Page 142 of The Amber Sunburst

“Did you not like it?” Lazarus asks her.

“I loved it.”

“No one will be around right now,” Ophelia says. “We could go.”

“Really?” Arete asks.

Ophelia turns to Lazarus in question, and he nods. “It’s really nice at night. And very empty.”

Arete flies off the bed and takes both of their hands, dragging them to the door.

“Then let’s go!”

Ophelia laughs and Lazarus smiles softly at the ground. It’s so sweet she’s not sure what to do with it.

She’s not used to that feeling: not knowing what to do with someone. But even though Lazarus is an enigma to her, she finds that she actually quite likes him.

When they stumble out the door and onto the sand, she and Arete sprint right for the freezing water and Lazarus takes a seat somewhere behind them on the shore. It is, unsurprisingly, Arete’s idea to kick water at him until he gets soaked.

“Guys, it’s so cold,” he complains as Arete chases him down the shore.

“Get into the water, you big baby!” she screams.

He slings Arete over his shoulder and dunks her into the waves as retaliation until she’s nearly crying with laughter.

When they tire out, they float in the calm sea.

Ophelia tries not to think about the fact that somewhere, miles and miles below them, Aika’s stolen eyes are probably watching them.

“I’ve decided you’re my new brother, Lazzy,” Arete announces, blunt as ever.

Lazarus doesn’t even comment on the nickname, he looks so shocked.

“Okay,” he says after a moment’s hesitation.

Arete splashes around in a circle. “Do we have to go back soon?” she asks.

“Let’s just float a while,” Ophelia sighs contentedly. Quiet settles over them, as calming as the moonlight.

“I like it,” Lazarus says softly to her, barely audible over the lapping of waves, “the floating.”

“Me too,” she responds. “It’s nice to know that the only options aren’t to sink or swim.”

Silence follows before Lazarus whispers, “Yes. It is.”

42

ZENO

Zeno follows Eudoxia down to the training rooms like a lost puppy and it’s hard for him to muster up any shame for it. He’s been trying to get her alone since what Alexander has dubbed ‘Tiara Day’ and if this is his only chance to, he’s not going to waste it.

He was scared she was avoiding him after their almost-kiss, but after a whispered ‘You up to train?’ in his ear a few minutes ago, he’s not so sure.

They chant like marching soldiers as they walk. “Left, right, right, left, middle, right, left.” Kallias and Alexander will navigate the maze no problem thanks to Kallias’ perfect recall, but he and Eudoxia have been memorizing and reciting their turns since they decided on the groups.

It took him longer than it should have to get his directions down. He hasn’t been useful for days, stuck on the two words she said before the Forms-cursed rings decided to ruin the moment.

You’re mine.