Page 8 of Theirs to Rule

We walked in silence for a few moments before Bianca broke it. “Three guys, huh?” she said, her tone teasing. “I’m impressed.”

I shrugged, not sure how to respond. After all, I hadn’t even told her that Ty, the new guy at school with the facial scars we’d once talked about, was the boy who’d broken my heart after our Italian love affair two years ago.

Oh, God. Speaking of ex-boyfriends… Did Bianca know about Silas? I chewed my lip, trying to figure out the best way to tell her.

“Bianca… About Silas…”

Her expression closed off. "Don’t worry about it," she said flatly. "I know what he did and what happened to him. He got what he deserved, just like that cop you sent over the cliff."

Wow, she really had been brought up to date.

“How—”

“I have my sources. And here’s the thing, you’re still in danger. Real danger. And it's not just because of what happened tonight or the men who attacked you a few days ago.”

Her tone sent a shiver down my spine. “What are you talking about?”

“Students are going missing. And not just disappearing. They’re beingtaken. You need to leave Crimsonvale. As soon as possible.”

* * *

"What do you mean kids are going missing?"

Bianca glanced around, as if ensuring we weren't overheard. "I've been talking with theconciliantis, who told me her concerns that there's something dark happening on campus. For the past few years, Tier Three students have been vanishing. Just like Amy Groover. Remember? She was paired with some old guy in Queens. Everyone thought she ran away, but no one's heard from her since."

The gravity of her words hit me like a ton of bricks. "And you think she was kidnapped?"

Bianca nodded grimly. "Kidnapped. Enslaved. Killed. Who knows? Remember Rebecca Alneny? How she went back to France at the end of last semester without any warning? And Sammy O’Donnell? Before you came here, he left for his home country too; all he left was a note in his dorm room. Kennedy King just texted her roommate weeks after she packed up and left, telling her she was back living with her parents, but nobody’s been able to confirm it. All the stories are too similar, too convenient. There's always an excuse why no one can get in touch with them."

I swallowed hard. "Shit! And now you're back in Tier Three."

"You know I can handle myself. We’re talking aboutyouhere.”

I felt a surge of irritation at her casual dismissal of the danger. "And you think I can't take care of myself? I'm not some helpless damsel in distress, Bianca." Granted, I’d been attacked and almost run off the road, but I’d fought back. Even as Kage, Dante, and Ty had come to my rescue, I’d had a real hand in saving myself, too.

She reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know you're tough, Camille. You’re a storm, remember? But being tough doesn't make you invincible.”

The night air was cool against my skin as I stood there, trying to digest everything Bianca was saying. I pulled away, frustration bubbling inside me. "So, what? You just waltz back into my life to tell me I'm in danger and need to run away? That's bullshit."

"You wereroofied," she reminded me. "Attacked by three men. Then you almost flew off a cliff. And you don’t think you should get yourself as far away from here as possible?"

I crossed my arms, my mind racing. “I survived all that, Bianca.”

“And to keep surviving, leaving Crimsonvale is the safest option for you right now."

"I can't just run away," I protested, my voice barely above a whisper.

"And I can't lose you,” Bianca shot back, her voice hot with certainty. "I know you hate this, but please, just consider it."

I saw the real fear in her eyes. Despite her recent erratic behavior, my sister loved me just as much as I loved her. She was my best friend. And it was only hours earlier that I’d been faced with the possibility of losing someone I loved, having to decide whether to escape the Bugatti while Kage was still in it.

Most importantly, Bianca and I, along with our younger sister Elise, all lost our mother. Even though Bianca hid it better, I knew how traumatic that had been for her. I couldn’t just dismiss Bianca’s worry for me out of turn. Yet the thought of running away wasn’t a real option for me either. "I'll think about it," I conceded, not wanting to argue further.

Bianca nodded, then added, "And you can’t tell anyone what I’ve told you.Especiallynot any of the guys you’re involved with. We absolutely don’t know who we can trust."

I felt a shiver run down my spine, automatically wanting to deny her request.

Kage, Dante and even Ty had risked their lives to save me.

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