Her thoughts swirled as she processed the strange energy, only to be jolted back to reality by a shove on her shoulder.

  “What?” she asked, turning to see Zoey staring at her like she’d just grown a second head.

  “You spaced out,” Zoey said, shaking her head. “Trevor said hi and you didn’t even blink. Rude.”

  “I do have that effect,” Trevor chimed in, his tone dripping with easy confidence.

  Savannah shifted her gaze to him. He was African American, his skin glowing under the soft light of the setting sun. His low-cut fade was sharp, his light brown eyes warm but mischievous. His toned frame filled out his black hoodie and dark jeans perfectly. He was undeniably cute—and, unfortunately, he knew it. But not speechless cute.

  She raised an eyebrow. “What effect, exactly? Making people zone out because you’re boring?”

  The group laughed, and Trevor gave her a crooked grin. “Nah, Savvy, because they’re mesmerized.”

  “Mesmerized?” she repeated, smirking. “What, by your overwhelming mediocrity? That’s impressive.”

  “Harsh,” he said, clutching his chest dramatically. “But it’s okay. I’ve got a thick skin.”

  “That’s good,” she shot back. “You’re gonna need it with lines that weak.”

  The group chuckled again, and Zoey nudged her with a grin. “Okay, Savvy, leave the man with some dignity.”

  “Dignity’s overrated,” Savannah said with a shrug, her smirk widening. She crossed her arms, turning to Trevor. “You were saying something, or was that it?”

  Trevor shook his head, his grin still intact. “Alright, I see you, Savvy. You got jokes. But don’t worry—you’ll warm up to me eventually.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” she quipped, brushing past him with a flick of her hair.

  The group broke into more laughter as she walked toward the trail, Zoey shooting Trevor a teasing look as she followed. Savannah couldn’t help but grin. Cute or not, no way was she letting Trevor think he could outmatch her.

  Outmatch her? Savannah sighed inwardly, shaking her head at herself. Her competitive streak always seemed to flare up at the wrong moments. Maybe she should’ve let him feel powerful for once. Isn’t that what girls were supposed to do? Play it cool, boost their egos a little?

  Zoey bounced up beside her, her steps light and playful. “Real smooth, Savvy,” she said just loud enough for Savannah to hear but not enough to alert the group behind them.

  “I know, I know…” Savannah muttered, her tone resigned.

  Zoey laughed, a carefree sound that made Savannah’s frustration sting just a little less. “I doubt it scared him off,” Zoey teased, “but you really gotta chill with the strong girl act. Be a badass, yeah, but don’t scare the guys off.”

  Savannah raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. “Are you seriously telling me not to scare the hoes away?”

  “Yes, ma’am, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” Zoey shot back with a grin. “You can be intimidating in the best way possible, but Trevor’s a boy, not an opp, just a cute boy with a big head.”

  “Alright, fine, Ms. Expert,” Savannah said, rolling her eyes but unable to suppress her smirk. “What do you suggest?”

  Zoey’s grin widened as she clasped her hands together like a coach ready to give a pep talk. “Okay, first off, smile more. Not a fake one, but like, the kind that says you’re fun and approachable. Boys love that.”

  “Fun and approachable?” Savannah repeated, raising an eyebrow. “You’re literally describing a golden retriever.”

  “Exactly! And trust me, guys eat that up,” Zoey said, tapping her temple like she’d just dropped wisdom. “Second, throw in some compliments. Not too much, just enough to let him think he’s special.”

  “And then what? Feed him treats and scratch behind his ears?”

  Zoey burst out laughing. “I mean, if it works…”

  Savannah shook her head, her smirk softening into something more genuine. As much as she wanted to roll her eyes at Zoey’s advice, she couldn’t deny there was truth in it. She knew she didn’t have to approach every interaction like a competition. She’d come here to relax, after all.

  “Alright,” Savannah said finally, her voice thoughtful. “I’ll give it a shot. But if he’s still a dumbass, I’m blaming you.”

  Zoey grinned triumphantly. “Deal. Just don’t forget, Savvy—you’re the woman. You already won, now you're just making it entertaining.”

  Savannah rolled her eyes but smiled, “You’re awful.”

  As Zoey opened her mouth to snap back, Leo suddenly appeared behind her, grabbing her around the waist and tickling her mercilessly.

  “Leo, you idiot!” Zoey shrieked, laughing uncontrollably as she twisted and turned, trying to escape his grasp. “I swear I’m gonna kill you!”

  Savannah glanced over her shoulder, watching their chaotic energy with mild amusement. Seeing that their little moment had officially ended, she shook her head and kept walking, her pace calm and steady.

