“What’s the occasion?” Charles smirks at Layla. “Did you ladies miss me?”

Nyx frowns at Charles.

Layla doesn’t spare them a glance. I open my mouth to respond, but she gives me a sharp look and I close it again. I hate that she lets them get away with that BS. Not that we don’t have bigger problems right now.

The three of them watch us as we pass their table. Out of the corner of my eye I see Charles and Brendan exchange a few remarks that I can’t hear, and they laugh. No wonder Layla didn’t want to come here.

Layla takes a seat at an empty table near a big window that is now completely covered with a curtain.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to say something to them?” I ask, keeping my voice quiet and light. I know she doesn’t want to be in this parlor or in this situation, and I also know that it’s partially my fault that she is. “Because I will. They act just like dumb jocks in a locker room—only not dumb at all and with terrifying skills. But they don’t frighten me one bit.”

There is a hint of a smile on her face. “More like arrogant royals, and they should frighten you.”

I pull back to get a better look at her. “Aarya called them royals, too. How literal are you being when you say that?”

She sighs, then says in a hushed voice, “Brendan, Charles, and Nyx are all legacies—they’re the firstborn children of the leaders in their Families and will eventually take over leadership when they get old enough. And Brendan’s British. Hailing from the most powerful Family in all of Strategia makes him act like a prince who can do no wrong.”

I remember Ash told me that the UK-based Strategia were Lions. And their being the most powerful Family explains some of Brendan’s confidence and the way he always seems to be taking up more space than necessary.

“Yeah, but this is a school. How powerful your Family is shouldn’t matter, your skill level should.”

Layla looks at me directly, like I just said something important. “No. It shouldn’t matter. And it didn’t used to.” She hesitates and I can tell that she has more to say. I hold my breath, hoping she won’t decide to shut down.

“Nyx and Brendan have been allied for as long as we’ve been here,” she continues. “Charles, however, only started hanging around the two of them this year. It happened a few months after he got close to Nyx.”

“Are Nyx and Charles dating?” I ask.

She gives me a curious look. “A lot of people think so. Why do you ask?”