Chapter Sixteen
BARVE BRUSHED water over the top third of his canvas and then used the paint he’d already mixed to put on two washes of colours to represent the sky. As he began adding paint for the landscape he realised he was humming to himself. He enjoyed being able to spend most of his time doing art and, now that the quarrel with Elliot was resolved, everything was going well here.
He didn’t much care about whatever was going on with Nolan Summers but, if it gave Elliot and Fal a reason to get along and do magic together, then that was what mattered. He had begun to fear that they really hated each other and would refuse to spend any more time together and Barve couldn’t bear the idea of not seeing Elliot or alienating his brother.
Barve hadn’t known he was capable of forming such a strong connection with someone outside his family group. Neans didn’t live like Sapiens, making friends with or dating strangers, not having the same psychological make-up that let Sapiens feel a kinship with someone just because of common hobbies, beliefs or even a location. There was something special about Elliot, though. He was smart, willing to apologise for making a mistake and, of course, unbelievably sexy.
He was putting in the effort to get to know Fal too, which was great. Fal was one of the most important people in Barve’s life but he knew that his brother could be difficult to get close to. Some Sapiens expected Neans to be quiet and helpful and got nasty when they were proved wrong. Being pacifists didn’t make Neans non-confrontational; in fact Neans as a species were probably more volatile than Sapiens, something to do with the creative, emotional way his people’s minds worked. Fal’s temperamental side wasn’t unusual but Elliot was the first Sapiens to accept him and Barve as the people they were.
The professor in charge of the class walked nearer, giving advice and encouragement to the student next to him before passing Barve as if he were invisible. It lowered his mood – a reminder of his first few years of life as a slave with no value except a monetary one – but he was used to this and being ignored was much better than some of the alternatives he had experienced.
He did as much of the painting as he could and then went and washed his brushes, palette and water bowl, ready to add the final details to the picture tomorrow. He returned to his seat and gasped, heart stuttering, as he saw the crimson slash of paint across his work.
The lecturer called out that the class was over and students began to leave, a boy pausing behind Barve, who was still staring at his ruined painting, to say in his ear, “Perhaps you shouldn’t bother coming back.”
Barve didn’t answer, simmering with anger and the boy left. He was tempted to destroy the teenager’s own painting but knew he was the one who’d get into trouble, a lot of trouble given the lecturer’s attitude towards him.
He swallowed down his frustration, grabbed his bag and coat and strode out.
His bad mood lasted as far as the car park where Elliot was waiting to drive him back to the main campus. As he got out of his car, he was breathtakingly handsome in an elegant navy jacket and trousers, and light blue jumper that highlighted his slender figure. Black sunglasses completed the look and gave him a mysterious aura.
“Did you have a good morning?” Elliot asked.
“It wasn’t great but it’s fine now.” It was better than good now that he was with Elliot again. “I haven’t missed you and Fal doing any magic, have I?”
“Not yet.” Elliot smiled at him as they got into the car and he turned on the ignition. “I can’t think of any reason why we shouldn’t do it when we get back, though. We just need to be in the same room as Nolan, although preferably not somewhere like the canteen as that many people is likely to confuse what we magically see.”
“I expect Eva will help get him somewhere quieter if we need her to.”
“Good idea.”
The praise from someone who mattered so much to him let Barve shake off the lingering annoyance over the art lecture and concentrate on making the most of his few minutes alone with Elliot, breathing in everything about his appearance as they talked.
The roads weren’t busy today so all too soon they were parking in front of the golden brickwork of the other campus building. Side-by-side, they walked through the main doors and up the corridor. Barve was getting used to the crowds of people here, less overwhelmed by them than his brother was. He got some evil looks but, to his surprise, he was getting an increasing number of people from his classes saying hello to him too. He didn’t know how Fal could know Elliot and Callie and others willing to be nice to him and still insist that all Sapiens were against the Nean race. Perhaps this was all that was needed to let the two human races live peacefully together: individual Neans getting to know individual Sapiens.
Fal and Callie were halfway through their meals and chatting to each other in what looked like a good-natured way when he and Elliot got to the canteen, Callie smartly dressed in red and black compared to the worn quality of Fal’s jeans and jumper. Fal was using his hands in an animated way as he spoke, Callie smiling but more reserved in her body language.
“Can you see Nolan?” Elliot asked from the doorway, looking through the mass of faces.
Barve searched for him, spotting Eva’s long blonde hair first and then Nolan beside her. She looked tense and Nolan was hunched over his meal. “There.” Barve pointed them out to Elliot.
“They look as if they’re just starting their meal so we may as well get something to eat too and wait until a bit later for the chance to do magic.”
Barve agreed so they bought some snacks and joined Fal and Callie, immediately drawn into their conversation.