Page 17 of A House of Fangs & Deceit

While the Moroi and Velesians used marriage for political jockeying, the Furies never married.

Lust and short pairings were acceptable, but nothing long-term. Even children were raised in a communal sense so that they didn’t form too strong a connection to their biological parents.

I thought it was a sad way to exist, but I’d also seen the carnage left behind by a Furie who had lost themselves to the pull of their magic. The Furies had taken longer than the Moroi and Velesians to claw back their humanity, and their grasp on it was tenuous. Perhaps that would improve for future generations.

Cali, however, refused to fall in line. She pushed boundariesconstantly and probably would have been shunned by her people if not for her power.

They couldn’t afford to lose her because when Cali cut loose, she was a one-woman battalion.

Still, lately, I had noticed something off about her. She was still the wild Furie I’d always known and loved, but there was a distance to her now. She was like that with other Furies, but she’d never been like that around us.

I wasn’t sure what was going on with her, and neither was Rynn. We’d discussed it and tried to pry it out of Cali, but she had just laughed us off.

I refused to believe that my friend would ever lose herself, and I didn’t love that she was keeping secrets from us when we’d always sworn to be open books to each other, but all I could do was lead by example and hope she came clean with us eventually.

“So, what are you going to do now?” Rynn asked.

“Well, I have some time to figure that out.” I lifted my hand and watched the soapy water drip through my fingers. “Right now, I’m leaning towards drafting up that marriage dissolution with Alaric and writing off the last three years, but that feels like a waste, considering my upbringing.”

I frowned and sank all the way down until the water covered my face before resurfacing.

“The same skills and knowledge that made you an asset to House Laurent will make you one to House Harker as well,” Rynn scoffed. “They were foolish to treat you this way and let you go. Hell, I would snatch you up for whatever Pack I go to if I could.”

“Whatever Pack?” Cali spun to face Rynn, causing shadows to swirl around her. “Like you don’t know where you’re going.”

Rynn stuck out her tongue. “It’s not completely settled yet.”

I rolled my eyes, agreeing with Cali. Rynn was destined forthe Alpha Pack the same way that I had been destined for House Laurent.

Although, I hoped my friend’s fate would work out better than mine. But Cali didn’t have a set path ahead of her. She’d been just as well educated as me and Rynn, but there was no marriage laid out for her and no high-ranking position within a Pack arranged.

Cali’s only goal in life was to not go insane and kill us all.

“So,” Cali said mischievously, “how is Kieran looking these days?”

I flicked some bubbles in her direction, which only made her smirk as she let them pass through her shadow, causing it to flicker briefly. “He’s fine,” I muttered.

Rynn laughed. “That man is more than fine.”

A smile tugged at my lips as I recalled his physique from earlier. “Yeah, fine doesn’t quite capture his hotness.”

“The question is, what are you going to do about it now that you’re back?” Cali asked.

Both she and Rynn arched their eyebrows at me as they waited for my answer.

WhatwasI going to do about it? My life had radically changed in a day, and I didn’t think I could ever go back to how I’d been living these past three years.

Our world was a dangerous one, and while I hoped to live a long and fulfilling life, there were no guarantees. Why should I deny myself pleasure when the opportunity presented itself?

With my mind made up, I gave them a sinful grin. “I’m going to try a new motto in life.”

“Oh?” Rynn tilted her head at me in a way that always reminded me of her wolf's side.

“Yeah,” I said slowly. “If I see something I want, I’m going to take it.”

Chapter Five

Samara

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