But as I headed for the shower, I couldn’t shake the memory of Theo’s touch, his eager responses, the way he’d trusted me completely for his first time. Whoever he was behind that mask, I hoped he’d enjoyed our night together as much as I had.
And a small, dangerous part of me wondered what might have happened if he’d stayed, if we’d had a chance to talk without the masks, to see each other for who we truly were.
I turned on the shower, making it as hot as I could stand. As the water cascaded over me, I tried to wash away these unexpected feelings. This wasn’t like me. I didn’t get attached. I didn’t wonder about the men who warmed my bed for a night. That was the rule I’d had since my parents died. No attachments, no feelings, and no risk of turning to seafoam.
But something about Theo had been different. Maybe it was his innocence, the way he’d approached everything with such genuine wonder. Or maybe it was the fact that for once, I’dbeen with someone who didn’t know what I was, who couldn’t possibly have been affected by my voice.
“Stop it,” I told myself firmly, scrubbing shampoo through my hair with more force than necessary. “It was one night. That’s all it was ever going to be. You know that.”
By the time I stepped out of the shower, I’d almost convinced myself I believed it.
I wrapped a towel around my waist and wiped the steam from the mirror, examining my reflection. My scales had emerged slightly during the night, shimmering blue patches visible along my forearms and collarbones. It happened sometimes when I was deeply relaxed or...satisfied. I closed my eyes, focusing on pulling them back beneath my skin where they belonged.
When I opened my eyes again, I looked human. Mostly human, anyway. My eyes would always give me away to those who knew what to look for. That unnatural blue, like the deepest part of the ocean catching sunlight, was a tell I’d never be able to hide.
I dressed quickly in jeans and a loose sweater, gathering my art supplies for the day ahead. As I was about to leave, my gaze fell on Theo’s crumbling mask one last time. On impulse, I carefully gathered the remains into a small cloth bag. Maybe I could incorporate the golden dust into a painting somehow, a memorial to a perfect night that would never be repeated.
The campus was quiet as I made my way to the studio, most students still sleeping off their Halloween festivities. The crisp autumn air cleared the last cobwebs from my mind, helping me focus on the day ahead rather than the night behind.
I had nearly reached the art building when I spotted Linden heading toward me, his green skin practically glowing in the morning sunlight. He wore the same clothes from last night, his Green Man mask dangling loosely from his fingers.
“There you are!” he called, quickening his pace to catch up. “I was just coming to check on you. You disappeared with that guy and never came back.”
“I took him back to our room,” I admitted with a shrug, trying to sound casual. “He wanted privacy.”
Linden’s eyebrows shot up. “And? How was it? He seemed pretty into you.”
“It was fine,” I said, starting to walk again. “Just the usual.”
“Bullshit,” Linden replied, falling into step beside me. “I saw the way you two were looking at each other. That wasn’t your typical hookup.”
I shot him an irritated glance. “Since when are you an expert on my hookups?”
“Since I’ve been your roommate for three years and have seen the parade of guys you’ve brought back to our room,” he countered. “None of them ever made you smile like that guy did last night.”
“It was the punch,” I insisted, quickening my pace. “It makes everything seem more significant than it is.”
Linden grabbed my arm, stopping me. “Nerion, come on. It’s me. You don’t have to pretend.”
I sighed, running a hand through my still-damp hair. “Fine. It was...different. He was different. But it doesn’t matter because he left before I woke up, and I have no idea who he really is.”
“But you want to know,” Linden said. It wasn’t a question.
I hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. “Yeah. I do.”
“Well, that’s progress at least,” Linden grinned, clapping me on the shoulder. “The infamous Nerion, actually wanting to see someone again. I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Shut up,” I muttered, but there was no heat behind it. “It’s not like it matters, anyway. Widdershins has more than athousand students. What are the odds I’ll ever find out who he really was?”
“Better than you think,” Linden said mysteriously. “I might have some information that could help.”
I stopped walking again, turning to face him fully. “What? How?”
“I chatted with him a little bit before you came to the party. I don’t know his major or his real name, but…” Linden waggled his eyebrows at me. “I know that he’s a Junior, like us, and probably one of the most talented spellcrafters on campus. That mask he made was a work of art. And he told me he created the spell inless than a day.”
My breath caught in my throat. Talented spellcrafter? Junior? It wasn’t much to go on, but it was something.
“Are you sure?” I asked, trying not to sound too eager. “There are dozens of talented spellcrafters at Widdershins.”