  But then, out of nowhere, she felt arms trying to scoop her up from behind.

  Her instincts kicked in immediately. For a split second, she was about to twist out of his grip, maybe even flip him onto his back and wipe the smugness right off his face. But then Zoey’s words from a few moments ago echoed in her head: Be a badass, but don’t scare the guys off.

  Alright, damsel approach it is, she thought, resisting every urge in her body to retaliate.

  “Oi, oi, Trevor,” she said, her voice an exaggerated groan, “what are you doing?”

  “Carrying you,” he replied with a cocky grin, his arms still trying to lift her. “Thought you might need a break.”

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  “I don’t need saving, you know,” she said, adding a light laugh to soften her words. “I’m not that delicate.”

  “Maybe not,” he teased, his grip tightening slightly. “But you looked like you needed a pick me up.”

  Savannah sighed dramatically, leaning back slightly in his hold. “Fine, fine, you win. But if you drop me, you’re not hearing the end of it.”

  “Deal,” Trevor said, clearly pleased with himself as he shifted her slightly to make carrying her easier. She let him hold her. For once, she decided to try it, even if it felt completely against her nature.

  Savannah smirked, resting her chin on her hand in mock thought. “I hope you’re up for carrying me the entire trail.

  He laughed, a low and genuine sound, and Savannah decided maybe relaxing wasn’t the worst, also the free ride wasn’t bad.

  Howard was probably wondering why she hadn’t come to wipe his memory yet, but Savannah decided it was fine. Let the boy stew in the knowledge of the greater world for the week. It wasn’t like he was going to run his mouth in a way that mattered. Howard wasn’t exactly well-known. He hung with his tight-knit group of nerds, and if he did try to talk about the Demurge or her being a Veythari, it would sound like just another D&D campaign or whatever else they spent their time geeking out over.

  There was that unsettling energy she’d felt earlier, but it wasn’t anything to stress about. She’d sneak out and deal with it later tonight—or tomorrow morning if she felt like procrastinating. Right now, she’d decided, she deserved to enjoy herself.

  She smirked to herself, glancing over at Trevor, who was clearly still riding high on his attempt to impress her. Yeah, let him feel like a hero for a bit. For once, she was going to let her walls down.

  Teasing Trevor, bantering with Zoey, and doing dumb, borderline rule-breaking stuff with her class didn’t sound half bad. For the first time in a long time, Savannah let herself relax and actually look forward to the chaos of the night ahead.

  As they walked along the Elk Trail, Savannah kept her eyes peeled, scanning the ground for her lost pendant. She wished she could use her Mani—the energy that flowed through all living things—to locate it, but that wouldn’t work on an inanimate object. Using her wind manipulation was also out of the question; the sudden gusts would draw too much attention, and as a Veythari, she didn’t need anyone asking questions.

  Howard’s earlier comment about her being some kind of foreign creature still lingered in her mind. He wasn’t entirely wrong to be curious, though. She wasn’t born a Veythari. Once, she’d been a normal human, just like everyone else here. But that all changed after her encounter with a rift. The exposure had enhanced her, made her something more—but not something inhuman. At least, that’s what she told herself.

  Still, being with the others, she felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was the realization of how different she was from everyone around her. They were laughing, carefree, caught up in their own small dramas. Meanwhile, she was on high alert, juggling responsibilities they couldn’t even imagine. But she shook the thought away. She wasn’t going to let that dampen her mood.

  Trevor slowed his pace, flashing her a grin. “Lost in thought? Thought I wasn’t mesmerizing.”

  She snorted, rolling her eyes. “I’m just taking in the forest, genius.”

  “Oh yeah?” He raised an eyebrow. “Sure. What are you seeing then?”

  She glanced around, deciding to humor him. “The moss growing on the north sides of the trees. The faint animal tracks near that cluster of ferns. The old bird’s nest in the hollow up there. And that spiderweb—see the way it’s shimmering? Means the dew hasn’t fully evaporated, so it’s still fresh. Probably from this morning.”

  Trevor stared at her, his mouth slightly open. “Damn, Savvy. Was your dad or mom in the military? Actually, that would make sense.”

  She rolled her eyes again. “How? And do I look like a military brat?”

  “You literally look and act like the girl from… what’s the Brave movie called?”

  “I’m not Scottish!” she shot back, laughing despite herself. “Nor am I a military brat. I’m just… observant.” She wasn’t about to admit she was using her aura to pick up on her surroundings, or that being in the forest heightened her senses.

