Page 18 of Cursed Heirs

“I know the feeling,” a familiar voice spoke. “Unfortunately,” they added, bitterly.

We turned to see Isabella sauntering up to us.

For once she was alone, without her vamp and faery girls who usually hung off her every word. Kind of like supernatural mean girls, college-style.

“Nice speech,” she told Orpheus.

“What do you want?” I demanded.

“Want?” she responded, playing with the short hem of her lavender sundress.

“You don’t give out compliments. Not for free, anyway.”

“Let me guess,” Orpheus spoke. “You overheard what we were discussing concerning Professor Cornwell, so now you’re here to use that as some sort of blackmail.” His eyes darkened in that scary way. “I’d caution you to be very careful in going that route. I don’t respond well to that.”

He had responded well to Cornwell’s blackmail, though.

Was I bitter?

Yeah, maybe a little.

And maybe me driving it home to Orpheus just how much of a fucked-up deal it was, wasn’t just about the situation itself, but also the fact that I was hurt that he’d been fucking somebody else. Once in a while and without emotion, yeah, but still.

We hadn’t said we were exclusive when it had just been me and him and we hadn’t acted that way either, but a big part of me had always hoped it would come one day, oncehewas ready. Then Alena had come along and we’d operated as a foursome where that was concerned and he’d still been doing that with that creepy professor? Yeah, it fucking well bothered me.

“Getting it on with the hottest professor here is your business. I don’t want him to be reported or reprimanded because I need him to pass myMatter Manipulationclass. He’s a supporter of my progress and a great teacher too. So, no, I don’t care about any of that.” She smiled slyly. “Although, I wonder if Alena will?”

“There it is,” I grunted.

“No blackmail. Relax, Bird Boy.”

I hissed and started forward, but Ore threw his arm out, holding me back.

Given that he was still in recovery and shouldn’t be exerting himself, I moved back pretty much right away so as not to put any strain on him.

It wasn’t easy, though, not with this toxic bitch getting under my skin and making the mistake of pissing me off.

“Get to it, Isabella, or get gone,” Orpheus commanded.

She folded her arms across her chest, unfortunately settling in. “The war you’re advocating against Constantine isn’t the way to go. Not when there’s a much simpler and far less bloodier solution.”

“And what might that be?”

“Rumors have been swirling around since the attack. One in particular is more than even that and it was from one of Gregor’s daughters who is a sophomore here. You know, the King of the Light Fae?”

Orpheus rolled his eyes. “I’m familiar.”

“She’s second in line to the throne and she takes that role very seriously. She wouldn’t have bad intel, let alone spread falsities around.” She shifted her weight. “That intel is that Constantine Vale wants Alena.”

“So what?” I bit back.

“So, instead of launching a massive attack with all the students you’ve been priming throughObsidianall these years, we just give him what he wants and send him packing and disappearing back out of our lives.”

“He’s a psychopathic bastard. Do you have any fucking idea what he’d do to her?”

“Hmm… let me see… use her, rough her up… nothing the three of you haven’t already been doing. The way she’s been smiling and bouncing around here, she clearly gets off on all of that anyway.”

Her sick and demented suggestion had me seething. “You fucking cunt.”

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