Page 36 of Skyblossom
Summer walked past me towards the Great Hall, not noticing me behind the brick pillar at the side, and I made my move, a trick I’d perfected with Rosie’s help—flicked my wand with a flare of magic, vines launching and ensnaring her from behind, and she let out a shriek as it swept her up off her feetand tugged her towards me, where I caught her with one hand in hers and the other on her waist.
“Let your guard down,” I said with a wink, and she stared slack jawed at me.
“Holy shit, that was hot,” she said. “Hello there.”
“Hey,” I laughed. I’d genuinely been learning the duelist techniques for all the reasons I’d told Rosie about back in the spring, but knowing that Summer was into it wasverygood for my self-esteem. Maybe I’d become some kind of celebrity duelist. Probably be the only person in the duelists’ circuit to do it to impress her girlfriend. “Welcome back to Starfall,” I said. “Sexy third-year girlfriend.”
She laughed, tugging on my jacket. “Right back at you. Finally… back to every day in the same space.” She leaned in and kissed me, soft and sweet and adoring, like she had in all the stolen moments we’d had over the summer. Didn’t have to steal moments anymore, though. Got to see her in between classes, go back to our alchemy lab together, meet for breakfast every morning…
“Mm. Lucky me,” I said, and I pulled a face when a figure moved behind the pillar and a familiar face came out of the crowd heading towards the welcoming event at the Great Hall—Lumi, clapping a hand on Summer’s shoulder.
“Congrats,” she said, and Summer looked back at her.
“Thanks, but I mean… we got together months ago. This isn’t just a spontaneous kiss with a stranger on the side of the street.”
Lumi put her hands on her hips. “Imean,congrats onlater.I had a vision.”
“What’s happening later?” Summer said—she was somehow always a little oblivious when it came to these things, and while it was cute, it did mean I withered knowing Lumi was about to say,
“You two are going to have areallygood time. I can’t blame you! It’s been a minute. Have fun!”
“Oh—” Summer straightened, her face going red. I was sure mine already was. “Oh, you mean—oh my god, Lumi, are you watching visions of us having sex?”
She put her hands up. “I can’t control what the visions show me! Like I said, I don’t want to see you naked either!”
I sighed, giving Lumi a tired smile and resting my head on Summer’s shoulder. “Good morning, Lumi. It’s so good to see you in person again. Only getting to see you over video from your castle…”
Lumi pouted. “It’s not acastle,it’s my family’shouse.”
“It’s kind of a castle,” Summer said.
“Hmph. I’m so grouchy now I was going to hug you, but now I won’t.”
“Aw,” I said. “Can I have a hug? It’s nice to see you.”
She caved instantly. “Okay,” she said, giving me a hug, and then Summer next. “Are you so excited for a new semester? I’m so excited for a new semester.”
“It’s whatever.” It wasn’t me or Summer who responded, but Viv’s voice, coming up the path and responding with barely a look our way. “Hey, Cadence. Hey, Summer. Hey, Lumi.”
Lumi beamed at her. “Oh, well, if it isn’t the fussy eater!”
“I-I’m not a fussy eater.” I wasn’t sure I’d ever in my life seen Viv flustered. “I just don’t like a few things. Don’t scry on me eating. Creepy.”
It was, of course, Kali who stepped in next, a hand on Viv’s back. A little too low on her back for friends. Not low enough to conclusively confirm it. Seemed like the break hadn’t changed anything, even though they both went to an arcane retreat for the summer together… because of course they did. “Don’t worry too much what diviners think of you, Viv,” she said. “Hey, all. I’dgive you a more enthusiastic greeting, but I’m starving to death. Let’s get inside.”
“Oh, saints, me too,” Lumi said. “I need a slice of cookies-and-cream chocolate cake.”
“Naturally,” I laughed, giving Summer’s arm a squeeze, and I leaned in and kissed her, my heart surging at how natural it felt—kissing Summer, my girlfriend, in front of all our friends. “Should we get a move on before Lumi and Kali both starve and die?”
“I guess I’d miss Kali,” Summer said. Lumi shot her a scandalized look.
But she was soon placated with cake, once we got inside, into where the Great Hall was bustling with activity that spilled out the front doors and into the plaza, people all gushing and talking and laughing, hugging friends they hadn’t seen since the spring. The food spread was even more ambitious than it typically was for an event day, and Lumi got her cake, and Summer and I didn’t even have to fight this time over the last dragonberry cream muffin, even though it would have been us fighting for the other one to take it.
Rosie joined us along with Opal, who’d changed their hair color from mint green to sky blue over the summer, and Rosie had barely finished giving us all crushing hugs one by one before she led us to a big round table at the side and gushed the instant we sat down, “Guys, Drake is seeing somebody.”
“What?” most of the table blurted at once, with me talking next. “How? He neverliterallysees anybody.”
“I don’t know!” Rosie said. “I saw him on the way here and he was with thisgirland they played it cool while she was likeoh, gotta goonce I was there, and he looked after her like a lovesick puppy—”