  Trevor smirked. “You probably collect crystals and shiz, huh? Wanna tell me my future?”

  “Sure,” she said with a sly smile, leaning back slightly. “You’re gonna keep carrying me.”

  He laughed, the sound easy and genuine. “Alright, I’ll give you that one.”

  His arms held her firmly yet comfortably, and he seemed to enjoy the attention, not just from her but from the amused group trailing behind them.

  “You know,” he said, his voice smooth and teasing as he adjusted his grip, “you’re a lot lighter than I thought. What are you, like, ninety pounds?”

  Savannah raised an eyebrow. “Nice try, but flattery only works if it’s believable.”

  “Alright, fine. A solid one-ten,” he teased with a grin. “Plus ten.”

  “Oi! Screw you!”

  “Hey, hey,” he said with a mock-serious tone, looking down at her. “I’m a gentleman. I’d never guess a lady’s weight.”

  “You just did,” she said flatly, though her smirk betrayed her amusement.

  “Guess I’m no gentleman, then.” His grin widened. “But you can’t say you don’t like being carried.”

  “Maybe,” she admitted, tilting her head as if considering.

  “Sure,” he said with a chuckle. “Easier for you, maybe. I’m doing all the work here.”

  “You’re the one who insisted,” she shot back, rolling her eyes. “Don’t start complaining now.”

  “I’m not complaining,” he said, his voice dropping just slightly, the playful edge softening. “I’m just saying—this feels kinda nice.”

  That caught her off guard for a moment, though she quickly masked it with a smirk. “Don’t get used to it.”

  “Why not?” he asked, his tone smooth but with just a hint of sincerity. “You could, you know, let someone else in beside Zoey. Well I guess that would mean you have to be in school more often to get to know better.”

  Savannah blinked, momentarily unsure how to respond. Was he being serious? The warmth in his tone suggested he might be. But before she could overthink it, she snorted, brushing it off. “You carried me five feet? And now you think I’m puddy in your arms? You’re gonna need to try harder than that, Trevor.”

  “Five feet? Feels like miles,” he quipped, grinning again, though his gaze lingered on her a moment longer before he looked ahead. “But I guess you’re worth it.”

  “You think you’re smooth,” she muttered, shaking her head.

  “What?”

  “Nothing!” She says, hitting him in the chest.

  “You know,” Trevor said, adjusting her slightly in his arms, “I should start charging for this. Professional Savvy-carrier at your service. Reasonable rates.”

  “Reasonable rates?” Savannah raised an eyebrow, smirking. “What’s your price?”

  “Hmm…” He pretended to think, glancing down at her with a sly grin. “A smile. I’ll settle for that.”

  She rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the faint smirk tugging at her lips. “Wow, what a bargain.”

  “Right? I’m a simple man,” he teased, his brown eyes warm with amusement. “But I gotta say, this isn’t so bad. You’re lighter than I thought you’d be.”

  “Here we go again,” she muttered. “Trevor, don’t even try to guess my weight again. You’ll end up regretting it. I let ya ass slide last time.”

  “Fine, fine,” he said with a laugh. “I wasn’t gonna say a number anyway. Just that you fit perfectly in my arms.”

  Savannah blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the smoothness of his tone. She quickly recovered, snorting. “Wow, real original. What’s next, telling me I have pretty eyes?”

  “Well, I was saving that one,” he replied without missing a beat. “But now that you mention it—yeah, you do.”

  “Trevor…” she started, warning him with her tone, though she couldn’t hide the slight blush creeping up her neck.

  “What? Just stating facts.” He grinned, clearly pleased with himself.

  They continued down the trail, his easy laughter mixing with the chatter of the group behind them. Savannah tried to focus on scanning the ground for her lost pendant, but his teasing made it harder than she cared to admit.

  As the group neared a small lake, the sky began to change, streaks of orange and pink stretching across the horizon. The sun was dipping lower, its warm glow reflecting off the water’s surface. The laughter and chatter of the group softened as they took in the beauty of the setting, but Savannah kept her guard up, scanning the forest one last time before letting herself relax.

  Trevor slowed his pace, the golden light reflecting in his eyes as he glanced down at her. “Y’know, Savvy,” he said softly, his tone losing some of its playful edge, “You don’t have to be guarded. We’re all friends here.”

  Her breath hitched for a moment, the sincerity in his voice catching her completely off guard. But she quickly masked it, rolling her eyes. Letting out a long-suffering sigh, though she couldn’t quite stop herself from smiling. As much as she wanted to keep him at arm’s length, his easy charm was starting to grow on her. Just a little.