Page 29 of Gemini Queen
Firmly I resist the impulse to sashay over there and straddle his hips, because he really does look kind of adorable with his glasses and his book. Instead I make myself behave (for once) and look around for clothes.
Now that I’m awake, I’ve gotta admit these are pretty sweet digs they’ve stashed me in, stucco walls painted all the way around with Roman frescoes of frisky gods and lusty mortals frolicking in pastoral scenes, and kind of a broody minotaur mosaic scowling on the floor. But there’s no sign of any—
“Try the armoire,” Neo says, without lifting his eyes from his book.
“Um, thanks, but do you mind not doing that? Reading my mind, I mean. Reading the book is fine.”
I head for the armoire, which looks big enough to take me straight to Narnia, and I’m already worried about what I’m going to find in there. PresumablynotTumnus the Faun and the passage to Narnia, but rather the contents of whatever was in that suitcase Lucius was toting around last night.
“Ugh, sorry,” Neo repeats. “Look, don’t be annoyed, okay? I’m not really used to reading minds, because I’m not Valyrian. Dez and Ronin are, so they can both project, but Dez is pretty shy and she hardly ever does that with me. And Ronin hates my guts, so anything he projects at me is usually pretty unpleasant.”
Curiosity prickles through me. I pause with my hand on the armoire. “Why does Ronin hate your guts?”
“Honestly?” He hesitates long enough that I turn to look. He’s laid the open book across his chest to watch me with sober eyes. “It’s because I’m mated to you, loyal to you, and Ronin hates all things Gemini.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “I kinda picked up on that last night. Don’t suppose you have any idea why?”
I mean, I pretty much hate all things Gemini myself, but at least I have a reason. Far as I can tell, Ronin just walked into my life on Wang’s rooftop already hating my guts.
“Oh, sure.” Neo sighs. “It’s because of Gwen.”
I gesture impatiently for him to keep going, as I’m obviously hoping for a little more than a one-syllable name to work with.
He obliges with another sigh. “Gwendolyn Pendragon is… was… Ronin’s twin sister. She died during freshman year. Ronin blames your brother for killing her.”
Whatever awful Gemini secret I expected to hear him divulge, this one is a million times worse. I feel sick to my stomach. Sure, Damien was a monster and he made my childhood suck, so I know he’s capable—wascapable—of putting any girl through a living hell.
But it’s a whole new level of trauma to learn your own brother’s also apparently capable of murder.
Even if you always suspected he could be.
“He didn’t murder her,per se.” Neo sits up and adjusts his glasses with a frown, and for once I’m thankful he’s reading my mind. At least it saves time. “He seduced her, stole her virginity, then told the whole school and made fun of her after. He was powerful here, the future king and all, so a lot of kids followed his lead and bullied her. With Cybelle leading the charge. Because Gwen was gorgeous—you know, like Ronin—and Cybelle was actually jealous.”
“That bastard.” I know what Damien could do, but I’m still vengeful as fuck on Gwen’s behalf. Poor Gwen… and poor Ronin. “Wish I could say I’m surprised, but that sort of conduct was pretty standard for Damien. There’s a reason I’m not grieving his death.”
“Yeah.” Neo grimaces. “Despite his popularity, not many of us did grieve when he and Cybelle died in that fire. When the investigator said it was suspicious, no one was all that surprised.”
Fire. So that’s how my brother finally bought it.
It’s a bad way to go, arson is a brutal way to kill, and I feel cold and queasy. I’m extra cold and queasy knowing someone burned two royals to a crisp and got away with it.
Because, you know, I’m apparently the next royal.
And maybe the next target.
I clear my throat and focus on Neo. “Tell me more about what happened with Gwen. Couldn’t Ronin defend her?”
“He definitely tried. When the bullying started, Ronin went all out to defend her. But he was new here himself, still coming into his power. He beat the living crap out of Damien and scared the shit out of Cybelle and almost got expelled himself. But it just made the bullying worse. Until…”
He hesitates, but for once this mind-reading thing works in reverse, because the outcome pops into my mind like he’s just whispered it in my ear.
“Oh God,” I breathe, hugging myself. “Until Gwen killed herself. And Ronin’s hated every Gemini on the planet ever since.”
“Pretty much.” Neo sinks back to the pillow. “That was two years ago now, but he’s fanatical. He hates Damien, you, and me by extension. Honestly, I can’t even blame the guy.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “Me neither. Thanks for telling me.”
My heart aches for Gwen and it aches for Ronin. No freaking wonder he hates me. If our positions were reversed, I’d hate me too.
