Chapter Twenty-Two: A Desperate Plea | Part 1 Thirtyx paced. They’d taken Rhea into the kitchens, and from there to Twins-only-know where. But he had no better option than to hope she’d reappear in the same spot. Of course the school had protocols to lock her down if necessary, but by Thirtyx’s memory, this wasContinue reading “I Didn’t Know”
Author Archives: Calley Jones
Get It Back
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 7 “BENN!” Rhea screamed. She and Thirtyx were standing now. Thirtyx’s blood plunged toward his toes, bringing a sickening hollowness to his gut. The only part of him that felt real was the hand with which he clung to Rhea’s arm. Azirenne crouched beside Benn. She pressed her handsContinue reading “Get It Back”
Fine Accomplished Students
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 6 A Selkie man at the head of the professors’ table held up a hand to draw everyone’s attention. The faculty found their seats. The students onstage fell silent. “Good evening, everyone. Glory to Grimmary and praise to the Twins,” the man said at last. “Thank you all forContinue reading “Fine Accomplished Students”
Happy for Him
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 5 Rhea and Thirtyx made steady progress on their projects until dinnertime. On their way across the courtyard, Rhea stretched up toward the stars. “I’m starving. Do mental breakdowns work up your appetite the way they’ve worked up mine?” Thirtyx chuckled. “Depends on who’s around when I’m having one.Continue reading “Happy for Him”
Something Uplifting
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 4 After a few fractions, Thirtyx felt an itch in his mind. Rhea stared at her pen, balancing it between her index fingers as though she felt a kinship with its precarious position. Thirtyx… who am I if I can’t handle it? Thirtyx tapped his own pen against theContinue reading “Something Uplifting”
How Long?
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 3 Well-fed as he was, Thirtyx didn’t miss the rise of Rhea’s energy. “You alright?” “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” She slapped an overflowing binder onto the table and rummaged through it without meeting his eyes. Thirtyx didn’t press harder, but he didn’t look away. Her bedraggled demeanor seemed toContinue reading “How Long?”
Pressure
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 2 “While I don’t agree with Benn’s phrasing, per se, he has a point about how obvious you two are being.” At Thirtyx’s glare, Rhea held her hands up as if in surrender. “Look, I know we’re clued in, so we see it more, but if anyone else catchesContinue reading “Pressure”
Getting Away
Chapter Twenty-One: Handling It | Part 1 “Benn, how in the universe can you do homework when you’re leaving on a trip in half a bar?” Rhea broke their studious silence with a huff. If Thirtyx didn’t know better, he’d think it was a normal day for the prince, who pored over a notebook withContinue reading “Getting Away”
Unguardedly Happy
Chapter Twenty: Sated | Part 5 Thirtyx felt like he floated back to the dorm. He’d given Seerla a 10-fraction head start, but the adrenaline in his muscles and buzzing in his brain thankfully persisted. Reality would set in soon, and he’d have to deal with his apprenticeship applications and the attacks against Grimmary andContinue reading “Unguardedly Happy”
I’m Right Here
Chapter Twenty: Sated | Part 4 Eventually, though, Seerla began giggling, and Thirtyx found it contagious. They giggled against each other for a few fracs, nose to nose, before Seerla’s laughter rose to the point of her whole body trembling. She stumbled backwards toward a chair, but she missed and landed flat on the floor.Continue reading “I’m Right Here”
