Page 109 of House of Lilith

That makes me let out a low laugh. “She’s a fucking princess all up in these rules, ambitions and whatnot. I think I’m safe.”

You’ll have to keep me away from her, you know?

I have to fight not to let out a frustrated breath. “I already am.”

I don’t mean it like you think I mean it,he snaps.If you really want to keep this nonsense up…He pauses as if to accentuateexactlyhow much it’s nonsense, making me roll my eyes.I can’t forbid you, boy. But from now on, with everything that’s going on,he continues, his voice turning serious, threatening even,never letting me near her, that stops being a mere suggestion. You need to start taking it seriously.

Acting like I’m an ignorant pup, I mutter to myself.

And what, you’re not?he snaps.

For a second, I just keep lying there in silence, trying to fight the urge to talk back. “Fine. Now, goodnight already.”

Chapter 21 - Nyx

It’swithaspringin my step that I get dressed in the morning, and come to stand in front of the window to observe the students as they walk the castle grounds down below. It’s been a week since the second term started and everyone is still fresh from winter break, the excitement cutting the cold winter air.

But that’s not why I’m feeling this peppy. It’s January 31st, my twenty-third birthday, which gets me a whole year closer to finishing school and finally getting down to business. I can already picture myself returning to the estate on our native land and taking things into my own hands.

Maybe, just maybe, I dream as I keep gazing out the window, that will involve doing great things, but gods know I’d settle for something much smaller as well, like, for example, making the people under our wing a little bit less miserable.

To make things even better, right now, not even the thought of Max no longer being in the picture can ruin it for me.

And tomorrow… Tomorrow, we have the Third Game scheduled, I think as I walk up to the mirror to give myself a once-over. And I’ve no idea what it’ll be, of course, but it still makes me excited, the very thought of leaving a certain someone biting the dust.

He’s a curious one, I think to myself, for a moment lingering on the squint he sometimes throws me, as if he can see right through me. Despite all his childishness, he sometimes makes me feel as if I’m dealing with someone much older than twenty four. At least he’s somehow making all the other students his age seem as if they’ve just crawled out of the crib.

For a second, I consider texting him to meet me tonight, my mind rushing to the abandoned classroom on the ground floor in which we fucked for the third time since this whole thing started. Heat washes over me when I remember that thing he did with his tongue, driving me mad with desire. I needmoreof that.

But it’s only yesterday we met up in that classroom and I don’t want to be making a habit out of seeing him more than once a week.

Besides, I tell myself, I have the dinner tonight and now that I think about it, even if I didn’t, it might be a little weird, of all days, to choose mybirthday to meet up with my fuck buddy.

And it makes some of my excitement deflate, but that’s the decision I end up going with. And I grab my bag, leave my room and start rushing down the stairs.

On my way, I notice a couple of people throwing me stares. And for a second, my mind threatens to linger on them, but I tell myself not to read into it and keep going straight to the Library.

But it’s as soon as I land in the Common Room that I change my mind.

There’s Nikolay at our table, sitting in his armchair clad in an expensive suit, looking as if he’s waiting for someone.

For a second, I frown. Then it makes my lips tug into a smile, when he spots me and waves me over. Is this about my birthday, I think with a warmth spreading through my chest.

“Who is this dashing young man?” I ask as I approach him, making my voice all theatrical like we used to, pretending to be actors during those solitary afternoons in Mother’s quarters. “Early morning light makes it hard to put a name to the face.”

But Nikolay doesn’t smile. “Had a meeting,” he just says and motions for me to take a seat.

Frowning, I do as I’m told.

“Is it true, sis?” he asks as soon as I settle in.

“What?”

“That you want Max back?”

I shake my head, throwing him an incredulous look. “Who told you that?” I demand. “Was it Mother?”

“It’s what everyone’s saying,” he says as he motions at the room in general. “I mean, not as nicely, of course.”

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