Page 82 of Saints & Sinners

Sighing, I walked towards the door and past him. I stepped out into the hall, my eyes stinging with frustration, anger, and misery.

“I still think you should steer away from that Cain boy, Grace.”

My shoulders hitched, and I stilled. Slowly, I turned to the side. Joe was by the doorway, his expression conflicted. “Why?”

“I would hate to see you get hurt over something that can neverhappen.”

Something that can never happen.

I blinked, once. Twice.

He could tell. In some way or another.

I swallowed hard, pushing the heat in my throat back down.

“There is nothing there to get hurt by in the first place,” I said before turning on my heel and making my way back to the painting.

Eden was waiting for me on the other side as I pushed through the painting and landed back on Celestia’s grounds. She was leaning her shoulder against the wall and smiled once she saw I’d made it back in one piece. Physically, but perhaps not mentally.

Her expression turned thoughtful when she saw mine. No doubt, I must have looked worse than before I went to see Joe. “Is everything alright?”

I nodded. “Never been better,” I lied, not caring if she could see right through me as I thanked her once more and brushed past her before she could ask me another question.

Later that evening, I was officially moved into Marnie’s dorm. She practically squealed when she saw me, pulling me into one of her tight hugs. And whatever suitcases and personal items I had from room 104 had been moved by Celestials to the Healer’s quarters while I was in Sariel’s class. I should have known that would be the case. Hunter likely packed it all away for me and yelled good riddance as soon as they came to pick it all up.

“I’m so glad you’re here with me,” Marnie gushed, dragging me inside. Her enthusiasm was always contagious, but her two other roommates didn’t seem nearly as thrilled as she was. They werebehind the kitchenette tabletop, exchanging skeptical looks as I sheepishly waved at them.

I couldn’t focus on much else as Marnie showed me my new room because all I wanted to do was cry, sleep and forget everything.

Chapter Forty-One

I awoke to the sound of Marnie humming the words to an eighties pop song and groaned, feeling as if I had the flu. Which, in ways, I would rather have it. It’d be easier than dealing with Celestials.

“Morning to you, too.” She chuckled, tying her hair into two French braids. Once she finished, she came over and jumped onto my bed. “So, I wrote down a list of things we could do now that we are officially roommates.”

One of my brows rose. “Is one of them karaoke?”

She blinked. “Yes, but—”

I chuckled, sliding out of bed to get ready, but my stomach dropped when my mind immediately went to Hunter. I hadn’t seen him since that night we kissed, and worse, today, we were supposed to train outside of academy hours. It bothered me that he hadn’t spoken to me before deciding that the best plan was for me to leave his dorm. I knew he wanted to steer away from me, that our kiss was a mistake, but I so wished it wasn’t.

“You know, I’m starting to think you’re not happy to be rooming with me anymore,” Marnie said from where she was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

I grabbed my trousers and shot her a look. “You know that’s nottrue. It’s just...”

“You miss the boys?”

Yes. Who would have ever thought that would be the case?

“I do strangely miss Brandon making lightsaber noises in the morning.” What I didnotmiss was Silas telling us all that his dick was better than a lightsaber and that he could prove it if we didn’t believe him.

“And Hunter?”

I went rigid, and the shoelaces of my combat boots slipped through my fingertips. “What about Hunter?”

‘Do you miss him?’

Yes. “No.”

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