Page 61 of House of Mages and Raven

The mage heir was the glue of the group that was now divided for the first time. I wondered if he’d try to put the group back together again or let it go and side with me. I was now in his house, wasn’t I?

“We grew up together, and we often thought we knew each other,” Louis said, darting a glance upstairs. “Things aren’t what they seem, and some friends are not what they appear. Even Cade has his own secrets, probably more than any of us.”

The heirs all had dark secrets. I had learned a few of them already. A high position came with its own pitfalls. I didn’t envy the heirs. That was why I wasn’t willing to grab ambition by the balls.

Plus, mostly, I knew that I couldn’t really have a future with anyone, not until my father was dead. Well, Ruin was one of the old gods, and he would never really be dead no matter how manytimes I stabbed him, but I would find a way to contain him or reduce him to his weakest state—he’d been broken after his war against the other ancient gods, and that would buy me another thousand years.

In my head, I knew that I couldn’t have a future with Killian either, but it didn’t lessen the pain in my heart as I watched him replace me with another right after he’d fucked me.

“Did you spy on Cade?” Rowan stared at Louis in displeasure.

The fae prince hated anyone trying to get into others’ business, as he harbored one deadly secret that he’d only confessed to Sy, which spoke volumes of how deep her claws had him hooked. More power to her, though, and more diamonds for me in the near future.

I rubbed the new pink diamond the fae prince had given me and smiled, the future less gloomy. I just needed to send Sy to work double shifts. Working was fun for her anyway, and how many people could say that?

Not many people.Sy grinned.Am I on schedule to work tonight, Barbie?

I rolled my eyes with a yes. She’d asked five times, but I had to hand it to her that she was a good worker bee and never complained when working.

“Spy?” Louis snorted. “You can drop your gentleman’s act. As if you don’t have spies everywhere as well. Yeah, lie to my face and tell me that you don’t have any skeletons in your closet.”

Rowan pursed his sensual lips and shook his head in disgust. “Fuck off, vamp.”

Despite their rivalry and harsh banter, there was this easiness between them. Soon they started to tell jokes, poking fun at each other. And upstairs, Killian didn’t seem to be paying Grace much attention, even though she was trying hard to pull him back to her by telling him about her day or constantlytouching him while batting her golden eyelashes that looked just like mine.

Scratch “lie low.” My foes wanted to be thorns in my side, then let me be the salt in their wounds. But I didn’t sayfuck Killianunder my breath again, since Sy would sayYes, please.

I laughed at the heirs’ every joke to show Killian that I was so over him. I might be living on borrowed time, but I refused to live in the shadows anymore—definitely not in the shadows of Killian, his demon queen, and my copy.

The dining hall suddenly quieted down, my final note of shrill laughter echoing in the silence. A new power rippled through the air. I turned my gaze to the source just like everyone else.

Queen Lilith stood in the doorway in a white gown, as brilliant as a star that would never fall. She gazed at the balcony, at Killian.

He rose to his feet, nodding at her. It took no time for him to descend the stairs toward her, his strides lithe and predatory. No man could wear a black dress shirt and designer pants as well as him. He was indeed a heartthrob, even though he belonged to another woman.

He reached her, not sparing a glance for anyone. As he offered her his arm, she hooked hers around his. Together, the golden couple strode out, his darkness and starlight accenting her hellfire.

My heart turning to hard ice, I dragged my gaze away from them and trained it on Grace, who stood in the middle of the stairs, watching the powerful couple leave her behind like an abandoned puppy.

Without them, she appeared like a shell without a soul to light it up.

Something didn’t add up.

But I should probably worry about myself, as icy pain burned in my chest. I hated to admit it, but I wasn’t over Killian. Even when he was gone, leaving with the woman who’d staked her claim on him, desire still swam in my veins like liquid fire.

22

Barbie

Even in my sleep, I could feel an unnatural cold draft in the room. I had a low tolerance for pain. I was also sensitive to heat and cold. My sensitivity extended to my ability to experience pleasure more intensely than others as well.

When the temperature suddenly dropped dramatically, a ghost was often the cause.

Your ghost familiar is here,Sy informed me in displeasure. She still hadn’t warmed up to him, as she didn’t like anyone taking energy from me, but she no longer repelled him. After all, Pucker had saved me when I had a run-in with Medea.

I peeled my green eye open and spotted Pucker’s phantom face looming over me with a grin.

“Open the other eye,” he said.

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