Page 122 of Serpent & Saviors

She snorted, shaking her head. “Trust me, you don’t want it.”

“Why not?”

She sighed, “Because mine is miserable. She makes me do double the work and my mom insists I do ‘school’ downstairs.”

Her tone was flat, but there was something underneath. Something bitter, resentful. It seemed like a dream come true. But something told me Nan probably wouldn’t go for it. I glanced toward the desk again. The stack of textbooks was neat and orderly, with a few notebooks off to the side of them.

I shifted uncomfortably, praying her bed wouldn’t squeak too loud as I did. “Still sounds better than school.”

Her lips twisted into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Yeah, sometimes, I suppose it is. I don’t have to wear a silly uniform. Or be bothered by a bunch of people. Typically, it’s just the tutor and me. But a nicer one would be better.”

I didn’t know what to say about that. The silence stretched between us again, this time a little heavier.

“How do you know Ivan?”

“I don’t, really. Other than we’re in the same year. I’m new at the school.”

“Wait.” Her voice was gentle when she finally spoke again. “You saw me.”

I stiffened. My pulse slammed against my ribs. It didn’t take a genius to know she had put two and two together. I didn’t have to ask what she meant. I had seen her. But I thought for sure she hadn’t seen me. Every glance I’d given her that day. Her eyes had been vacant, and she had been staring at the ground.

I forced myself to meet her gaze, those green eyes that were so much like Nikolai’s. Only hers weren’t sharp like his. They were softer, full of something I couldn’t name. I looked away first.

“Did it hurt?” Her voice was quiet.

She wasn’t talking about my face. I flexed my fingers, staring down at the raw red mark across my wrist. My stomach twisted with shame. “I didn’t get that far.”

A ghost of a smile flickered across her lips. “Mine didn’t, not at first. I was too numb inside.”

She reached out slowly, giving me time to pull away if I wanted to. I didn’t. Her fingers brushed over the mark, light as air, like she was trying to erase it.

“It doesn’t fix anything, you know. Unless you’re one of the lucky ones.”

I let out a shaky breath. “Yeah, well, I don’t have any luck, so I guess I’m stuck.”

Her thumb traced the inside of my wrist, over the place where my pulse still beat. “But it feels like it might.”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

She exhaled and ruffled the hem of her oversized hoodie. “He’ll try to save you.”

“He?”

“Ivan. He’s persistent, loves an underdog. No offense.”

“None taken. He’s probably wasting his time, though, with me. I doubt I’m worth saving. Hence this.” I touched my wrist this time.

“Do me a huge favor?”

“What?” I asked warily.

“Let him.”

My throat almost closed as her words rattled around in my head. I didn’t get a chance to respond, though, because the door swung open. In Ivan strode, holding up a bottle of vodka like it were some kind of trophy.

I blinked, confused. “We’re not old enough.”

Vanya let out a sharp laugh, but Ivan just deadpanned before shaking his head. “I’m aware of that, hence no glasses. And as a Russian, you don’t just drink vodka. Not without rules, mate.”