Page 34 of Vicious King

We wound our way back through the writhing crowd, toward the same door we initially entered through. We passed by Tobias at one of the bars. He was sipping at a glass of scotch, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he saw us, but he didn’t say anything or try to stop us from leaving.

When we got back to my room, Elias took a quick shower with me, washing all the sweat and juices from our still-feverish bodies. Then he tucked me into bed.

“Are you staying with me?” I asked, my eyes wide.

As I spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black keycard with a gold Crown and Dagger emblem on it. I knew what the answer to my question would be before he even replied, because it was a keycard which unlocked all the doors to the Lodge. They were locked after eight p.m. so girls couldn’t get outside and try to run away in the night, when there was far less visibility for the security guards.

“Sorry, I have to get back to New Marwick. Lots of shit to do,” he said, brows furrowing. “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. I’ve got a few things to do with my father first, but how about we have a proper dinner in the evening, to make up for tonight? I’ll sleep here afterwards.”

I nodded. “That sounds good,” I said softly. Truthfully, I was disappointed he was leaving me to sleep alone again. Or maybe I was just grumpy from the lack of a proper dinner. God, I’d kill for some food right now.

Food…

Some dark part of my mind switched on brightly all of a sudden. The seeds of an idea had just taken root.

My eyes drifted across the room to the coffee table, falling on the carnations Elias had delivered to me this morning. I might not need to wait for the Artemis Festival after all, in terms of an escape opportunity.

I had a new plan.

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