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I shake my head. “It’s better if the Fabricis don’t know I’m going with you. They just think Claire invited me, and since she’s a Cunningham…”
Ayden nods, kisses me, and strokes my cheek. “We’ll get through the evening somehow. At least we get to spend time together.”
A rare commodity that we both treasure.
I say goodbye and watch him walk away. I doubt the evening ahead is going to be fun. But we came to the conclusion that it’s a bad idea to provoke Mr. Collins or the Council. Ayden doesn’t want to lead Claire or fake some kind of relationship with her – he was clear about that. But we know what will happen if he openly rebels. So I suggested that he should spend more time with her and at the very least meet with her when the Council insists on it. Hopefully that’ll satisfy them for now. It’ll buy us time, and it means Mr. Collins won’t see me as such a thorn in his side – at least I hope so. I realize how much this puts us at the mercy of Claire’s whims. But it’s the only way to prevent a rift between Ayden and the Council and the other hunters.
I enter the cafeteria and look around for Kate. She had math last period, and we always meet here afterward. I frown, leave the cafeteria, and go to her room. But she’s not there either. I check the common rooms and even the school yard. My anxiety increases by the minute. Next, I go to the school library, but no luck. I finally find her in the hunters’ library, much to my relief. Kate’s sitting at a table with a stack of books in front of her. She has her nose buried in a particularly thick old tome.
I step up to her and lightly nudge her shoulder. Kate flinches and looks up in fright.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and pushes the book aside. “I was so absorbed that I didn’t hear you coming.” She quickly closes the book and puts it behind the stack. “What are you doing here? Weren’t we supposed to meet in the cafeteria?”
I raise my eyebrows and shake my head. “I went there. But when I couldn’t find you, I started to worry. What are you doing here?”
“Oh, just reading some stuff for an essay.” Kate checks the time and then stands up and shakes her head. “I guess I lost track of time. Sorry.” She looks at me apologetically. “I’ll just return these books, and hopefully we still have time for a quick bite.”
I nod and reach for one of the books to help her, but Kate quickly picks up the stack and moves off.
“I’m a craving a milkshake today. What do you say? I’m buying.”
“Before training?” I ask in surprise.
She grins sheepishly at me and shrugs. “You have to treat yourself now and then.”
With that, she goes to the counter to return the books. I try to shrug off my doubts as I wait for her. But Kate’s behaving strangely, and I wonder whether she really was just absorbed in the book or if she forgot that we were supposed to meet. Is her memory deteriorating more, and she doesn’t want me to know? I don’t know, but I can’t shake this uneasy feeling.
Somehow, this wasn’t what I was expecting. Ayden and I are standing outside a modern building with a large glass front providing a clear view inside when the shutters are open.
“Claire’s apartment is on the top floor,” Ayden says, ringing the bell. A porter opens the door for us and presses the elevator button. I increasingly feel like I’m entering another world. It never occurred to me that Claire’s parents would rent an apartment for her too. Her grandfather has a huge estate. But, as Ayden explained to me, her family believes she needs her freedom and needs to learn to be independent. Hence her own apartment in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in town.
We reach the penthouse, and as we step out of the elevator, I gaze around in amazement. The apartment is open plan and takes up the entire floor. To the right is a kitchen that looks like something out of a swanky restaurant. But the chrome fittings are so shiny that I can tell they’ve never been used. To the left is a large bed with pastel-colored satin covers, a closet, a desk – all modern and really expensive-looking. Against the wall directly in front of us is a hearth, and the lounge suite in front of it has been pushed aside to make space for all the guests. Three waiters are walking around serving drinks and canapés.
“Nice student digs,” I mutter. “Too big for my taste, but each to their own.”
Ayden smiles. “She’s a Cunningham. For them, the best is only good enough.”
Yeah, not to mention the fact that she’s a miraya too.
Ayden and I walk a few steps into the space, and then Claire peels off from the crowd and comes to greet us. She smiles radiantly. Her hair is piled up in an elaborately braided style that suits her incredibly well. The stylists must have spent hours on it. She’s wearing a short tight skirt and a blouse, the gorgeous fabric and chic cut of which are stunning. All in all, she looks like a model at a photo shoot. Claire puts her hand on her hip and poses with her left foot slightly forward, making her look even more like she’s about to be inundated with camera flashes.
“I’m so glad you could make it.” She hugs Ayden and then me. “Come, join us.”
She introduces us to a few people, too quickly for me to memorize their names and faces. They’re all hunters or the children of Council members. I’ve never seen any of them before, but I’m glad not to recognize any familiar faces – meeting Alfredo here would really make my night.
“Have you had a chance to settle in?” I ask, trying to break the ice with some small talk.
Claire leads us to one of the sofas and gestures for us to take a seat. A waiter hurries over to offer us drinks and nibbles.
“It’s all so new to me,” she replies. “And I still have to get used to my new-found freedom. At home, I had a pretty structured schedule. It was important to my parents that I received an excellent education. So I had private tutors outside of normal classes. They were reluctant to let me move away. But in the end, they agreed it was time and that I’d be in good hands at the Siena Hartford. Plus, the school is right next door to hunter headquarters, so there are always people around who can intervene in an emergency and contain me.”
My eyes widen, and I look at her doubtfully. Surely she doesn’t mean what I think she means.
It’s her turn to look surprised when she sees my expression. “I thought she knew I was a miraya.”
“She does. I guess she’s just surprised at how relaxed you are about your destiny.”
