Page 5 of Distant Heart

“Interesting approach,” Nyoka said, holding up his hands when Illya finally glared his way. “I’m leaving. Should I spreadthe word you’ve found your Praeda, or will you be givingthis onea chance to slip through your grasp?” Before he could respond, Nyoka turned to Rex, voice lowering as though divulging some big secret. “Don’t let him scare you. This guy hasn’t honestly participated in Praeda for over two years.”

Rexton didn’t know what to say to that. “Is that so?”

Illya opened his mouth, no doubt to tell his friend off, but suddenly an uproar in the center of the dance floor distracted them all.

“Shit,” Nyoka cursed, already heading toward the fray, “that’s Ryker!”

Illya took a step after him and then seemed to catch himself, turning back to give Rexton a stern look. “Stay here.”

He didn’t linger to hear Rex’s answer.

Or see him scoff and slip back out the door.

Rexton wasn’t here to be someone's second priority either.

Chapter 2:

Illya should have known Rexton wouldn’t listen.

He turned back to find the spot in front of the table where he’d left the other man empty but banked down the annoyance that initially swept through him. Tonight was Cor Night for the rest of the university, but it was Praeda for him and the other Black Harts. The chase was inevitable.

The same way this night ending with Rexton on his back beneath him was. If a hunt was what his prey was after, then Illya wouldn’t disappoint. But first…

“Give him a moment.” He snatched Ryker’s arm and held him in place when he went to rush off after Nyoka, who was busy dragging some junior Illya didn’t know the name of away. “Let him deal with it.”

“Piss off.” Ryker shook himself loose but didn’t make any more moves to follow, fuming in place in the center of what had been a lively dance floor only moments ago.

Now, students and nervous staff members hovered off to the sides, on the outskirts looking in, like vultures waiting to smell blood.

It was true half the student body—and most of the professors—were hoping to be claimed as Praeda tonight. But itwas equally true that half were not. The Black Harts, like any group deeply rooted in social and political politics, weren’t in shortage of enemies.

“Who started it?” Illya tried to keep his cool and ignore the buzzing sensation just beneath his skin, the one urging him to leave his best friend to deal with his temper on his own and go find Rexton before he got too far out of reach. The night was young, sure, but it’d been a long time since anyone had caught his interest the way Rexton had, and Illya would much rather be exploring that than standing here with the scowling Hart heir.

“Does that really fucking matter?” Ryker snapped.

“So, it was about Rue then.” He was hot-headed, but there was only one thing that could make Ryker lose his cool this poorly in such a short amount of time. The last Illya had seen, he’d been dragging his stepbrother out of the foyer. Clearly whatever had transpired between the two of them after that hadn’t been good. “Trouble with your Praeda already?”

“Don’t call him that.” Ryker tore his gaze off the area where Nyoka was scolding the junior and glared at him. “I’m already getting this shit from the others, not you too.”

Illya shrugged but left it at that.

Ryker’s eyes narrowed. “You’re awfully quiet.”

He snorted. “Is that meant to be a joke?”

“Whatever.” Ryker waved him off. “Take your usual brooding self elsewhere. I’ve got this.”

“Fine.” He absently glanced at the door. “I’ve got better things to do anyway.”

“Yeah?” It didn’t sound like Ryker believed him. Probably because Nyoka hadn’t been joking when he’d told Rexton Illya hadn’t taken Cor Night seriously in years. “Like what?”

“My Praeda.”

Ryker’s brow furrowed and he pursed his lips, waiting for a punchline that never came. “Holy shit. You’re serious?”

“Yes.”

He looked around the room. “Is Ellery’s cousin here?”

---