Page 115 of House of Lilith

Now, that makes a flash of surprise flick through her eyes. She gets in my face, her low snarl and the flash of her fangs making my heart start to pound, “Listen to me, girl… If the new Guardian is of theFiainAcademy, you’re in more serious trouble than I thought.”

Then she pulls away, seemingly seething.

For a second, I just blink at her. “I want you to tell me what happened,” I finally urge her, “whatreallyhappened a hundred and fifty six years ago.” I take a step closer, throwing my hands up in frustration. “Why are there so many conflicting stories and why the fuck areyouin a painting?” I ask as I motion at the portrait to my right.

“It’s of no consequence whatsoever,” she spits out. “Just do as you’re told.”

“Withthatas an explanation?” I protest. Then I imitate her mockingly, “If the new Guardian is of theFiainAcademy, you’re in more serious trouble than I thought.”

For a second, she just looks at me, her eyes narrowing. “Are you all so whiny?”

My eyebrows pull down. “Pardon?”

“The children of your century,” she explains as she takes a step forward, tilting her head at me. “Are youallso whiny?”

“What the…”

This time,sheimitatesme, a mocking smile dancing on her lips as she twists her face in fake anguish. “Iknowit was bullshit, what he told me about his fox not liking noblewomen.”

It takes me a while to connect the dots, but when I finally do, I’m charging straight at her, “You usedMind Magicon me?”

She just folds her arms, quirking an eyebrow at me. “I did,” she replies flatly.

“Youdounderstand that’s not okay?”

“Not okay?” she echoes with a mocking laugh. Then she turns serious. “There are far worse things in the world, girl, than someone using Mind Magic to find out you’re fretting about some boy. Should I add ‘ignorant’ to your being whiny?”

Hot blood rushes to my cheeks. “You should mind your own fucking business,” I drawl angrily, “that’s what you should do.”

“Let me think about it,” she says, pretending to do it. “After fighting tooth and nail to usher in an era oftruestrength for our family, after seizing absolute power for myself despite everything and everyone, and after ruling our lands for longer than any man or woman before me…”

She pauses to throw me a warning look. “My progeny showing all the signs of stupidity and spinelessness… I’d say thatismy own fucking business.”

Stupidity and spinelessness? For a second, I find myself unable to speak. Then, when I do, I’m so angry, I end up stuttering through gritted teeth, “Well, you’re a fucking painting, so…”

And I turn on my heel and I move for the door, hearing a little chuckle from behind my back.

“And you’re spineless and you’ll do exactly as you’re told anyway,” she says, right before I slam the door on her.

But once I’m in my room, I proceed to do nothing other than proving her point, throwing daggers at the chic yetlargered bow adorning the corset, but still putting on the overly elaborate dress Mother picked out for me.

*

The dinner drags on, so by the time my driver is pulling up in front of Lilith Tower, it’s already eleven o’clock.

And both Hilde and Nikolay ducked out almost as soon as it started, and my feet are killing me, and I’m in theworstfucking mood, but I force myself to throw him a smile when he comes to open the door for me. “Thanks, Wolfgang,” I say as I get myself out. “Have a good night.”

“You too, Lady Romanov.”

I hear him get back inside and start the engine, the car gliding away from me, but I’m already walking, my eyes fixed ahead and my mind buzzing.

I don’t get very far. As soon as I see them, I stop midstep. Two figures walking out of the shadow cast by the Tower in front of me.

My eyebrows pull down.

They both come to a stop before me, a nearby lamp finally casting some light onto their faces.

“Can I help you?” I ask. They seem so familiar, I think with a growing frown, my fingers flexing to grab my knife.

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