Page 99 of House of Lilith

“No, no,” I hear Hilde protest in a voice sweeter and gigglier than I’ve ever heard it. “I mean, why would you bebotheringus?”

I have to fight not to grit my teeth, especially when I see Howe throw her a wide smile. “I think you’ve all met Ricky,” he says and he looks down at my brother. “I just came to introduce him toyou, Nikolay. He can’t seem to stop talking about this maneuver of yours from the Second Game.”

“Yeah,” Ricky jumps in, his eyes lit up all of a sudden, “when you used the blade to gut that beast from head to toe, that was just amazing.”

My brother beams at him, saying with fake modesty, “Nothing that hadn’t been passed down to me.”

“Really?” Ricky asks, taking a step closer and grabbing the backrest of the empty chair next to my brother. “Was it your grandfather Nikolay perchance? I’ve always wondered if he’s the one they named you after.”

My brother lets out a loud, jolly laugh. He throws Hilde and I a look as he points at Ricky. “Listen to him. He’salwayswondered.” He turns back to his new admirer and says, motioning for him to sit down, “Well, it’s actually a funny story.”

Ricky gives a couple of vigorous nods as he does what he’s told.

“I guess my work here is done,” I hear Howe say.

I have to force myself to throw a glance at him.

“I guess it is,” Hilde replies in that giggly voice. “But that doesn’t mean you have to leave. We’dloveit if you stayed.” And she turns to look at me. “Wouldn’t we, Nyx?”

At that moment, all I want to do is smack her right across the face. “Well…”

But before I manage to come up with a reply, Howe does it for me. “Thanks, but I’ve a date with junk food,” he says, making me turn to look at him with my ears pricked up. His eyes are on Hilde, one hand running through his hair as he lets out a little laugh. “My brothers back home,” he starts.

His brothers, it echoes through my mind.

“If they don’t seemeeat healthy,theywon’t eat healthy either. Suffice to say,” he continues, his eyes darting to mine, “I haven’t had a taste of anything good in four long,longweeks.” I blush, but then he just looks back at Hilde. “Tragic, I know.”

“So tragic,” she echoes with an actual fit of giggling.

“But you two,” he interrupts as he moves to walk away, only throwing me a fleeting glance, “you enjoy yourselves.”

“Thanks,” I say in a snappy voice.

“Thank you so much,” Hilde rushes to say. “You, too.”

He nods. I see him give Ricky, who’s still immersed in his chat with Nikolay, a light pat on the shoulder as he turns on his heel and walks away. Turning away but keeping one eye on him, I watch him walk to one of the Fiain tables, where his pack has been saving him a seat.

I force myself to shift my focus elsewhere. But that only makes me see Hilde staring at him over the book she seems to have grabbed for that exact purpose. She senses me looking. “What?” she asks as she turns to look at me.

For a second, I just stare at her. “You should wipe the drool off your chin,” I finally say, ice in my voice.

She just shrugs. “So I want to wrap my legs around him. Who doesn’t?”

I hear a ping sound from my phone, but I don’t care.

“Really, Hilde?” I demand, leaning a little closer as I feel my blood boil in my veins. “Thought you’d have better taste thanthat.”

“Better taste?”she echoes, looking at me like I’m being thick. “The guy’s an f-ing god.”

“Exactly,” I snap. “So shallow, but to make it even worse,predictable.”

For a second, she just looks at me. Then she puts her book down and asks, “Have I done something to you?”

“It’s one thing to think he’s hot,” I insist, having to fight not to raise my voice. “It’s a whole other to turn into a giggling, bumbling disaster whenever he’s around.”

There’s a moment of silence as I watch her nostrils flare. “You know, Nyx,” she finally starts, her voice much colder and much more serious than a second ago, “sometimes you can be a little too harsh.”

She gets up and grabs her book off the table in one quick, angry movement. “It’s not a good look on a woman.”

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