Page 65 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos
I step back, raising my hand to my chest. Is this a trick? “I don’t have a secret,” I lie.
He steps closer, but before I can put further distance between us, his hand closes around my hand that rests against my chest. “Here’s another secret…” He takes a curled strand of my hair, wrapping it around his finger. “Just like my Aunt Kiara, I know when a person’s lying.”
My heart drops, and I stare at him, shocked. “R-really? I didn’t know that… are you making that up?”
“No, I just don’t tell anyone. It’s the kind of ability that can be put to use when one doesn’t know about it. You are the only one aside from my father, grandfather, Alejandro and Leo who know that.”
Then why is he telling me?
“Why tell me?” I ask softly.
“Because I want you to know that it’s ok to have secrets. Share yours, and I promise you, no one will know. Not unless you yourself tell them.”
I look away. Not this again… did he set this entire thing up, pretending he needed help with translations just to get into my head? “I have nothing to tell you.”
“Tell me what holds you back, and I will help you.”
But you’ll judge me… and you know I wouldn’t tell your secret even if you told mine.
“I know there’s more to you. Show me that you aren’t weak, tell me what obstacle is in your way, and I will help you remove it.” His voice is low and softer.
I look up at him. Why is he able to get into my head like this? Why is the temptation to tell him there?
I glance down at his larger hand that is wrapped around mine, resting gently above my chest. I look up at him, my heart racing. I will regret it. I know I will, but he has this energy of control that I wish I had.
“You won’t tell anyone, including Leo, Ahren, or your family?”
“You have my word.”
I look around the lounge. “Not here,” I say quietly.
He tilts his head towards our rooms. “My room.” He doesn’t wait for my reply, leading me towards his room, his hand still wrapped over mine as he tugs me towards his room. He opens the door, motioning with his head for me to step inside, and then he follows, shutting the door behind us.
His scent fills the room, and my heart thunders. I’m alone with Jayce in his room.
Gods…
It’s pretty clean, but there are books lying around, some pencils, a guitar, balls, shoes…
The silence is too intense, and I can feel him watching me.
“Umm…” I turn towards him, brushing a strand of my hair back. He doesn’t speak, as if waiting for me to finish. “When my dad died, something inside of me snapped. Like some level of control broke within me and-”
An odd wave of darkness thrums through the room, and I stiffen.
“Sienna?”
“Something’s wrong,” I whisper. But before he can reply, the sound of an alarm rings around us, and both mine and Jayce’s Schattensichts vibrates before they start beeping.
Jayce’s eyes snap blue. “Give me a second.” He opens the bedroom door, and he’s gone. I can hear the commotion as everyone is awoken. I can hear shouting outside. I rush over to the window, open the blinds and scan the darkness outside. What was that feeling?
The Headmaster’s voice, commanding everyone to step outside immediately, rings across the speakers.
What is going on?
The door opens again, and Jayce is back. He drops his laptop and papers onto the bed and grabs a hoodie from the back of his chair. “Put it on. We need to go. Now.”
“What’s going on?” I ask as I pull on his hoodie. It’s not that large, but it covers a little more than my pyjamas did.
