Page 49 of Vicious Knight

After the last meeting, I need to be prepared. This is the week where we start our trials to get fully accepted into the sorority.

I need strong coffee and I need to take a walk to cool off.

I realize I’m in serious trouble and this thing with Thorne is only going to get worse.

For some damn reason unknown to me he has this fascination with me that I can’t control.

I thought I could do something about it, but now I know I can’t.

So what do I do?

The question rings through my mind like a church bell calling its parishioners to service on Easter morning.

I get dressed, make my coffee, and head outside with my mug for that walk.

The air outside is cold, which is strange considering how hot it was last night.

I still can’t believe what happened. I’ve only known Thorne Ivanov for a week, and look where we are now.

I walk down to the rose garden. There hasn’t been anyone down here at this time over the last few days so I’m hoping for the same sort of luck today.

When I reach the garden my spirits lift when I find myself alone, but then I look over to the river and spot Isabelle sitting on a bench by herself.

Guilt suddenly tugs at my insides when I realize I haven’t seen or checked on her since the party. The last time I saw her was just before we all went into the labyrinth.

As everyone has been busy getting ready to start classes this week, and I’ve been hiding from Thorne, I got lost in my problems.

Isabelle looks lost, too, and I get a bad feeling it has something to do with Kade.

I haven’t known her for any length of time but I feel that if things had gone well—even if she’d gathered the courage to say two words to him—I would have known about it by now.

Instead of wallowing in my own sorrows I decide to make my way over to her.

She hears my footsteps when I get closer and looks around at me.

Although she smiles I can see something’s not right.

“Hey, there.” I return the smile and even add a bounce in my step.

“Hi.”

Yup. Something is definitely wrong. Isabelle is sunshine but she looks at me as if someone has stolen her light.

“Are you okay?” I sit next to her.

“Yeah. How are you doing? I hope classes are going well.”

“Yes. They’ve been… amazing.”

“Wow. That’s brilliant.” She looks genuinely happy for me, but there’s a dullness in her aura. “I know you were worried about being here so I’m thrilled you’ve had a good start.”

“Thanks. What about you?”

She shakes her head the way people do when they don’t want to talk. “It’s been shit. Everything's completely shitty.”

I look her over, taking note of the sourness of her mood. “What happened, Isabelle? I haven’t seen you since the party. Did you see Kade?”

“Yeah. I saw him.”

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