Page 15 of House of Lilith

The other is of the two of us entering some lavish gala hall, me on his arm in one of those ridiculous dresses they bought me. And it’s everything my mother’s ever prepared me for, to know exactly when to speak, what to say and how much to laugh.

But I know it, simply because I’ve been paying close attention to the other eleven Princesses, I know exactly what kind of questions the journalists waiting for us there will have for me.

“Who are you wearing tonight?” the question echoes in my mind as I keep climbing the stairs.

That’s basically all they ever ask a princess. And if I chose to be truthful and say I neither know nor care, I’d be met with the look, either disapproving or distrustful, but alooknevertheless.

And I’m not naive. I’ve known it for a very long time, that sometimes, trying to make too many sudden changes results in a failure to change anything at all. So I’ll just have to memorize stuff like that and pretend I actually care.

But it still upsets me, knowing how easy it is to let people pressure you into changing your beliefs, your focus, your priorities. Especially when you’re Princess and everyone keeps focusing on the way you look and the way you laugh and the way you fold your fucking napkins.

And now, the danger of that happening is a more immediate one. More immediate than ever.

But just as I finish that thought, I feel the need to stop midstep.

My ears prick up and my nose gets filled with their scent just as I feel them charging at me at full speed.

I don’t hesitate. I turn around and I let out a sigh, planting my feet firmly on the ground. Then I pull my right fist back and I punch the air in front of me.

The next second, three figures come to a screeching halt, as if out of thin air. Max and Hilde are just standing to his sides, but my brother is holding his hands to his chest, caught in the act of trying to shove me but still having the audacity to frown at me.

“Come on, Nyx,” he moans as Hilde starts giggling, “why’d you always have to do that?”

I roll my eyes at him. “You mean, defend myself?” I ask flatly, my eyes locking with Max’s as I give him a wink. I start walking back up the stairs. “Yeah, I know, it’s such a bitch move.”

I hear Max let out a laugh and it makes me feel a little better, especially when they start talking amongst themselves, Hilde initiating the inevitable conversation on how drunk everyone got.

We reach the top of the stairs and walk into the buzzing Common Room. A little too buzzing formytaste, I think as my eyes sweep over the enormous yet cozy round space sprawling before me. There are so many people standing and flitting around that I can barely see the dimly lit alcoves, the tall burgundy armchairs and the low ebony tables.

Maybe Max and I could just excuse ourselves and go straight up to my room?

But as soon as they spot us, the people greet us with another bout of loud cheering and clapping, and Max turns to throw a happy grin at me. We didjustget engaged after all, I think as I return a smile.

So I make myself suffer through another round of congratulating.

And once we’re done, we’re already walking to our spot, making our way down the plush burgundy carpet and across the vaulted room, the moonlight falling through the stained-glass windows creating mesmerizing geometric shapes beneath our feet.

Just as we’re almost there, I see some freshman move to take a seat at our table, in the most spacious alcove right opposite the entrance.

I glance at Max, but he doesn’t have to bother. I hear a hiss from my left and I look in the direction of the sound, only to see one of Countess Koenig’s many daughters throwing daggers at the freshman, fangs flashing.

He stops midstep, glances at the four of us walking straight towards him and doubles back in an almost comical way. I guess, as Princess, this is something I’ll have to get used to as well.

“Isn’t this nice?” Nikolay says with a content sigh as he throws himself into his plush velvet armchair. “And now that we’ve seen all the Fiáin students…”

He throws us all a grin as we get settled into our seats. “Tomorrow, when they bring the betting board out, what's it gonna be?”

“Exciting,” I hear Hilde exclaim.

“Final score,” Max asks, “or which players will make it to the last Game?”

“Let’s do the final score,” Nikolay says with a mischievous smile.

“I think our Academy will win,” Hilde rushes to answer. “Don’tyou, Max?”

“Is that how you think this is done?” he asks, throwing an incredulous smile in my direction.

Nikolay leans closer to her to explain, “You need to say how many players will be left by the end of the Fifth Game.”

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