I put my hands on my hips and stare at him. To his credit, he keeps his dragony face pointed toward the window, refusing to acknowledge me. "For somebody who is in my head twenty-four hours a day, I shouldn't have to tell you nothing has ever happened between us."

"As someone who is always in your head, I sometimes find myself confusing your dreams and reality. So, you'll excuse me if the numerous fantasy encounters where you two are very naked and very entwined are clouding my memories."

"Typhon… I swear to the gods. I will⁠—"

He transforms suddenly into his flying fish form, rounded eyes regarding me coolly. "We should leave. You will be late for class if you don't begin walking soon.”

With a sigh, I head out into the hall with my rapier feeling like a comfort at my hip. We're still not allowed to carry sharpened weapons around campus, but they do let us take our practice weapons anywhere we go, now. Raith offered to start privately training me a few weeks ago. To my mild frustration, he treats the lessons with complete professionality.

He’s a patient, skilled, and highly effective teacher. And absolutely nothing else. No mentions of the things we went through together. No implication that he sees me as anything except someone else to protect. It has felt like the emotional equivalent of having a door slammed in my face.

But if nothing else, the training is useful, and it’s helping me become one of the most capable duelists in our affinity.

I also finished reading the entire unbound book weeks ago, but now I've been spending my nights re-reading passages to be sure I haven't missed anything. But the contents of the books have made it hard for me to look Bastian in the face. He knows what I am. What I really am. He knows what I'm capable of becoming, and the harm I could bring not just to myself but to all of the combined kingdoms and even the elemental plane.

At times, I feel like a monster, and I hate that Bastian knows. Except I can't figure out why he's keeping it quiet. If he had even the slightest doubt about my character, he would go to the nearest authority and make a case to have me executed.

"No one will execute you, angry human. I would bite their heads off and drink the marrow from their bones if they tried."

I grin to myself. "Thanks, Typhon. That's… sweet?”

By the time I reach tether class, I'm running late. The massive blue doors swing shut behind me as I slip into the cavernous, circular room. Students are already working on their magic as our instructor, Primal Ryke, paces the room with his muscular arms tucked behind his back, hands clasped around his wrists.

"Late again, Thorne," he notes, deep blue eyes regarding me.

"Sorry," I say, slipping into the room.