Page 45 of House of Lilith

“Look, Nyx,” I hear Hilde say, “they’re playing Shufflesnake over there.”

I make myself turn to where she’s pointing, but my mind is wholly on His Hotness and how infuriating it all is, this game he’s playing. Making everyone think he’s this super attentive guy when he’s in fact just like everyone else. A self-serving, manipulative people pleaser.

“Nyx?” Hilde’s voice snaps me out of it.

I turn to look at her, wondering if maybe I should just leave.

“What’s the matter with you?” my cousin asks with a little frown.

“Nothing, Hilde,” I tell her, deciding to stop with the pouty nonsense. “Shufflesnake, you say?” I ask as I let my eyes sweep over my surroundings. And there they are, to my left, the Grimms sitting cross-legged in a circle around one of the fires, laughing as they play the Mind Magic game.

But it’s not just them, it’s everyone around me that seems to be having fun — chatting, dancing, playing other games.

I’m at a party, I remind myself, and it might seem rude for me to leave this soon, so I may as well have some fun while I’m here.

So when I turn my eyes back onto Hilde, there’s a devious little smile on my lips. I motion at the Shufflesnake circle. “Why don’t we join them?”

Her face instantly lights up and I roll my eyes at her, but I don’t stop smiling as I start leading the way.

*

Still chuckling at how I kept making Hilde lose her focus, I excuse myself and I start walking down the plateau in the direction of the castle.

I sense him even before I hear him. “Leaving so soon?”

I stop midstep, turning to look at him and feeling a flood of relief when I realize the alcohol is doing its thing. I seem to be able to look into his eyes without feeling my brain desert me. “You did a great job, you know,” I say with a smile. “Everyone seems to be having fun. But yeah, I have to go now.”

And I give him a little wave and turn to walk away.

“Won’t even stick around for the bonfire?” he asks as he comes to block my way, one hand in his pocket and one holding a glass.

I just look at him for a second. “Look,” I start, blowing a soft laugh through my nose. “I see what you’re doing and I respect it. It’s just not something you have to do withme.”

Smiling, he squints at me. “And what am I doing exactly?”

I motion at the party all around us. “Trying to sell the whole unity thing to everyone. But I’m already sold,” I tell him earnestly. “I want this whole thing to work out just as much as you do.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, I despise cliches, but I don’t let that stop me from understanding how important it is for us all to finally start sticking together.”

He just looks at me for a second. Then he takes a step closer. “Then stick around for a while longer. Judging by today’s outfit,” he says, his eyes darting to my ripped tights and baggy sweater, “it can’t be some formal dinner you’re rushing off to.”

It makes me notice these little creases around his eyes that make them even more attractive when he squints at me.

“How would you know?” I demand, motioning at Lilith Tower in the distance behind me. “I have over twenty dresses waiting for me up there, like soldiers ready for battle.”

“That only makes it sting more, that you didn’t show up in one,” he says as he takes another step closer, his eyes diving deeper into mine.

And there’s that annoying flutter in my chest again. “Really?” I ask, staring to feel a little defensive. “Do you and my closet need some alone time perhaps? I’d never think so, but hey, I sure as hell won’t be judging.”

“Oh I doubt that,” he says with a shake of his head. “I think I know you better by now, princess.”

And it’s obvious he’s teasing me, but the way he mouths the word princess makes my mind linger on how sensual his lips are, and then there’s this ping from my phone, and all of a sudden, I’m finding myself taking a step back, my eyebrows pulling down when I realize I’m letting this asshole charm me into buying into his act like he’s charmed everyone else.

I grit my teeth. “I don’t know what youthinkyou know about any of us here,” I mutter, “but you don’t. Got it?”

There’s a flash of surprise in his eyes before he raises his hands in defense and says, “Hey, sorry if I offended you somehow.”

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