Never After (School for Good and Evil x Reader)

Chapter 50

I was still frowning when I made it to the balcony for lunch. But my disappointment was replaced with curiosity when I realized Rafal was acting. . .nervous. As I picked at my salmon, he fidgeted with the laces of his black shirt.

"Y/n, I was thinking . . . I've been asking for your loyalty without truly earning it first. Maybe we haven't spent enough time getting to know each other like um, normal young people . . ." He glanced at the other teachers on the balcony and the students on the ground, all sneaking peeks at him and me together. "So, uh, perhaps you and I could do that . . . I mean, spend time without other people around—like away from school, you know, like a . . . a . . ."

I raised my brows. "Date?"

"Right. Yes. Exactly." Rafal tugged at his sticky shirt. "I could take you on a tour over the Woods, maybe? You know, after everyone goes to sleep? Lady Lesso won't get on our case about going too fast and we can stay out as late as we want because—well, obviously. Wait until you see the Netherwood from really high up. With the trees all dead, it looks brilliant, like a devil-made scarecrow, and the stars over the Murmuring Mountains connect into a giant skull," he rambled, like a nerdy Neverboy. "Could even do it tonight, after supper . . . you know, get some time together without everyone watching us . . ."

I looked into his milky face, which seemed to be getting younger and younger by the moment. "I'd like that very much," I said, smiling.

Rafal grinned, relieved.

That evening, after dinner, as Rafal flew me back to his tower, I nestled into his arms, no longer doubting. The Storian had written nothing further of Tedros or Agatha, and for the first time, even Rafal wondered whether the two Evers had left the Woods entirely.

"Perhaps they came to their senses," he said as we landed in the chamber. He gave the Storian a cursory glance, still paused over a blank page. "Let me change and then we can go on our . . . our, you know . . ." His larynx bobbed. "I'll go change."

As he left, I looked in the mirror and tried to fix my hair, tangly from the ride over. I scrutinized every inch of my appearance, before I took a step back and realized what I was doing. Why was I nervous? This was Rafal.

"Ready?"

I jumped, startled. Rafal was leaning against the wall, arms folded, now clad in a different black ensemble.

He snickered at my reaction and held out a hand, all confidence again. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Rafal pulled me into his arms and shot out through the window like a loose firework. As we zoomed over the bay, the wind whipped my hair against my cheeks. We flew over Halfway Bridge, then the decaying forest, until finally we touched down upon the top of the cliffs overlooking the school.

I gasped.

The night was breathtaking. Stars spilled out over the purple and blue sky, so dark it seemed black. The moon was exceptionally bright. Light danced its way down, spreading over the mountains in a way that made them seem to have an arctic glow.

"Rafal," I breathed.

"I know." I could hear the smile in his voice. He took my hand and pulled me to the floor, where we settled on our backs, me nestling into his side.

As we looked up above, I couldn't help but be reminded of my stargazing date with Tedros. Then, I was focused on actively trying to win him over, all while battling the storm of guilt that raged within me.

But now. . .

I looked over at the boy beside me—his icy skin glowed a blue so pure it was almost white, lit by the moonlight streaming down. His glacier eyes reflected the galaxies of stars he was gazing at.