Chapter 307

Thirty minutes later, Daphne and I have utterly ignored Luca’s objections and turned me out in what is actually a pretty convincing facsimile of her outfit, hair, and makeup.

“I mean, you’re shorter than me,” Daphne says, gnawing on her thumb nail as I slowly turn in a circle for her, letting her observe the effect of the long skirt she so hastily hemmed to my height and the jacket she nipped in at the waist and chest. “And I don’t like that we just rolled up those sleeves – here, take it off, I’ll hem those too –“

“Oh, it’s fine, Daph!” I say with a laugh, eager to get started – Newtown, I know, is a bit of a walk away, and I want to get started.

“Hair’s not precisely the same shade of auburn too,” Luca murmurs from where he leans against the wall, his mouth pursed. “But…I mean, I think at first glance…it’s pretty convincing. Nicely done, you two.”

“Thanks,” I say, turning towards him and giving him a pretty smile.

He laughs at me, shaking his head. “Daphne is sultry, not perky. You’ve got to work on that.”

“Sultry!” Daphne laughs, shaking her head at him and coming forward to nip at a spare thread on my jacket with a tiny set of scissors. “Look at you, Luca Grant, giving me compliments.”

“Just the truth, Daph,” he says with a smirk.

I think for a moment, watching Daphne move, and when she steps away to put her scissors on the shelf, I put my hand on my hip with a sigh and move towards Luca with the long, confident stride that Daphne uses to cross a room – nothing like my usual short absent-minded steps.

Luca’s eyes go a bit wide as I reach him.

“Was that better?” I ask, transforming back into myself.

“Holy shit,” he says, laughing at me as he puts his hands on my hip. “You’ve definitely got the walk down!”

“I have a walk!?” Daphne asks, laughing and turning towards us, curious.

“You have like, a signature strut, Daph,” I say, wrinkling my nose her way.

She blushes and waves a hand at me. “Oh, I so do not. Now get out of here so I can get back to work.”

“Actually,” I say, grimacing a little as I move to the door where Luca and I dropped our bookbags. “Would you take these…upstairs for us? Maybe with a note so that Rafe and Jesse don’t totally flip out?”

“Of course I will,” Daphne says, giving me a broad grin. “Good excuse to go check in on the Sinclairs anyway.”

I squeak with joy, thrilled to have such a good friend. I quickly cross the room to her, throwing my arms around Daphne and thanking her profusely for all of her help.

“Anytime, babe,” Daphne says, laughing a little and hugging me tight. “The only payment I ask is a full story the moment you come back.”

“You got it,” I say, giving her a final squeeze and then hurrying over to my bag where I pull out my notebook, beginning to write a hasty note.

Jesse hums to himself as he goes down a flight of steps at the back of the castle, absently messing with his shadows as he does – making shapes flit into the air, and then disappear, and then manifesting a shadow cat first in front of him and then dissolving it to mist as he passes through it, reforming it behind him. Just fooling around, really.

But a flash of auburn outside one of the stairwell’s narrow, slitted windows has him doing a double take and backing up a step, pausing to lean close to the wall and peer out the window with a frown on his face.

Because…

Because he’d swear his life on it that that’s Daphne’s bright hair trotting away down the path towards the hills that they run through every morning, but…

But what the hell is she doing holding that guy’s hand?

Jesse goes stiff as he sees it, his nostrils flaring, his wolf turning towards the sight with a heavy growl that echoes in his chest. Jesse focuses on the sight before him, fascinated, as the guy turns a brilliant smile on Daphne, laughing at something she said, his dimples flaring. Jesse’s growl deepens, his canines starting to extend – because he knows that smile.

And that face, and that confident stride.

What the fuck is Luca Grant doing holding Daphne – his Daphne’s hand!? And running away from the Castle just as the sun is going down!?

Jesse’s head fills with a buzzing rage as he completely fails to comprehend the truth presented clear before his very eyes. Because – why – they would never – not Daphne – and Luca – but – who –

“Oh, hey Jess!”

Jesse spins towards that voice he’d recognize in his sleep, his jaw dropping. “Wha-“ he sputters, looking between the redhead before him with two bookbags slung over her shoulders and then back out the window at her double – even wearing her clothes – disappearing now into the darkness. “How – what –“

“What’s wrong?” Daphne asks, frowning at him, peering closer, her eyes going wide when she sees his extended teeth.

Jesse just huffs in confusion, stepping back from the window and taking a second to cover his mouth with his hand, forcing his canines back, before gesturing vehemently towards the window. “Would you please like to explain your doppelganger!?”

Daphne laughs, her face brightening with mischief as she hurries to the window, looking out of it. “Oh, can you see them from here? That’s not very sneaky –“

“Daphne!” Jesse barks out, needing answers.

“Jess,” she says, turning to grin at him and tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “It’s Ari! She’s on like…a homework mission from Faiza. That’s my handiwork, by the way,” she says, gesturing out at his cousin as Jesse again peers from the window in shock. “I’ll take your utter befuddlement as compliment that I’ve done my job well.”

Jesse just stares as Luca and Ariel disappear from sight behind a hill. Then he turns to slump against the wall of the stairwell, staring at Daphne and shaking his head. “Luca is very lucky that you found me here, Daph,” he says, staring at her and watching her grin deepen. “I was seriously about to tear him to pieces.”

“So loyal to your cousin,” Daphne says, hoisting one of the bookbags higher. “Though you know Luca would never cheat on her, and I’d never do that to her. You should have known something was up.”

Jesse just stares at Daphne for a second too long before he pushes himself up off the wall. “Yeah,” he says, working hard against his smile. “Angry for Ari’s sake. I…should have known Luca wouldn’t do that.” He clears his throat and looks down at the bags. “Where are you going with those?”

“Luca’s room first, actually,” she says, nodding to the bag on the left. “And then yours. Ariel sent a note.” She fishes the little piece of paper out of her pocket and hands it off to Jesse, who quickly reads through it, a smirk taking his lips.

“Let me help you, then,” Jesse says, smiling as he tucks the note away and holds out a hand. “Give me Ari’s – I know it’s heavier than Luca’s.”

“Damn right it is,” Daphen groans, slipping it from her shoulder and handing it over. “For such a tiny person, Clark sure does heft around some big books.”

Jesse nods in agreement, smiling at Daphne as he turns and the two head back up the stairs towards Luca’s floor, side-by-side.

“So, what’s this assignment she’s on?” Jesse asks, still completely confused. Ariel’s note didn’t explain much – just that she was safe, and doing homework, and with Luca. “What’s the rationale behind stealing your identity?”

“Learning how to ‘become someone else,’ apparently,” Daphne says, shrugging and giving Jesse a happy grin. “Though I think she’s looking forward to the chance to stretch her legs a bit – get away from the stresses of war coming down the line.”

Jesse nods, his face becoming more serious as they walk down the hall towards Luca’s door. Daphne fishes a set of keys out of her pocket and uses one to pop Luca’s door open, where they slip his bookbag inside. Daphne locks the door behind her before they start again down the hall, towards the staircases that will lead them up two flights to the level of the Sinclair suite.

“What about you, Daph?” Jesse asks, catching her a little off guard as she gets lost in her thoughts. “Do you have work to do tonight, or are you likewise looking for a chance to stretch your legs?”

Daphne hesitates for a second as they hit the stairwell that curves upwards towards his room. She tilts her head to the side, considering it as they quickly climb, and then gives a shrug. “I always have work to do,” she says. “But…I could be persuaded to leave it off for a little bit. Cadets can go without fresh buttons for another day, right?”