Page 56 of The Kingdom of Ruin

She scoffs, unfazed by my bullshit. “Please. You’re a badass and you know it.”

I shrug, trying to bite back the smile born of her assessment of me, but the matching tip to her lips tells me she’s spotted it anyway.

Arlo walks a step ahead of us, peering over his shoulder every few moments until we enter the dining hall. Then, as we head toward the food, he moves to Flora’s other side.

“Get your trays and pile your plates high. You both need to feed those egos, and those limbs need all the extra power they can get because something tells me our first combat class isn’t going to be as easy as the others we’ve had,” he states, and my gut twists, agreeing with what he’s saying. I’ve got that same feeling in my gut, too. I don’t know why, but I don’t want to ignore it.

I make sure to pile my plate with eggs, bacon, and avocado with a piece of toast on the side before finding a spot at the table that’s now been declared the fae pit. Flora sits beside me, and Arlo is across from her. I’m ready to get lost in my food when Arlo speaks again.

“People are definitely watching.”

“Pay them no mind. They’ll go away eventually,” Flora insists, but her voice is softer than usual.

“Why don’t you sound sure of that?” I ask, and she rolls her eyes.

“Because I’m definitely not, but one of us needs to be positive,” she retorts before focusing on her food.

To my surprise, we eat without interruption, but I notice the air shift the moment the guys walk in. Raiden. Cassian. Brody. Kryll. It’s clearly not just me they have an effect on. The entire room practically hangs off their every move.

Brody’s eyes land on me first, then Kryll’s, while Cassian and Raiden act as though I don’t exist. Which is great, truly great, except it fuels the murmurs around us as people’s eyes flicker from Cassian to me and back again.

Fuck.

When I’m still drowning in the intensity of it ten minutes later, with my plate now empty, I snap.

“This is suffocating. I need to get out of here,” I grind out, my muscles coiling tight with anticipation.

Flora practically leaps from her seat. “Let’s go.”

Arlo stands without a word and the three of us head for the exit. We make it outside without issue, but I don’t get a chance to breathe in the fresh air and exhale all of my problems away before a familiar vampire stands before me.

Fucking Vallie.

The sneer on her lips and her red nails aimed at me tells me I’m about to experience more of her bullshit. “You think because you have a claim on Cassian it’s going to give you rights to Raiden, too?”

I frown at her, instantly irritated by her mere proximity. “Did you start half of that conversation in your head or something because I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb,” she growls, inching closer, but I don’t back away; I stand taller, using the few inches I have over her to my advantage.

“Don’t stand in my way.”

She cackles, head thrown back as a few of her vampire friends step closer. “Oh, someone’s getting brave because they made a little pup tap out. Newsflash, scum, I’m no pup. A duel with me would see you face first in the dirt.”

“Are you forgetting what happened last week? I can remind you if you like,” I offer, eager to follow through as I let my magic tap into the ground beneath us.

Watching the vines wrap around her would be the perfect start to my day, especially if I weaved them around her mouth and shut her the hell up.

Her mouth falls open, her venom ready to be unleashed, but an arm drapes around my shoulders and heaves me away from the queen vampire hell bent on causing me issues.

Confused, I blink up at the asshole getting involved to find Kryll’s auburn hair and black markings along his skin. “I’m in the middle of something here.”

“Not anymore, you’re not.”

I try to step out from under his arm, but he makes it impossible, tugging me into his side as he guides me toward our combat class. Flora is a step behind, with Arlo beside her. Neither of them say a word, happy to see what’s going on, and I glare at them before turning my wrath back to Kryll.

“She was giving me shit. Again. I have to stand my ground against idiots like that. You pulling me away makes me look weak.” He shrugs, not offering any kind of response, which only irritates me more, but it seems I may have to try a softer approach with this asshole to get anywhere. “What do you want, Kryll? I was hoping the four of you would forget I exist and leave me in peace,” I grumble, and he snickers.

“It’s nice to see you too, Addi,” he muses, making my eyes narrow.

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