Page 20 of House of Ydril

It’s only when I’m in front of her that I notice how flush her cheeks are. I guess even vampires can get drunk off regular champagne. “I’m sorry, Professor, I just have one question.”

“I swear to Lilith’s blood,” she says as she lets out a laugh, “if I had a penny for every time a student spoke those words to me…”

“Fair enough,” I reply. “I’ll leave you to it then. And I hope you enjoy the event.”

I’m already turning to walk away when I see her throw me an intrigued look. “Wait,” she says.

And I listen.

“You’re not here to ask me what questions are going to be on the test.”

I just shake my head, my lips pressed tight and my eyebrows raised slightly.

“I’m listening.”

I give her a smile. “I was just wondering if you knew anything about the House Olarel.”

She lets out a laugh. “Not less than what would easily fill three large volumes.” She stops to look deeper into my eyes. “You do know that that’s one of the more powerful fae-blooded families in all of our history?”

“What can I say?” I shrug my shoulders, hoping to charm her into forgiving me this trespass. “I haven’t been among the Originals long.”

“Interesting,” the professor leans forward, taking me by the upper arm.

I can barely contain my excitement. She looks as if something has awoken in her, possibly the thought of finally having an audience interested in what she had to say.

“Well, first of all,” she says as she takes me for a slow stroll around the Hall, “you do know that some of the Original families are so ancient, we can only guess how long they’ve been walking this earth?”

I had no idea, but I’m nodding vigorously.

“For example,” the professor continues as she motions at the crest on the wall high above our heads, the one showing the Ouroboros, “the House Faust is one of them.”

Of course it is, I think to myself. But what I say is, “And I’m guessing the House Olarel is another.”

“Smart girl,” she says, throwing me a wink.

I let out a chuckle. “And?”

“Given how old they are, it comes as no surprise that the earliest histories of each of those houses are shrouded in mystery. But while most scholars dismiss them as nothing more than myths…”

She stops and locks eyes with me. I just look at her, nudging her to go on. “I say even myths can be based in real life. After all, before the Brothers, the Scions thought thatwewere nothing more than figments of their imagination,” she finishes with a chuckle.

I nod thoughtfully. “So what’s the House Olarel origin story?”

I’m more interested in its recent history, but I’m taking my time. I want to learn everything this woman wants to tell me. And she looks more than willing, already opening her mouth to share her knowledge.

But of course, it’s at that exact moment that someone taps me on the shoulder. “Quinn?”

I turn to see a girl with a name tag looking at me impatiently. “It’s your turn.”

“Already?” God damn it, I think to myself. Just as things were getting interesting. “Will you excuse me for just a moment,” I turn to say to the professor. “I really want to hear everything you were going to say.”

“Of course, dear, I’ll be right here.”

I let the girl lead me to the front of the Main Hall and straight onto the podium. There’s a lot of camera flashes as I take my seat, but they actually come in handy because they make it hard to see the people gathered in front of me, all waiting for me to talk about myself. In part because I don’t want to know ifheis still preoccupied with his own paparazzi or if he’s watching the other students’ introductions.

“Tell me, Quinn,” the guy who’s interviewing me flashes me one of those practiced, dead smiles that don’t reach the eyes. But not before he looks me up and down, judging my outfit. “Is that really your name? It’s a bit unusual for a fae-blooded girl.”

I let out a laugh. “It wasn’t until a month ago that I found out I was a fae, so...”

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