“Somebody’s looking gloomy today.”

Zach glanced up at Jeremy Torvik briefly before turning his attention back to his phone. “My parents were especially clingy before I left today,” Zach groused.

“At least you have a driver that brings you here!” Torvik countered. “I had to cart all my luggage on the train, which means I couldn’t bring more than two suitcases. Two! I might never get the wrinkles out of my uniforms.”

Zach hummed an acknowledgment, though he was only half paying attention. His mother had been on his heels since he’d done that ritual. The ritual that failed. The ring had sat on the grass as innocent as could be while Zach cussed up a storm. He’d cleaned up the area, put his ring back on, and then gone home to have strange dreams about train stations and trucks. His mother thought the dream a manifestation of his anxiousness about senior year and doted on him, promising he would graduate as a strong mage.

“And when I lifted up her skirt I found out she was a dude.”

“What?” Torvik was known for chasing after the girls, but surely it didn’t take him that long to -

Jeremy was smirking at him.

Zach gave him an unimpressed glare and a light scolding. “You’re the one who walked in on my study time and started talking nonsense. You expect me to pay attention to who you’re dating now?”

“Ah, come on, man! It’s your senior year. Last chance to let wild before your parents start pushing the whole arranged marriage thing. Do you really want to find out on your wedding night that you can’t stand the sight of a girl’s body?”

“Would it make a difference?” Zach asked dryly. “My father is the king’s brother. If I start sleeping with every girl who wants to bed me, I’ll have a bigger harem than the palace. My uncle might take issue with that many descendants with royal blood. Dilutes the magic, you know.” The sarcasm clicked off his tongue like a tease.

“Rubbish,” Jeremy scoffed. “They have contraceptives for that.”

Zach sighed and locked his phone. “What do you want, Torvik?” he asked heavily.

And just as suddenly the other man looked like a wounded puppy. “I was just trying to cheer you up,” Jeremy said. “You took on so many classes with the schedule change last year that I barely saw you, and now you’re the senior representative for general track-“

“Honestly,” Zach almost laughed. “How are you not in support track? Didn’t you get tested before enrolling?”

“My family has been in general track for generations,” Torvik grumped, still looking like a pouting puppy. “Don’t be so mean.”

“There’s nothing wrong with support track,” Zach said with a shake of his head, “now stop being spoiled and get your books. Lunch break is almost over.”

“Did you even eat?” Jeremy asked suspiciously. “You were on your phone when I found you…”

“If you still want your tongue to be working at the next sparing session, I suggest you forget that line of thought. I know plenty of silencing spells.”

“Heartless creep,” Jeremy muttered.

“What was that?”

“I said ‘right away!’” Jeremy said, louder, as he gathered up his backpack.

Except Zach had heard what Jeremy said first and now his brain couldn’t let go of the thought. What if Zach’s heart wasn’t in the ring?