bag. Grabbed a piece of toast and a new red hoodie and was heading for the door when there was a

rattling series of knocks. Graves swept the door open and Shanks poked his head in. He was on duty

for the last hour before classes in the morning, and Benjamin seemed okay with a werwulf hanging

out at my door so everyone could get ready for the night.

“Jesus,” the wulf said, swiping at the emo-swoosh of dark hair across his forehead. It was a popular

style this year. “Are you going to be late every day?”

“Hey, Bobby. Girl just can’t get out the door on time.” Graves sounded relieved.

It’s not my fault. “Shut up.” I hitched the new brown canvas messenger bag up on my shoulder and

tried to stuff all the toast in my mouth at once. Graves and I piled out the door, Shanks gracefully

avoiding me. He has the longest legs I’ve ever seen on a boy and moves with a kind of halting lope,

waiting for the rest of the world to catch up to him.

Dibs was in the hallway, his golden hair disarranged. He looked like one of those cherubs you see

painted on old-lady plates. All cheeks and curls. “Hi, Dru,” he mouthed, and immediately blushed

and looked down.

Benjamin appeared out of thin air, handing me a sheaf of paper in a plastic report binder. “I got your

paper printed. Leon will be with you until lunch; the others and I have a combat practical this morning. Have you eaten?”

I swallowed a huge mass of toast and almost choked, got it all down and nodded. Leon stepped out

the room next to mine and swept the door shut. He was carrying—oh, thank God—two paper cups

that stood a good chance of being coffee.

“I did.” I took the report binder, thought about jamming it in my bag, and decided just to carry it.

“Jeez, thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”

“My pleasure.” He grinned, and for a moment he looked very young. His dark eyes sparkled. “I’ll

bring your Para Bio and chem books to lunch, okay? And George’ll get your gym bag before afternoon sparring.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” For once, I didn’t think about the irony of saying it to a djamphir. “Go on, go.

I’ll be fine. I’ll just make it to class.”

“Not if you don’t hurry up, you won’t.” Graves grabbed my arm and pulled. He already had a

cigarette lit. “See ya, Benjy.”

Oh, for Christ’s sake. But Leon was already there, subtracting my hoodie and report, handing over

the coffee, and giving my bag a hard look. I hitched it up higher on my shoulder and hurried to keep

up with Graves. “Thanks.”

“Nichts zu danken.” Leon looked about ready to grab at my bag again. But Graves didn’t let go of