Page 82 of The Stone Initiation
“Do you know where it is?”
I hadn’t been there yet, but I’d seen it on the map. “I’ll find it.”
I hurried down the corridor, knocked on Shar’s door and popped the coffee on the floor outside, did the same for Touron, then quickly unlocked my door and dropped the phone Serath had sent me into the bedside table drawer. Now, where was the satchel the academy had provided? I’d seen it when I’d scoped out the place. Ah, there it was in the back of the cupboard.
It contained a notebook and some pens—academic classes here were light after all. It was the practical stuff we needed to worry about, and that stuff would be tested...well practically.
Touron’s door was open when I stepped back out into the corridor. He was picking up his coffee. Shar hadn’t surfaced yet.
“She’s a heavy sleeper,” Touron said before taking a tentative sip of his beverage. “But she should be up by now.” He tucked a notebook and pen into his back pocket.
I picked up her coffee mug and knocked on her door again. Harder this time.
“One second.” She sounded strange. Her voice higher pitched than usual.
She slipped out of her room a moment later and locked the door. “I’m ready.”
I handed her the travel mug. “You okay?”
“Fine.” She smoothed her hair back and tucked it behind her ears. “My things arrived earlier. I was unpacking.”
“O-kay,” Touron said. “If that’s what you want to call it.”
Huh? It took a moment but then his insinuation hit.
Shar’s cheeks flushed, and she narrowed her eyes. “I don’t do that.”
“Really?” Touron sounded impressed. “I do. Sometimes more than once a day.”
My brows flicked up.
He met my gaze unrepentant. “I have needs, Cam, and until they are met, I must make do with Veronica.” He held up his hand and smiled at his palm.
“You’re disgusting,” Sharniza said with a slight smile.
“I am,” Touron said. “But I’m your disgusting.” He put an arm around each of us and moved us away from the door and down the corridor. “We have time to kill before class, so where to?”
A warm feeling bloomed in my chest. “The coffee shop.” I smiled up at him. “I fancy a toastie.”
He returned my smile, his gaze softening. “You’re staying, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
CHAPTER36
Stone Comfort was a one-story sprawling building with high beamed ceilings, huge arched windows, and proper hardwood floors that could take the weight of a gargoyle in shifted form. All the seats were low backed to allow for wings, and the tables were sturdy wooden affairs built to last—none of the plastic crap found in the human world.
Like all the buildings at the academy, this one was built to take damage. Built to last. And it was obviously the place to be early afternoon, which to gargoyles was early morning. The place was packed with initiates and general force trainees, and finding a seat would have been impossible if the twins hadn’t saved us a table.
They waved us over eagerly, and I was acutely aware of the attention as we made our way over.
“The halfblood.”
“No idea what bloodline.”
“So fucking small.”
“Could crush her.”
