Page 40 of House of Mages and Raven

“Fuck, she isn’t lying,” said the werewolf.

Cami’s jaw dropped, yet she didn’t back off. Nor did she put distance between us. Barbie had told me that every supernatural was dangerous, but we were at the top rung of being dangerous. I licked my lips and flashed them a savage grin.

The chaos prince folded his muscled arms over his cut chest, studying me instead of attacking me, trying to find a crack in my armor while his tight circle asked clever questions to gain insight and get my guard down.

“So, you came to the realm with Barbie?” the prince asked in a deceptively soft voice.

Don’t tell him anything,Barbie warned.The more you talk, the more mistakes you’ll make. Take off!

I growled back. I didn’t like to be told what to do, but she was right about exiting.

“This place is getting crowded,” I said. “No wonder Barbie had a hard time in this house. She didn’t even have breathing room.”

“She had fun with us.” Rock growled. “She even laughed at midnight.”

I waggled my brows. “Maybe you’re confusing laughing with screaming, werewolf?”

Barbie had night terrors very often.

“How did you meet Barbie?” the chaos prince asked, his suspicious gaze darting to my pointed ears again. “And which house did you say you’re from?”

I could pass as fae, by my scent was different, and I also carried part of Barbie’s scent.

“Your Highness.” Cami cleared her throat. “We can continue to interrogate this thief.” She gestured at me. “Queen Lilith and her ward are in the house, asking for you.” She sighed exasperatedly. “It concerns Barbie. They’ve found evidence of her association with?—”

She paused and darted me a look. Barbie and Cami had become friendly. Even as a princess, Cami had no chance of ascending the throne, but she was content to stay in her cousin’s shadow. And now, she’d intentionally let this information slip so I could pass the message to Barbie. Our past kept trying to catch up with us. It was only a matter of time until shit blew up in our faces.

Barbie sat upright, paying rapt attention, her gaze fixed on the chaos heir without him knowing that she was right here with us. Yet he watched me with unnerving predatory focus, as if he could sense her in me. I wondered if he could hear two heartbeats within me; the panicked, erratic one belonged to Barbie. But he seemed to be listening, trying to make sense of it, his face unreadable.

“Tell Queen Lilith and her ward to seek out Cade instead of me,” the chaos heir said roughly, “as Barbie is no longer a member of my house.”

I felt a sting of heartache from Barbie at the chaos prince’s rejection, even though he was stating a fact. Barbie now had nothing to do with him and his house.

“Queen Lilith has rounded up Lady Ethel and all the other heirs to develop a new security measure for the academy,” Cami said, sighing. “Also, she’s added her ward into the pool of the Brides Selection.”

A move against Barbie. I bit my lip in fury, a bad habit I’d learned from her that was difficult to get rid of. While everyonewas momentarily distracted by the news of the demon queen’s arrival, I tossed several jewels into the shoebox, grabbed it, and charged toward the French door.

“Stop!” the prince heir shouted. “I’m not done with you.”

I grinned at him over my shoulder. “You are now, babe.”

Barbie hissed,Do not call him babe.

I blinked innocently.Should I call him honey, or hon for short then?

The prince charged at me, but I’d dashed through the room like a flash and leapt out of the French door. I touched down in a crouch, planting one hand on the grass, which was Barbie’s favorite move and now mine. I was all about adapting and copying the best.

The chaos prince stared down, and behind him, Rock and Cami peered down at me as well. I tilted my head to look up at the prince, a taunting grin growing wider on my full lips.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to entertain yourbeloved, princeling?” I asked.

“Mind your own fucking business,” he threatened me. “I’ll find you, Sy, and you’ll tell me everything I want to know.”

My name sounded so rough from his lips, the opposite of how Rowan said my name in lustful worship. Pissed, I raised my fist and flipped him the bird.

I felt invincible. I felt wild. I felt cool.

Then my grin dropped as the damned chaos prince flashed the shoebox, which was in his grip. He hadn’t caught me, but he’d snatched Barbie’s treasure while I jumped. What a sneaky bastard! He was faster than he had the right to be.

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