I had the pleasure of seeing the raven-haired beauty turn an unattractive shade of red. "I-I'll tell Byron she attacked me!"
"Priscilla." Darren's patience was growing thin. "If you do I will tell him the truth… We may be betrothed but Ryiah is my friend. I try to stay out of your disagreements, but if you do this I will take her side."
The girl let out a frustrated huff and stormed off. A scattered clapping rose up from the rest of the class – some of my friends even whistled. I blushed uncomfortably and Darren dropped my arm like it had scalded him.
I noticed Master Byron wasn't as far away as I thought, but it was quite obvious he had refrained from interfering since the prince got involved. He stayed silent, watching me with an irritable expression.
I guess there are perks to his bias.
"How's your arm?"
I jumped as I realized Darren was still standing next to me, waiting for an answer. It was the nearest we had been since that day in the Academy towers – only then I had been trying to figure out whether or not to trust him.
"I - I'm fine," I stuttered. I felt unusually light-headed. I wasn't sure if it was from Priscilla's bump or the former pressure of Darren's hand on my arm. I hoped it was the former. "Thanks," I added quickly, "for saying what you did."
"I told you we were friends, Ryiah." He was smiling.
"I know," I began, "but you two are betrothed…"
Darren's face hardened. "She'll come around," he muttered.
"Ry, what happened?" Ian, Ella, and Loren had arrived. The three of them had been too caught up in an animated conversation to take notice until Priscilla had marched past them.
"Priscilla being Priscilla – only this time she managed to clip my arm in the process." I gave a weak laugh. It still smarted terribly and I knew Byron would never let the Restoration mages touch it. For once it wasn't about me, at least. Like the rest of the masters from my first year at the Academy, Byron believed pain was something all apprentices needed to bear.
Ian noticed my grimace. "You need to get that seen to." He paused. "I bet we can get your brother to take a look."
I protested – but my heart was not in it. I expected Darren to make a sarcastic remark about how "pain makes a mage" but he was oddly silent.
"I don't care, Ry. I'll tell Alex not to fix it. Byron would notice anyway if he did, but Alex can at least suggest something for the pain." He gave Darren a small smile – despite what he said about the prince, I knew Ian really did want to be friends. "I can take over from here, Darren."
The non-heir studied the two of us, brows furrowed. I wondered what he was thinking.
"Of course." Darren's face had returned to a blank slate. With one last glance in my direction me he said, "Ask your brother about arnica."
****
Alex was peeling a mango when we found him in the commons. He seemed surprised to see all of us, especially Ella – but he recovered quickly.
"Arnica, huh?"
"Do you know what it is?" I pressed.
"Of course." His eyes met mine in mild amusement. "I'm just surprised Darren even knew to suggest it. It's not a common ingredient."
Ian turned to my twin. "Well? Can you get it?"
"I can... But I'll need help…" Alex's gaze fell to Ella standing next to us. He swallowed. "The healers keep all their supplies locked away in the main wing. I will need you to distract them while I get the salve. Now would be our best chance, while Master Joan is at dinner."
Ella did not look at my brother as she said, "Then let's go." She turned to Loren apologetically: "You don't have to come if you don't want to."
Loren shook his head, eyes dancing. "And miss the fun?"
A flash of irritation flared in my twin's eyes, but he said nothing.
The five of us began the walk to the infirmary. Ella, Ian, and Loren spent most of the time in animated conversation – my brother and I in awkward silence. Alex kept stealing jealous glances at Ella and Loren in the back of our group and I had to kick him to finally get him to quit.
"Ouch!"
"Stop glaring at Loren!" I scolded.
"I wasn't."
"You were."
My brother frowned. "Are things serious between those two?"
"They aren't courting if that's your question," I replied tersely.
"Yet," Alex grumbled. Sliding in closer to me he said in a hushed voice. "You have to get us alone, Ry. Tell Ella to go with me when I get the arnica."
"Why should I?" The last time the two had been in the same room together was when Ella had walked in on him kissing a Restoration apprentice. That had been a month ago when they'd still been courting. My friend had told me all about it afterwards, sobbing in the barracks and swearing she would never talk to my twin again. She had kept her word and I never urged her to try.
It wasn't the first time my brother had done this. In Demsh'aa there was a mile long list of the hearts he had broken in his wake. The difference was that this time my brother seemed to regret it. In fact, he had even broken down and cried after a couple of days of silence, begging me to talk to her.