Magical was no longer a word I cherished. However, the grounds of Delvaux University were serene and that was something I sought out. My life was, for the most part, void of serenity. I found an empty bench under the shade of moss-covered trees outside the campus library. Sitting and staring out at the water across the lawn allowed me the peace to think. Students rushed by with backpacks on their shoulders and cell phones in their hands. They were all behind me and far enough away that their voices didn’t disturb me. There were no distractions here. No mother or sisters. Just me and my--

“Considering enrolling?” Rathe’s voice broke the quiet. It seemed as if I couldn’t escape those who bothered me.

I looked to my left and met his curious gaze. He was standing a couple feet away with a black backpack over his left shoulder that looked weighted down with books. He was making his casual attire of jeans and a tee shirt look like a magazine ad. He was also ruining my peace.

“No,” I replied, glaring at him. I didn’t want company, and I sure didn’t want his. My unwarranted anger toward him wasn’t fair but I couldn’t help but feel it.

“Is it not a family requirement?” he asked.

Pausing, I continued to glare at him, but I was also trying to decide what he meant by that. Either he was just making small talk or he knew something I didn’t want him to know. I hedged my response, not wanting to give him any real details about my life. “Neither of my sisters attended college,” I replied vaguely. There was a chance he knew nothing of my connection to the University. “I would have thought with all the time you’ve spent with Leanne you’d know that,” I added and immediately wished I hadn’t. It made me sound catty.

He smirked then and I knew he was thinking I was jealous. That was infuriating and I deserved it for saying anything at all. I needed to show indifference. It’s what I felt now… or what I wanted to feel.

“Leanne didn’t talk much about anything important, but I wasn’t referring to your sisters’ lack of higher education. I’m referring to the fact you share the same last name as the founder of this University.”

I had never given him my last name. Either Leanne or Margo had let it slip. I shrugged that off. It wasn’t like my last name was a secret. I was proud to be a Delvaux. I just didn’t like explaining why I wasn’t a student here when I had wanted nothing more most of my life. “I see you’ve done some snooping,” I replied, not answering his question. Because the fact my father’s family disowned me was not his business.