It was slightly warmer outside, which felt like barely above freezing, but the sun was out, and bright, golden light reflected off the marble sidewalk.
Rounding the corner, I stepped to the side as I passed a group of students heading toward the dorms. The school year at the Covenant was similar to the University I’d attended, except they went year-round, with their class schedule changing three times over the course of a year. It ended up shortening the length of time they spent here, but I couldn’t help but wonder what the point was for them. I mean, why get degrees in botany or whatever? Most of the pures lived in the communities and didn’t really interact with their mortal world.
I was halfway down the walkway when the tiny hairs along the back of my neck rose. Instinct drove me to look over my shoulder. The small group of students was openly gawking in my direction. Eyes wide. Mouths hanging open. One of them, a tall brunette, was whispering to the other girl, who appeared to have lost the ability to blink. At first I didn’t get why they were looking at me like they stared at . . .
They knew what I was.
Word had finally gotten out, or maybe I was just now noticing it. Either way, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. Wave at them? Be cocky like Seth and smirk? But I couldn’t really smirk. I tried. I looked like a deranged crack addict when I did. Or just ignore them?
I settled for the latter, shoved my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie, and kept walking. It was weird, but I didn’t have the brain space for that right now.
Pushing open the double doors to the training building, I hurried down the hall and hung a right, throwing open the windowless door. I skidded to a halt, scanning the room.
“Um . . .”
Luke and Solos stood together, by the mats, and Luke looked like he always did when we were training, but Solos was dressed just like him. I’d never seen Solos wearing track pants and a T-shirt.
And they were the only two guys in the room.
“Where’s Seth?” I asked, walking toward them.
Luke glanced at Solos, and when the older Sentinel pursed his lips, I stopped walking. Knots formed in my stomach.
“Where is Seth, Luke?”
“I’m guessing he didn’t tell you.”
My heart started pounding like it did when I had to run. “Obviously not.”
“This is awkward,” Solos said, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index finger.
Luke’s shoulders tensed. “Seth’s not going to be training you anymore.”
CHAPTER 10
“What?” My shriek echoed to Olympus, shrill and painful to my own ears. “What do you mean he’s no longer training me?”
Solos exchanged another long look with Luke, and I nearly lost my shit, right then and there.
“Stop looking at one another,” I demanded as anger burst out of me. A current of wind whipped through the sealed room, rattling the daggers hooked to the back of the wall. “And answer my question.”
“All right.” Luke lifted his hands. “Simmer down. No one wants to end up accidentally on fire. I know I don’t. How about you, Solos?”
Solos shook his head.
My eyes narrowed. I was seconds away from lighting someone’s ass on fire on purpose if I didn’t get a better explanation, because I simply didn’t understand what in the world was happening.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I assumed you’d fill me in,” Luke explained. “All I do know is that Marcus summoned me to his office this morning and told me that your training would be changing. That Solos would be helping out with the physical stuff and that he was going to pull in someone to help you with the elements.”
I stared at Luke, not sure I was hearing him correctly over the blood rushing in my ears. “What?”
Solos started talking, and I was pretty sure he was repeating what Luke said, but his words made no sense. Nothing made sense. Was I still dreaming? Was a nameless Titan going to pop out from underneath the heavy mats on the floor? I didn’t understand. A cold numbness drenched my skin and seeped into my bones and tissues. I was flash-frozen, unable to move. I wasn’t even sure I was breathing.
Something was so not right about this. I backtracked to yesterday—to the argument with Seth outside and then what happened afterward. Him. Me. Epic orgasm. Everything had been okay. Normal . . . except for those few moments afterward, when Seth had been worried that he’d hurt me.
Everything rushed back at me—sounds, voices, feelings—they all came back, snapping to the forefront.
“Where is he?” I asked, cutting off Solos.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Not my day to watch him.”
Luke frowned. “Come to think of it, I think it’s actually Alexander’s day to watch him.” He paused as I spun around and stalked toward the door. “Hey, where are you going?”
“I’m going to find Seth,” I said, not waiting for a response.
Throwing open the door, I hung a right so I could exit through the front of the building. The first place I was going was the Dean’s office. Yes, a bit crazy of me to bust up in there, but I already knew Seth wasn’t in his room and that was the next place I knew to check.
I was barely aware of the bright glare of the morning sun as I hurried across the quad, toward the tall and imposing building where the Dean’s offices were located. I’d only been in there once, when I first arrived, and I had the same sinking feeling I had the first time.
Two students walking down the pathway skidded to a stop when I neared them. With wide eyes, they stepped aside, allowing me to walk right down the center of the sidewalk. I really didn’t have it in me at that moment to really care.