27
At some point, Brynhild brought me back to the dormitory. As usual, students were whispering, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. It didn’t really matter. They’d been doing that since the day I arrived.
Ryoko answered the door, polite as ever. “I’ll take it from here.”
With her arm around me, she dragged me into the room and onto the bed. Pickles huffed when she had to leave the pillow, but stayed on the edge.
“Ylva. You look terrible.”
“Hah, really? I feel it.”
She pressed a hand on my forehead. “You’re burning up.”
“Funny you should say that.” All my words came out as a mumble, but who cared? Nothing I had to say was important anyway.
“You need to sleep.”
Her concern was annoying me.
Irritated, I waved her away. “Stop fussing over me. You’re not my mother.”
Hurt flas
