Chapter 3

Even Finn touched her, though his were smaller grazes. He’d brush against her as he walked by or stroke his fingers over hers when he handed her something. The worst—and best—was when he played with the ends of her hair.

Pearl hated the constant caresses almost as much as she loved them. She’d already been touch-starved when she hadn’t known, not truly, what she was missing.

Now that she did, now that she knew how it felt to have people who cared about her? Now that she’d experienced what it was like to turn around or walk down the hall and talk to another person?

Now that she was addicted to their touch, their company? To them?

It was going to break her when they finally decided they’d had enough of the trouble-magnet charity case and kicked her out, Lost Heir of powerful alchemist or not.

For the hundredth time that morning, the memory of the day in the gym, of Vergel’s grey eyes staring up at her, filled her mind. She could still feel his tongue between her