#5 Pizza & Petty

Rowyn POV

At 7:01 PM, my stomach threatened to eat itself.

I whistled low and called out to my nymph, who was currently upside down doing backflips off my bookshelf.

“Yo, Chaos Sprinkle,” I muttered, “lead me to carbs before I start gnawing on the goddamn curtains.”

She spun midair and pointed toward the hall with a dramatic swoop. I followed my tiny spark fart of a nymph, through winding castle corridors that smelled like old books, fresh flowers, and centuries of secrets. My boots echoed off the stone floors as she zipped ahead, her little wings flitting like a glittery panic attack.

She twirled in midair, pointed one finger, and chimed, “Dining hall!” Bitch had a flair for drama. I liked her already. As soon as I stepped inside, I froze. My jaw came fully unhinged. The dining hall was straight up magical gluttony. Like Hogwarts had a baby on steroids. We’re talking everything. Alfredo. Pizza. Sushi. Fuckin' cupcakes. A chocolate fountain. I didn't know whether to eat or offer a sacrifice. I beelined for the pizza like a woman possessed, loading my plate with a ridiculous combo, pepperoni, fettuccine Alfredo, a pile of salad I wasn’t gonna eat, and a fizzy drink I prayed was Coke.

Then came the next hell level: finding a seat. The room was cliqued the fuck up.

One table full of golden boy jocks and girls with abs for days. Another oozing goth, emo, and dark-fae vibes, my aesthetic people, maybe. A third with vampires, I mean blood fae, sipping some kind of crimson smoothie. And then a nerd squad with enchanted textbooks floating around like overachievers with ADHD.

Fuck it. I headed to the empty table in the far back corner and started smashing my food like a raccoon in a trash pile. I was halfway through a heavenly bite of Alfredo when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

Enter Barbie Fae Bitch. She glided over like her ass had its own theme music, long ash blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, high fae ears on full display like antennas tuned to “I’m better than you.”

She stopped in front of my table and rapped her manicured knuckles against it like I was supposed to bow or some shit. “Seraphina Volarix,” she said, her voice like warm poison. “Daughter of Lord Cassian and Lady Maelira of the Noble Court of Fire.”

I didn’t even look up. “Congrats on knowing your parents.”

Her eye twitched. “Watch who you associate with here, half blood. You’re not welcome in every circle.”

I finally looked up and gave her the most obnoxious grin I could muster.

“Babe, I’m not here to sit at your table. I’m here to flip it.”

She made a sound like a teapot being personally offended and stormed off in a swirl of silk and superiority… straight to Zephyr’s table.

Of course. She dropped down beside some smug brunette fae with chiseled cheekbones, kissed his cheek like she owned the place, and made damn sure I saw it. Zephyr barely blinked. Just kept chewing like it was none of his business that a whole scene just happened across the room.

I rolled my eyes, finished my food like a champ, and stood to leave. That’s when it happened. I felt the spell under my boot a second too late. The world tilted. I yelped as I was flung forward, arms flailing, plate crashing to the floor behind me. But instead of smacking face first into the marble, I landed, hard, against a warm, muscular chest. A very familiar one.

Zephyr fucking Sylvaran. His arms were around me like some smug ass knight in shining sarcasm. His cheeks were a little pink as he muttered, “Watch your step, flame.”

He let go of me so fast I almost fell again, then turned on his heel and stalked back to his table like nothing happened. Not a word. Not a glance. Just… gone.

“What the actual fuck,” I muttered, brushing myself off and trying to pretend that didn’t just short circuit every hormone in my traitorous body. I stomped out of the dining hall before someone else could throw a curse or a cupcake at me, and made it back to my room without exploding anyone. Progress.

Inside, I stripped off my boots and headed for the bathroom. The water pressure was heavenly, the soap smelled like warm rain, and I took my sweet time soaking off the day. Afterward, I flopped into my bed and stared at the ceiling.

“Hey, uh… Castle? You got a name?”

The lights dimmed gently.

“I’ll take that as a maybe."

I opened my notebook and left a pen sitting on top and glanced up, "If you are able, you can write me a message."

The room hummed around me, tucking the sheets a little tighter around my legs. Okay, that was creepy and adorable. I sighed and let my eyes drift closed.

“This place is insane,” I whispered. “But maybe… just maybe… I’m finally where I’m supposed to be.”

The lights flickered once. Like the castle agreed.

Kalyx Sanguelith POV

After the little spectacle in the dining hall, with Seraphina puffing her fire born pride and Rowyn flipping the universe on its head just by existing, I was fucked. Mentally. Emotionally. Possibly spiritually.

Rowyn Vale. Too hot for her own damn good. Too sharp, too fiery, too fuck me wild with that freckled snarl and those big green eyes that said, “I’ll ruin your life and laugh about it.” And gods help me, I wanted her to.

Watching Zephyr catch her? Yeah. That shit made something primal and ugly twist inside me. I nearly slammed my tray through the table. And the way Sera made her trip!? She came over hanging all over me like I was lunch just to piss off Rowyn and I was pissed. I didn’t even go to her room tonight. I couldn't stand the thought of touching her while I was thinking about Rowyn.

Instead, I’d been pacing our damn suite like some feral animal on the edge of snapping. The walls felt too tight. The air too thin. My thoughts were all her. Red hair like a flame. Mouth like sin. And that attitude?

Gods damn. I wanted to fight her and fuck her and beg her to say my name in that raspy little voice. Zeph finally walked in, his silver hair damp from the mist outside, his eyes dark as the storm he carried in his chest. Our eyes locked.

“I can’t stop thinking about her,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “There’s something about that chick, man. Like, what the fuck is she?”

Zeph gave a tight nod. “Yeah. I know.”

We didn’t say anything else. We didn’t have to. We both felt it. Rowyn Vale had crashed into our lives like a meteor made of chaos and curves, and now nothing made sense anymore. We each hit the showers, cold water for me, because the fuck else was I supposed to do with this raging situation happening below the belt?

When I crawled into bed, I thought I’d finally sleep. I was wrong. The second my head hit the pillow, her face filled my mind again. That wicked smile. That perfect fucking scowl. The flash of her perfect skin and big green eyes...UGH! I groaned and flipped onto my stomach, gripping the pillow like it might save me from my own damn thoughts. My cock was rock hard, pulsing against the mattress like it knew she existed two floors below. “Fuck,” I hissed through gritted teeth.

I could still smell her, vanilla, cedar, and something wilder underneath. I wondered how she’d taste. Would she bite back? Scratch her nails down my spine? Say my name like a challenge or a prayer? My hips twitched.

Nope. Not gonna do it. Not jerking off to the new girl like some teenage simp. I had control.…Barely. I buried my face into the pillow and whispered into the dark, “What the fuck is happening to me?”

The castle creaked around me. Judging. Laughing. Or maybe empathizing. Who the hell knew? But one thing was clear.

Rowyn Vale was a problem. A beautiful, dangerous, infuriating problem.

And I already wanted to be ruined by her.