Lunch with Friends?

Week 6 Day 5 Vegen

Sky was in her rooms practicing the shield spells when she noticed it felt as if someone were watching her. She looked at the door to the practice room; it was closed, just like she'd left it. Peering out of the window, she saw there was no one in the hallway either. Sky opened the door and stepped out. The sound of footsteps greeted her. Sky hurried towards them.

Rounding the corner in the hallway, she ran straight into Aven. The impact cause him to rock back on his heels. She fell onto her butt.

Aven cocked his head to the side and looked down at her. Sky put a hand over her pounding heart and let out a breath.

"You scared me, Aven. Why were you watching me just now?" The outer corners of his mouth drew down slightly as his eyebrows came together.

He reached a hand down and pulled her to her feet, saying, "I wasn't watching you. I just got here." He sniffed the air. His expression became more severe and he took off around the corner. Sky raced after him.

He'd thrown the door to the practice room open and she could hear him smelling the room. She stepped inside it. Aven turned to face her.

"There was definitely someone here, but I've never smelled them before. They are gone now." His eyes flicked around the room again. Then walking over to the table, he looked at Sky's open Spoken Magic book. Careful not to lose her page, he examined the book's cover. "This is a good book." Sky smiled.

"Thanks, Vaeryn gave it to me." Aven's expression darkened a hair. "I actually wanted to thank you." Sky continued, "I just found out that you were the one who rescued me from the woods after I got injured, so thank you." Aven gave her a flat look.

Then after a moment he said, "You should also thank Glace. He put an ice barrier around the clearing to ensure that I found you first." Putting the book down, he turned to face her again. Sky gasped as realization hit her.

"The red thing with the teeth! That was you!" One of his eyebrows shot up.

"Thing? I am a wolf demon beast." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Sky flinched and quickly replied, "Yes, of course. I just couldn't see you properly. You were moving too fast." Her hands twisted in front of her. She had just insulted him, so she was expecting an angry explosion.

Instead, he said, "I wanted to see if you'd eaten yet." Sky's stomach gave a small rumble. Aven's mouth bowed upward. "Apparently, you have not."

"Well, Marshall Drakkona said he'd be back soon, but he hasn't returned yet." Sky said with a small frown. "I'm supposed to wait here for him to come back." Sky added.

Aven closed his eyes. Sky watched him wondering what he was doing.

Two minutes later, Aven reopened his eyes and said, "The Marshall said if we were quick, I could take you to the dining hall." Sky stared at him stunned. Eat in the dining hall? Humans didn't eat in the dining halls That was the quickest way of getting attacked that any of them could think of. "Come on." Aven said grabbing her hand and pulling her from the room.

"But I-" Sky began to protest.

"You'll be with me, so it'll be fine." Aven told her in clipped tones.

***

In less than fifteen minutes, Sky found herself seated at a pretty, white lattice-worked table across from Aven in the dining hall. The decadent scents of ham, cream, steak, and other rich food filed the air. From every occupied table rose whispered murmurs. Sky could feel the unfriendly eyes of many students trained on her.

Though Aven was smiling slightly, he was silent.

"Do they all have to talk about me?" Sky asked after a minute. Her shoulders had crawled all the way up to her ears as if they could hide her where she sat.

Aven's smiled deepened and he said, "Just relax. They will stop eventually." The table began glowing white. "And here comes our lunch. They are very quick here." He removed his elbows from the table. Sky did the same.

Instantly, two massive steaming plates of food appeared. On her plate was a huge steak covered in a mushroom cream sauce, a glistening pile of broccoli rabe, and what looked like a pile of golden mashed potatoes. There was also a large communal bowl of rolls with butter and two dresses salads. Sky's mouth watered at the aroma wafting off her plate. She swallowed.

Picking up her silverware, she said, "This is a lot of food." The chair beside hers scraped out.

"That is because Aven is petrified of being hungry, so he always asks for extras." A familiar voice said in faint western accents. Sky looked over at Jin who'd just sat in the chair to her left. She smiled timidly at him, remembering their last meeting. "So, how's the happy murderess today?" He asked her with a mischievous grin.

Sky gasped, "What?"

"Jin." Aven warned with a small frown.

Jin ignored him and said, "Didn't you know? It's all over the school that you're a serial killer. Everyone's trying to figure out how you did it. I've heard everything from blackmail to poison. Personally, I think you had an accomplice. So, am I right?" Jin's grin deepened.

Sky spluttered, "I didn't- I never- Marshall Drakkona-"