed, staggering along as the class put the equipment back."You actually did okay.""What? I just had my ass handed to me.""Well, of course you did. It’s been two years. But hey, you’re still walking. That’s something." He grinned mockingly."Did I mention I hate you?”He flashed me another smile, which quickly faded to something more serious. "Don’t take this the wrong way…I mean, you really are a scrapper, but there’s no way you’ll be able to take your trials in the spring—""They’re making me take extra practice sessions," I explained. Not that it mattered. I planned on getting Lissa and me out of here before those practices really became an issue."Extra sessions with who?""That tall guy. Dimitri."Mason stopped walking and stared at me. "You’re putting in extra time with Belikov?""Yeah, so what?""So the man is a god.""Exaggerate much?" I asked."No, I’m serious. I mean, he’s all quiet and antisocial usually but when he fights...wow. If you think you’re hurting now, you’re going to be dead when he’s done with you."Great. Something else to improve my day.”

“So, explain this," Avery said, "You just, what, hang around the Academy all day? Are you trying to redo your high school experience?" "Nothing to redo," said Adrian loftily. "I totally ruled my high school. I was worshiped and adored—not that that should come as a shock." Beside him, Christian nearly choked on his food. "So. . .You're trying to relive your glory days. It's all gone downhill since then, huh?" "No way," said Adrian. "I'm like a fine wine. I get better with age. The best is yet to come.""Seems like it'd get old after a while," said Avery, "I'm certainly bored, and I even spend part of the day helping my dad." "Adrian sleeps most of the day," noted Lissa, "So he doesn't actually have to worry about finding things to do." "Hey, I spend a good portion of my time helping you unravel the mysteries of spirit," Adrian reminded her. "And," he added, "I can visit people in their dreams."Christian held up a hand. "Stop. I can feel there's a comment coming on about how women already dream about you. I just ate, you know." "I wasn't going to go there," said Adrian. But he kind of looked like he wished he'd thought of the joke first.”