Tested by the Night by Maxine Mansfield Page B

attending The Academy of Magical Arts together. They’d talked about it for years, planned every detail. They’d spent more turns of the hourglass than she could remember discussing their clothes, their classes, their dorm rooms, and even who their boyfriends would be. But now Kit and Zander were married. The dream was over, she was all alone, and nothing would ever be the same again.
    She glanced around the crowded lunch room. It was the strangest sensation to not see one single face that was even remotely familiar. And it was even stranger to realize no one was looking at her, watching her, following her, seeking her audience, trying to catch her eye, or happy to see her. For the first time in ever so long, she was as much of a stranger to these people, as they were to her. It was freeing…almost. But then again, it was somewhat creepy in its deviation from what she’d always considered normal.
    Loneliness washed over her. Then she chuckled to herself. Would she never be satisfied with the hand life dealt her? How many times over the past few years had she longed for this very situation? To be no more than simply another face in the crowd, a stranger, nobody special, if even for a short while?
    But then, sitting all alone while eating her mostly cold lunch without being scrutinized wasn’t the real reason behind her feelings of loneliness. It was because Kit wasn’t here, and to boot, Talon Starkweather wasn’t anywhere around to interrupt her bout of self-pity. And even though she hated to admit it, especially to herself, it was more than that. She missed the sight of him, the sound of his voice, the scent of his skin, his smile, his touch. How much longer would he stay out hunting with Pearl? After all, how long could it take to fill up the belly of one little bitty dragon?
    That thought brought her up short. When had Talon Starkweather’s whereabouts or doings become important in the least? They shouldn’t be, especially since she was determined to take on Queen Adrina’s challenge. There was no time or room in her life for distractions, especially the male barbarian type. And what did the oh-so-arrogant man really matter in the scheme of things anyway? No matter how much her heart disagreed, he was nothing to her. He was Zander’s friend, and though a Sir in his own right due to his service to her brother, he was still a commoner by birth. Even though his father had once been Magistrate of Bane. A fact she’d best not forget.
    And so what if Talon wasn’t here at her beck and call. There were certainly plenty of other males in the lunch room as worthy of her gaze, her attention, and who could surely take her mind off missing her best friend and the too-sexy-for-his-own-good barbarian. Weren’t there? After all, wouldn’t it be a shame if she wasted this rare opportunity of getting to look her fill while not being scrutinized herself? Why, it would almost be a sin if she didn’t relax, sit back, and absorb the ambiance of the room, of The Academy? It would be prudent even.
    With a smile, Mia sipped her tea, nibbled her scone, and indulged in one of her favorite pastimes, people watching.
    At a table across the room from her sat three high elf males chatting gaily. Their bright blue eyes twinkled with mischief, and their crisply pointed ears twitched every time they laughed. They were all blond, long legged, broad chested, and if the white novice tunics they were wearing was any indication, they were first year healers. A blush heated her cheeks. She’d heard tales about the healer program and what went on behind those closed doors.
    One of them glanced her way, smiled, and winked. The blush immediately cooled on her cheeks, and she quickly looked away. Handsome the high elf might be and with an easy smile, but still, he was no Talon Starkweather. And not only wasn’t he anywhere close to being in the same league as Talon, but he reminded her greatly of Alistair Von Daggertoss and what she’d earlier