Page 120 of House of Lilith

I look up to throw him a warning look, reminding him of the addendum to the rules, aka keeping the interactions in public to a minimum. But he just looks down at me, intently, with this smirk on his lips, not taking his hands out of his pockets but shrugging his shoulders a little as if to say, “I’m not doing anything, am I?”

My eyes narrow, but it’s then that the guy next to him notices him as well.

“There you are, Boss,” I hear him say, giving him a clap on the shoulder.

And Dahrian turns away from me, without so much as a word, and starts exchanging hellos and little comments with the rest of the group.

I take a deep breath. It’s fine, this is fine.

And just as I look to my brother, hoping I’ll be able to just join in his conversation, said brother turns to throw me a grin and gets his phone in my face, saying, “Look what they’re making it do.”

I fix my eyes on the screen, frowning when I see it’s a video of some kids using Mind Magic on some poor unsuspecting cat.

I open my mouth to say it’s justnotokay, that they’re watching this, when I feel a little bump into my right side. My body tingles and my head snaps to shoot Howe another warning look.

I find him already looking at me. “Sorry, am I stepping on the lady’s dress?” he asks with a little smirk.

I squint at him, realizing that that intensity I saw in his eyes a moment ago is actually him being a little tipsy.

“It’s fine,” I say, grumpily, and I turn away without waiting for a reaction.

I hear a little snicker, but I’m already fixing my eyes back on the screen in my chuckling brother’s hands.

But my mind’s not even registering the video so I pull away. I should just leave, I think as my body keeps forcing me to stay focused on a certain someone’s proximity.

“Look,” my brother practically yells as one of the students on the video makes the cat take a theatrical little bow.

For a second, I just look at his childishly lit-up face. And I roll my eyes and blow a laugh through my nose, thinking this is as good a moment to excuse myself from the party as it’ll ever be.

But it’s then that I feel a breath on my neck and I stiffen, hearing Howe ask in a low, teasing voice, “Does that little laugh mean you’re having fun?”

My eyes dart to Hilde, who’s immersed in her own conversation, but still, standing right across from us.

I pull away, I turn to look at him and I say, making a point of using a loud, formal voice, “Iamhaving fun, thank you.”

His eyes narrow. “Thank you?” he leans to echo in a voice that’s barely above a whisper. “Never thought I’d hear you say those words.”

I pull away again. “And now you have,” I say, forcing that same flatness into my voice.

“So formal,” he whispers. “Breaks my heart.”

I shoot him a nasty look, subtly tipping my head to where Hilde’s standing. “Sorry to hear that,” I say, through gritted teeth but managing to keep my voice flat. “I’m sure it’ll get better soon.”

But that only brings an urgency to his voice when he leans to hum in my ear, “Not so formal when you have your legs around me.”

And I feel his fingers wrap around the fabric of my dress, just below my waist, and give it a sharp little tug, making my hip bump into his.

Quickly, I pull away so we’re not touching, but it makes my ears burn, when my eyes dart to Hilde and I see her looking at us, a little frown scrunching up her face.

And she almost immediately looks away, but my ears are still burning and now, it feels as ifeveryonecould hear him. And I fail to stop myself. This time, it’s me who leans in, demanding through gritted teeth, “Stop it, alright? You’re drawing attention.”

He pulls away, looking more amused than anything.

But to my surprise, he turns to the guy to his right and whispers something in his ear.

Frowning, I watch the guy’s face light up and I witness the little whisper spreading like wildfire, making the whole circle in which I’m standing get a move on, seemingly headed straight for the makeshift bar.

The next thing I know, Nikolay is leaning to tell me, a spark in his eyes, “There’s feywine being prepared for serving. If we leave right now, we could be first in line.”

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