Page 258 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

I felt like I didn’t know who he was anymore.

When we got to our table, Scorpius let me go so I could sit down, but he didn’t walk around the table to his seat.

He grabbed my shoulders with both his hands and stood behind me.

He squeezed.

“Ow, can you stop hurting me?” I snapped at him.

He loomed above me.

“The students at this academy think they’re powerful leaders.” He bared his teeth. “They’re nothing but political sheep who rely on us to keep the realms safe for them. That pathetic girl who spoke to you has never had to wield a blade. She’s never taken a life. And yet she judges you for the speed at which you killed your own friend to save her worthless existence.”

His nails dug deeper into my skin as he leaned closer.

He whispered into my ear, “The ones who never sully their souls will only ever cast judgment on those drenched in shadows, because darkness is power. The weak fear what they are not.”

I puffed out smoke and tried to shove him off me.

It was like trying to push an immovable force.

After a couple awkward seconds of shoving with no results, Scorpius released me and walked away slowly. The bastard was definitely emphasizing that he was leaving by choice and not because I’d made him.

“That doesn’t even make any sense,” I said with annoyance as he took his seat.

Arms crossed in front of his chest, Scorpius sat back in his chair and smirked. “It’s not my problem if you’re not smart enough to get it.”

Please. We both knew I was intelligent.

I sucked in enchanted smoke and tossed back at him, “They muddy the waters to make them seem deep.”

It was Jinx’s favorite quote from Nietzsche.

Scorpius speared a piece of steak with his knife and brought it to his lips. “Sounds like something someone would say if they didn’t understand.”

He chewed aggressively.

I opened my mouth to reply but stopped as John huffed and took his seat next to me. “What did I miss? What don’t we understand?”

“Our souls are corrupted, and we’re awful people,” I said at the same time that Scorpius replied, “Arabella let a pathetic sheep tell her she was a bad person.”

Malum made a weird growling noise, and Orion raised his eyebrows at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Obviously, we’re not the good guys,” I said sarcastically.

John scooted his chair closer to me. “We kill because someone has to do it. That doesn’t make us evil.”

I choked on the piece of broccoli I’d shoved into my mouth. Swallowing thickly, I said, “Uh, we’re definitely evil.”

As if I’d entered an alternate universe, everyone at the table burst into laughter. Loud, boisterous chuckles.

The demons slapped the table.

The kings clutched their stomachs.

John clapped me on my back and grinned. “Good one, bestie. That’s like saying that fire in the hearth doesn’t scream.”

“Could you imagine not hearing the screams of the dying?” Scorpius sneered between laughter.

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