29
Gravlax Tuesday was the best day. There were many problems in the world and almost all of them could be solved with cured fish.
I hummed a little tune on my way to the dining hall, where I ran into a familiar face.
“Hey, Ryoko.” I could barely say her name without grinning like a fool.
“Hi.” Her dark eyes shimmered as she looked at me and only me.
I desperately wanted to pull her into me for a kiss, but that would be social suicide. For both of us.
“How’s your day going?” she asked.
“Pretty good.” I dug in my pocket and showed her a new piece of brass. “I’m working on my second key. To make it more personal, I’m carrying the metal around. What are you up to?”
“We just learned to make smoke tendrils. Want to see?”
“Always.”
She pulled me aside, her hand warm around my wrist. Wi
