which looked amazing but I knew I couldn’t eat one.
“We have extras.” Arthur offered me a sandwich, but I turned it down.
“No thanks,” I said. “I’ve got food allergies.”
“Bummer.” He gave the extras to Ozzie, who inhaled it like it was his last meal. He rubbed his stomach happily, and I noticed the fond look at him that Jasper snuck.
“You said your grandparents packed your lunch. Do you have family nearby?” I asked.
“Somewhat. My dad died when I was young, and my mother abandoned me as a child,” Arthur said. “I lived with my grandparents in Ireland until they moved to Malovia last year, when I started university. My dad is buried out by the old graveyard near the hills.”
“I know the place. It’s pretty deserted,” I said, recalling the difficult day when Ethan and I had visited my father’s tombstone.
Arthur looked down. “Yeah. I’ve been trying to work up the courage to go out there and visit, but it’s… hard.”
I frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. My dad died when I was a kid, too, so I know how it feels. My father is buried in the same cemetery. It wasn’t easy going to his grave for the first time.”
Arthur shrugged. “Hey, I didn’t know my parents. It sucks, but my grandparents are wicked awesome. They made up for not having a traditional family.”
“So what are you studying?” I desperately wanted to talk about anything that wasn’t heavy, and my dead dad was one of those subjects I avoided at all costs.
“Fae History,” Arthur replied. “I’m fascinated by ancient lore. It really gets me.”
“He’s a big nerd,” Finlay teased. Arthur punched him in the shoulder, which Finlay rubbed off with a laugh.
“And what are you studying that’s better?” I raised an eyebrow at Finlay, and oohs went up around the circle.
He gave a roguish grin. “Pack Communications. I’m looking for a leadership position in the wolven Faction.”
“That’s fuck boy speak for he wants to lead around a bunch of brutes,” Jasper offered. Finlay chuckled as he nodded in agreement.
“What about you, Vara?” I asked. She’d been awfully quiet this entire time, and I didn’t want to be rude and accidentally disclude her.
“International Studies. I love learning about the world,” Vara said. “Though I have an interest in Journalism as well. I work part-time as a student reporter for The Annual Arcanea.”
“I’m majoring in International Studies, too.” It’d be nice to have someone I knew in my classes.
“I prefer to observe.” Vara shrugged. “It’s interesting to look at people who’ve grown up in societies with different perspectives than yours.”
“I’ve always thought so. Diversity is what makes the world wonderful.”
“Exactly.” Vara bit into an apple. “It’s probably the most captivating thing about life, realizing everyone’s unique, but at our core, we’re all the same.”
Vara was cool. She and I clicked instantly. She’d be a great study partner.
“I just want to make cupcakes. Opening up a bakery would be fun!” Ozzie burst. “I want to make all kinds of muffins with magical enchantments in them. I brought some today, see?”
Ozzie reached into his backpack. He offered me a pink cupcake in a plastic bag, and said, “It’s gluten-free, vegan, and has no preservatives. Wait until you see the surprise!”
Thank the gods, I could finally eat something someone had handed me. I unwrapped the cupcake and bit into it. Once I did, I tasted fresh strawberries. The garden transformed into a lovely strawberry field that spanned underneath a clear blue sky. I felt the heat of the sun as summer unfolded around me, and I smelled the scent of the fresh berries blooming in the air.
The illusion was brilliant. Once I finished the cupcake, the illusion faded away, and the gardens came back into view once again.
“You have a talent, Ozzie,” I said. “That was a strong illusion.”
“I’m only good with food.” He scowled. “If you can’t taste my illusions, I’m useless at any other spells.”
Ozzie nudged Jasper. “Not like Jas. He’s a great illusionist.”
Jasper shrugged. “My parents forced me to come here. I would’ve just concentrated on skating, but you and I know that’s not a stable career. I break my ankle and it’s all over. I picked Sports Management because it’s easy.”
“We can open up a gym slash bakery, won’t we, Jas?” Ozzie asked. “People will get fat off my cupcakes, then need your gym, then want a cupcake and get fat again, and we’ll make millions!”
I laughed. Okay, Ozzie was kind of dumb, but he made up for it by