Chapter 124 | Survival and Sincerity

We left the gardens. Took the long way around campus instead of cutting through the dining hall. The paths stayed mostly empty. Most students were at lunch or in their rooms processing ranks and making plans.

Naomi kept my hand the entire walk. Her palm warm against mine. Her thumb rubbing circles over my knuckles in a rhythm she probably didn’t realize she was doing.

We passed the Arena. Saw Garrett through the windows putting some third year through hell on the bench press. The poor bastard looked like he was being crucified.

"That’ll be us next week," Naomi said.

"Looking forward to it."

"You’re lying."

"Completely."

She laughed again. I was getting better at making her laugh. That was something. Small progress but progress counted.

The medical center sat between the rec center and the library. Glass doors. Clean white interior. Smelled like antiseptic and healing potions.

A receptionist looked up when we entered. Young woman. Maybe twenty-five. Wore scrubs with the academy logo embroidered on the chest.

"Help you?"

"Crawler bite. Yesterday. Probably should get it looked at."

She typed something. Gestured toward a row of chairs.

"Fifteen minute wait. Nurse Kim’s with another student."

We sat. The chairs were uncomfortable. Designed to discourage lingering.

Naomi still held my hand. She’d transitioned from needing the contact to just wanting it. Which was. Something.

I checked my messages while we waited.

BELLE: When you’re done playing nurse bring Naomi to lunch. I’m at our table.

JORDAN: I’m sleeping until the meeting. Don’t wake me.

AURORA: Can’t wait for tonight. Wear something that doesn’t make you look like a schoolboy.

MISATO: Blair knows. Be ready.

That last one. That was the problem.

Blair knows. Be ready.

Ready for what? Public confrontation? Private revenge? Another bribe attempt?

The system had given me eight days. Belle’s extraction last night added two more. Naomi could provide another session tomorrow if needed.

But the extraction network only worked if I stayed alive long enough to use it.

And Blair Davenport had S-rank flames, unlimited money, and a family that made people disappear when convenient.

"You’re thinking too loud again," Naomi said.

"Sorry."

"What’s wrong?"

"Blair."

"What about her?"

"She’s going to retaliate. For us ranking higher. For embarrassing her in front of everyone."

"Maybe she’ll just be mad and leave it alone."

"You don’t actually believe that."

"No," Naomi admitted. "I don’t."

A door opened. Woman in scrubs stepped out. Mid-forties. Tired eyes. Probably been healing gate injuries since breakfast.

"Jace Monroe?"

I stood. Naomi stood with me.

The nurse looked at our joined hands. Raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Come on back."

The examination room was small. White walls. Medical equipment. Poster about proper mana circulation techniques that looked like it came from a textbook.

I sat on the paper-covered table. It crinkled loudly. Naomi stood by the wall looking uncertain.

"Your girlfriend can stay if you want," the nurse said.

Naomi’s face went nuclear. I decided not to correct the assumption.

"Shirt off. Let’s see the damage."

I pulled off the blazer. Then the dress shirt. The shoulder looked worse than it felt. Purple and yellow bruising spread from four distinct puncture marks. The tactical suit had absorbed most of the bite but the teeth still broke skin.

The nurse made a considering sound. Pulled on gloves. Poked at it gently.

"Crawler?"

"Alpha."

"In an E-rank?"

"Apparently they spawn sometimes."

"Lucky you."

"That’s one word for it."

She grabbed something from a cabinet. Green gel in a squeeze tube. Applied it directly to the wound.

It burned cold. Then warm. Then the pain just. Stopped.

"Healing gel. Low-grade mana infusion. Should close up the punctures by tomorrow. Bruising will fade in three days."

"That’s it?"

"That’s it. You’re young. You heal fast. Come back if it gets infected or starts oozing."

"Great mental image. Thanks."

She smirked. Pulled off the gloves.

"You’re cleared. Try not to let monsters bite you."

"Noted."

I pulled my shirt back on. The collar rubbed against the wound but the gel made it tolerable.

Naomi hadn’t said anything the entire time. Just watched. Her face doing something I couldn’t read.

We left medical and walked toward the dining hall. My stomach rumbled loud enough that a passing student heard it and laughed.

"You need food," Naomi said.

"I always need food. Body’s burning calories like I’m on fire."

"Silver essence."

"Yeah."

"From Belle."

"Yeah."

Her grip loosened slightly. Not letting go but. Close.

"I keep forgetting. That you were with her last night. That you’ll be with her again. That this is. How things are now."

"Naomi."

"I’m trying. I really am. But it’s hard."

"I know."

"Do you? Because you seem fine with it."

I stopped walking. She stopped with me. We stood in the middle of the pathway while other students flowed around us like water around rocks.

"I’m not fine with it."

"You’re not?"

"No. I hate that you’re hurt. I hate that Belle felt used. I hate that I have to do this at all. But I do have to do it. And I can either feel guilty and paralyzed or I can accept it and keep moving."

"That’s cold."

"That’s survival."

She looked down. At our hands still connected. At her shell necklace. At anything except my face.

"I don’t want to lose you."

"You won’t."

"How do you know?"

"Because you’re mine. I told you that already."

"You told me that right before explaining you’d be with other girls."

"Both things are true simultaneously."

"That doesn’t make sense."

"Life doesn’t make sense. We’re making it work anyway."

She looked up finally. Her pink eyes wet again but not crying.

"Promise me something."

"Depends what it is."

"Promise you’ll tell me. If. If you meet someone you like better. Someone who’s prettier or stronger or less complicated. Just. Tell me. Don’t let me find out from group texts or hallway whispers."

Something twisted in my chest. Sharp. Uncomfortable.

I pulled her closer. Close enough that I could see the individual colors in her eyes. Pink with darker pink rings. Pupils blown wide.

"There’s nobody better than you."

"You don’t know that. You haven’t met everyone yet."

"Don’t need to."

"Jace."

"Naomi. Listen to me. Aurora’s dangerous and exciting. Belle’s smart and fascinating. Hikaru’s. Hikaru’s whatever Hikaru is. But you. You’re the one who stayed when I asked. Who trusted me before I was worth trusting. Who fell for me when I was nothing."

"You’re not nothing."

"I was six days ago."

"No you weren’t."

"To everyone else I was."

"Not to me."

I kissed her. Proper. Deep. Her hands came up to my face. Her fingers curled against my jaw.

When I pulled back we were both breathing different.

"I have a date tonight."

"I know."

"And Belle will want another session tomorrow probably."

"I know that too."

"And you’re still here."

"Where else would I be?"