Page 330 of A University of Betrayal

“Larissa, what are you doing here?” a firm, very familiar voice said behind me.

The faces of the three women were like a movie. First shock, then horror. Amara even flinched.

Finally, I turned around.

“Just an unnecessary discussion about a dress,” Larissa laughed, now amused, and I looked Bastien straight in the face.

The tall, athletic man with dark blond hair stared at me as if I were a ghost. His jaw seemed to tense as he looked first at the dress and then at me. His expression was unreadable.

“Where did you get that dress?” the usually scary and controlled Ruisangor asked more or less in a shaky voice.

Now, for the first time, emotions seemed to resonate in his voice. That was the second it clicked for me.

Someone pulled me back.Mum.

“Go away, Bastien,” she said with such fear and anger in her voice that I couldn’t help but look at her.

“And take your offspring with you. They have no business around our Circle members,” Amara added, standing in front of me as if Larissa and Bastien were a horrifying threat to her existence.

The only person missing was Amanda, who turned to Julian. “Andyouget out, too!”

My gaze slid back to Bastien, who was still looking at me as if he had drifted off to another galaxy.

“What’s the Ruisangor doing here!” an angry voice rang out and the women moved aside. Gloria appeared next to me, and panic crept up inside of my chest.

I looked to Larissa and Julian for help, while more and more people around us, especially Quatura, turned to us.

I should never have worn that dress.Now I had drawn so much attention to myself that it would be difficult to complete the mission undisturbed.

And as if that hadn’t been enough, a group of men in black suits appeared at the top of the stairs of the entrance area, among them a very pretty woman with black hair, also wearing a three-piece suit. I also recognized Larissa’s father, who now worked here as a professor, and finally Miles, who looked around the hall and spotted us.

The Ruisangors were here.

Julie hadn’t told me about them. Of course, I had expected the three DeLoughreys, at least Miles, but not these men and so many unfamiliar pale faces.

The entire hall turned to the stairs, and a murmur went through the crowd.

“No one invited you!” Gloria hissed, her glare fixed on the stairs. Her eyes met those of a man who sent a chill down the back of my neck with his mere appearance. He had a scar covering his sharp face, which looked like an animal had left it there.

Bastien didn’t say anything back. He just stared. Still at me and my dress.At Alice’s dress. There was no doubt about it. He had known Alice. They hadallknown Alice.

“Tell Nicolaj to leave as soon as possible before your appearance attracts attention from the Senseque,” Amara hissed, obviously trying to keep her cool, and Bastien looked away from me for the first time.

Wasn’t it a little too late for that?

I glanced over at about forty Senseque, who were looking completely overwhelmed at the double staircase of the hall.

“Get out of here,now!”Gloria barked and I winced.

Mum shoved herself in front of me and I had the feeling that as soon as we were alone, she was going to cut me into a hundred pieces.

I was in trouble. And it was going to take a miracle for me to escape unnoticed.

Chapter 57

Julie

Contemplation

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