Page 47 of House of Ydril

“If that’s really what’s going on,” Nuala finally says, “shouldn’t we go straight to the Pied Piper? Or someone, you know, who knows what they’re doing?

I shake my head. “I wish. But judging by Moswen’s memory, this could be the work of someone very well protected. The kind of person no one wants to piss off. So I don’t think we can risk it, at least until we learn more.”

Nuala nods. “Where do you think we should start?” she asks.

“Professor Mistila,” I say with determination. “She told me she didn’t know my parents and that was a straight-out lie, Nuala. So it might be worth it, but I’m not happy about it being our only option.”

My friend thinks for a second. “I think I have an idea.”

I raise my eyebrows, nudging her to go on.

“You should join the Vipers.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Holy hell, Nuala.”

“No, I’m serious,” she insists, her eyes wide and her hand grabbing mine in excitement. “Think about it. We don’t know who’s responsible for all the shit that’s going on. We don’t even know what they want, except maybe some stone or whatever. The only thing we do know is that the Trials are somehow connected to it all.” She smiles and clicks her tongue. “And who has the most inside info when it comes to the Trials?”

“The Vipers,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Exactly,” Nuala says. “And they’re all going to be at the Ball.”

I groan as I let my body fall on the bed. “I don’t want to go, Nuala.”

To my surprise, she doesn’t say anything. I lift my head to demand a reaction. When I see her looking at me funny, as if she’s withholding something, I immediately push myself back up. “What? What’s happened?”

“It’s not that bad,” she says, wincing, “but before you got here, I was on my phone…”

She breaks off and I jab her with my elbow.

“Just check your social media.”

I whip out my phone, pull up my feed and start scrolling. “What the fuck?” I almost yell out.

Olarel House not extinct? The surviving member attacks the Dark Prince after First Round of Trials.

The mystery of the fae raised among humans: Who is Quinn Longborn and why does she claim to be an Olarel?

What’s going on between the Dark Prince and the fae everyone claims is the last of the Olarels?

And so on and so forth. “When did this happen?” I ask my friend even before I manage to tear my eyes away from the screen.

“Right after the interview, so it would seem,” she replies as she points at the time stamp in the corner of the first article I’ve just looked up online.

I throw the phone on my bed and slide my face against the palms of my hands. “Great. Now Ireallydon’t want to go.

“You have to,” Nuala tells me with determination in her voice as she grabs my shoulder to shake me. “If you want to join the Vipers, this is, like, the perfect opportunity. And, I mean…” She pauses, forcing me to look at her. She’s grinning. “You are an Olarel. I mean, at least youclaimto be.”

She’s mocking me, the cursed little shifter. I just stare at her for a moment, clicking my tongue and shaking my head. Then we both burst out laughing.

“Now,” I say as I get up off the bed. “It’s time for that stupid Ball. Help me make myself presentable?”

She lets out a giggle and jumps up on her feet. “I’d love nothing more.”

Chapter twenty-one

Thenightishauntinglybeautiful, I think to myself as I steal glances through the windows we’re walking by. I’m wearing an emerald green dress that’s cut low on the back and I’m feeling like a million bucks. We’re on our way to the Ball and yes, I’ll probably be the only one there without a date, but I’m still floating because my friend proved herself to be a genius. She brought some blood gin to my room and we downed it all while getting ready, becoming giddier by the drop.

Of course, we’re far from being the only intoxicated ones right now. The Ball hasn’t even started yet. But long before we get to the Main Hall, we start bumping into drunk students arguing, making out and playing games out on the hallways. The men all stop to leer at me and Nuala keeps jabbing me with her elbow, giggling like a child. I pay them no mind, but I do feel the rush of a special night starting to consume me as well.

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