The lecture moved fast.
Professor Audrey pulled up a map of the outer defense lines, a color-coded, sprawling display of years of frontline data compressed into a single grid, and got straight into it without preamble.
Zaeryn sat up and paid attention. He was sitting in a senior class he had no business being in, which meant he had zero room to coast.
Ingrid, apparently, disagreed with that assessment.
She had been quiet for all of three minutes before her hand found his knee under the desk. She wasn't doing anything with it yet, it just rested there, warm and intentional, carrying the specific energy of someone who knew exactly what they were doing and was thoroughly enjoying it.
As pleasant as the warmth was, it was bound to get problematic, so Zaeryn smoothly moved her hand away. She put it right back. He shot her a look; she gave him a slow, innocent blink and turned back to face the front, the corner of her mouth lifting just a fraction.
