Page 132 of House of Lilith

And it’s also making me wonder… Could it have anything to do with Dahrian not being here? It seems like too big of a coincidence, that it all started going downhill practically the moment he disappeared.

It almost makes me thinkhe’sthe one keeping this whole thing from falling apart.

“Who would’ve thought this would be so much fun?” I hear Ricky say right after I hear another arrow hit the target they’re practicing on.

It makes me snap out of it. No, I tell myself, I won’t be doing this again, I won’t be thinking about him. So I remind myself of the decision I made when he left, the decision to welcome the interruption in our little arrangement and get my life back on track.

Which means trying to solve the puzzle that is Vasilisa, I think with a sigh. I pull a blade of grass from the ground and I twirl it in my fingers.

Ever since my birthday, I’ve been going to her at least once a week, trying to get information out of her. But ever since sheorderedme to keep an eye on the Archon and basically told me I’m stupid and spineless… She’s been awfully quiet.

There seems to be no question she’s willing to answer, which makes me want to know the answers even more badly.

It snaps me out of it, when Ricky says to Nikolay, “Hold on a second,” and the very next second, I hear faint arguing coming from the direction of the Grimms and the Fiains forming one large group.

I prop myself on my elbows and I turn to see what’s going on. And they’re only arguing, still splayed out on the couple of stone benches near the Dame Gothel courtyard.

My eyes snap to Ricky, who’s just putting his phone back in his pocket, looking a little less care-free than he did a minute ago. But then he throws a smile at my brother and the two of them resume their little crossbow session.

Still, I find myself unable to return to my ruminations, so I turn my eyes back onto the discussion near Dame Gothel.

For a while, I just keep looking at them, fighting the urge to use my vampiric hearing to eavesdrop.

And just as I’m about to lie back down, one of the Grimms springs from his bench and then one of the Fiains does the same.

All of a sudden, they’re getting in each other’s faces, the shouting growing louder and making Hilde look up from her book. “What’s going on?” she asks, tension in her voice.

I don’t reply, I just keep watching. Fuck. Should I do something?

But it’s at that same time that Hilde nudges me and says, “Look, Nyx, there’s Dahrian. He’s back.”

My heart skips a beat and my eyes dart to His Hotness walking straight to the circle, the O’Malley brothers tailing him. “So it would seem,” I say.

And I watch him, intently, as he walks into the circle and starts greeting people with this grin on his face.

It makes me frown, observing the whole thing, but within half a minute, everyone’s back to relaxed chatting, and it almost looks as if nothing bad had been brewing.

I snap out of it as soon as I see Dahrian saying bye to everyone and start walking back to camp. I quickly lie back on the ground, so as not to be seen watching, going back to brushing the grass with my fingers with my knees pulled up.

And I’m already relaxing, thinking this will be it, when I hear Hilde call out, “Hi, Dahrian.”

Frowning, I look up and I see her waving. Furiously.

I can’t help but turn my head to the side, resting my left cheek on the ground as I watch Dahrian slow down a little, his hands in his pockets. And his eyes land on Hilde first, but then they find mine and they linger. I don’t look away, but I don’t nod either, I just keep brushing the grass with my fingers.

He breaks eye contact. “Hey there, Hilde,” his voice booms, making my heart tighten in my chest. Then he gives us all a wave, his gaze darting to mine. “And the rest of you rude people.”

“Ah, Howe, didn’t see you there, buddy,” I hear my brother say as Ricky and him stop playing with the crossbow, but I don’t take my eyes away from His Hotness.

Dahrian glances at him and he gives a little smile, but then he looks back at me and he keeps walking, but for a second, his eyes drag up and down my legs, making my breath hitch.

The next thing I know, he’s disappearing in the direction of the camp, and I feel Hilde’s eyes on me.

I don’t get up, but I turn to look at her. She’s staring at me with her fists pressed to her mouth, looking as if she’s suppressing a giggle. “What?” I ask with a little frown.

She lowers her hands to the ground. “He knows my name?” she breathes out, a huge grin forming on her face.

For a second, I just blink at her. Then I sit up. “Oh for crying out loud,” I say with a roll of my eyes, “did you honestly think he didn’t?”

---