Cornelia Africana college was set out like an old Roman Forum. At the very head stood a temple-like structure that housed the student center. Livia Fabius charged up the steps, wanting to beat the lunchline so she could get to her 1:00 class on time. She lifted her eyes up and froze halfway up the staircase.

Corvin Tullius stood to the right of the entrance, dressed casually, instead of in his Legionnaire uniform. If he wasn’t wearing his navy cargo pants and sky-blue TARP shirt then he wasn’t on duty or he was undercover. Livia assumed the latter. His long legs were clad in dark-wash jeans that hugged his narrow hips in a way that made Livia’s gut lurch. He wore a yellow polo that contrasted against his dark brown hair and made his hazel eyes look greener. She hated seeing him when she wasn’t prepared. It made those irrational feelings she had for him flare up again. Livia had told herself over a million times and in a million ways that she needed to be over him. Yesterday.

Livia took a breath, bracing herself for when he’d turn and see her. Why was he here? She hadn’t caused any trouble. She’d lived outside Caesarea for ages before she’d discovered her House and their accompanying powers. She didn’t need a minder. She was angry at the lack of trust but infuriated by the lack of privacy. She should have at least been informed that a TARP officer needed to check up on her.

Corvin turned. Upon seeing her, his eyebrows rose. His eyes shifted, taking her in head to toe. Then he tilted his head in the way he did, puzzled. “You look upset, Livia.”

She rolled her eyes. That would be the first thing out of his mouth. He was so condescending. Did he really expect her to believe the concerned acquaintance facade? “Look, I can take care of myself!”

His chin drew back. “Did I imply you couldn’t somehow?”

Livia glared at him. Now, he was acting all offended. As if she didn’t have any right to be upset. She’d been glad to leave the backstabbing, gossiping, judgemental Caesareans behind her. Now, they’d followed her here. Livia stomped the rest of the way up the stairs. She stopped right in front of Corvin, ignoring that he stood much taller than her, and snarled directly into his face. “I don’t need you to be here. Tell Justin or whoever sent you to leave me alone!”

Corvin’s affront melted into amusement. “Oh, you think I’m here on assignment.”

“Why else would you be here?” Livia demanded. Why couldn’t he act even a little bit intimidated by her? She was Taurus after all and stronger than him because of it. She slipped past him, slamming the door open so hard it smashed against the wall. Whoops. Livia grabbed it and pulled it away--now there was a dent. She needed to calm down. She looked back at Corvin.

He was giving her a try-being-more-discrete look.

She clenched her fists and bit out her words between clenched teeth. “Go home. I don’t need you to watch me.”

“I’m here as a student,” Corvin said, putting a hand on his hip.

Livia tried to reign in her emotions. Here she was insisting that she didn’t need a minder and within seconds of Corvin showing up she was putting holes in walls. She one upped Corvin and put both hands on her hips. She inhaled slowly three times. Corvin watched her with that infuriatingly calm look that he always wore. Professional. Robotic. Cold. That was Corvin to the core.

“You expect me to believe that?” Livia asked. “You already have a degree--”

He cut her off, a touch of anger in his voice.“I’m getting Masters of Science in Organizational and Leadership development,” he said.

Livia’s body responded immediately to the hint of anger in his tone. Heat rushed along her arms and her heart raced. Her shoulders pulled up toward her ears. She ignored her anxiety and demanded, “Why?”

“So, I can transfer into training,” Corvin explained. His voice had returned to passivity. He repositioned his arm to hang straight along his side.

Livia hesitated. She removed her hands from her hips and crossed them over her chest. An emotion had flashed across Corvin’s face so briefly she didn’t know what to name it. He spoke in an unemotional manner but three months ago, he’d been called to a domestic dispute. His squad hadn’t been able to prevent an enraged Aquila man from killing his three-year-old daughter and then killing himself. She heard from Alia, Corvin’s little sister, that Corvin blamed himself. It’d been a hard case for the entire community, but the man had been drunk and so it had brought back particularly bad memories for Livia’s entire family.

It had triggered weeks of nightmares for Livia that had only just started to go away. She inhaled a deep breath. She really didn’t want Corvin here. For some reason, his presence always dredged up some baggage or another.

Livia debated on whether or not she should believe him. He had a legitimate motivation to seek another position in his department. However, he was a Caesarean security patrol agent in a specialized unit. This wouldn’t be the first time she’d interacted with him while he was on special assignment. That was how Livia found out she was Taurus house in the first place.

Livia needed details to verify Corvin’s story. “So, what classes do you have today?”

“At three, I have an Executing Strategic Change course,” he said.

“Where?” Livia demanded.

“In the Scipio building--” he looked amused again.

That checked out. “Room number?”

“Are you really quizzing me?” Corvin asked in disbelief.

“Are you deceiving me?” Livia countered. She knew the building only had three levels. She’d

gotten lost there when she’d tried to find her healthcare policy class.

“315,” he said. “Professor Hodgson.”

Livia huffed, annoyed she couldn’t call him out.

Corvin grinned at her. “It ends at five. Want to meet me there? I’ll pay for dinner.”

“No,” Livia turned on her heel and marched toward the cafeteria.

By the end of lunch, Livia learned you had to pay 25 cents extra for ranch sauce--lame--and that a Professor Alan Hodgson was indeed employed at Cornelia Africana College.