Page 78 of The Lord of Whispers

“Alarie,” a man called out from behind me.

I recognized the voice, but it was the first time I had ever heard Cole Tragon use my actual name, instead of one of his degrading nicknames for me. I paused, intrigued. Cole had been noticeably absent from all things High Court lately. I allowed him to catch up with me. At least he was alone, without his usual posse of cronies to jeer him on. I thought he looked paler than usual, which was saying something because his complexion normally resembled that of an eggshell. He had dark bags under his eyes like he had not slept in a week.

I gave him my best “fuck you” expression. “What?” He had used my name, but I would not extend him the same courtesy.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” he asked condescendingly, presumably referring to Luke.

I rolled my eyes and began to walk away.

“No, no. Okay. Wait!” he called out.

I paused again, staring at him expectantly. Then I cocked my head to the side, noticing something was out of place. It was quiet—too quiet. I looked around the hallway. The normal noises of the Court, murmuring heard through walls, the sounds of carriages on stone, had disappeared. My gaze made its way back to Cole in time to see a shit-eating grin sliding into place.

“Gotcha, little mutt,” he said.

He normally looked at me with disdain bordering on hatred, but his eyes now held the intent of malignancy. The hair on the back of my neck rose.

“I don’t know what kind of game you’re up to, but I’m not interested,” I said, instilling a hard edge into my voice.

He stepped closer to me, seemingly unperturbed by my words.

“You’re going to play my game, because I know your secret,” he taunted.

I looked at him, unamused, waiting for him to explain.

“How is it that when everyone else is losing their magic, your precious high lord is growing stronger by the day?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” I challenged.

“I don’t need to. I’ve already figured it out,” he bragged.

“Good for you,” I said dismissively.

I began to turn my back on him.

“I saw you two, you know,” he said hurriedly. “You and High Lord Vitruvian at the Winter Gala on Lord Preston’s balcony,” he continued.

Oh, I thought, finally thinking I understood what this was all about.He thought he was going to be able to lord that over my head?

“Don’t care, Cole. Go ahead, tell whoever you want. Is that it?” I said, losing interest again and peering down the hallway.

“I saw you at the Winter Gala spreading your legs like the filthy little whore you are for everyone at the High Court to see,” he said.

I let out an exasperated sigh, rolling my eyes again.

“We’re done here,” I said, turning my back to him to walk down the hallway.

I felt his hand on my arm. He had cussed, threatened, and bullied me before, but he had never actually touched me. He usually acted like touching me would be unsanitary.

“Get your fucking hand off of me, Cole.Now,” I barked.

But instead of complying with my demand, he gripped my other arm as well, pushing me into the nearest wall with enough force that the breath in my lungs was knocked out of me with an “oof.” He hovered over my small frame with his towering height. I tried, unsuccessfully, to pull from his grasp.

“What do you want, Cole? Just fucking cut to the chase,” I said, momentarily stopping my struggle.

He’d gone too fucking far this time. I would let Luke, and Rhett, and Jay take turns ripping him apart limb by limb.

“You,” he replied simply, a sickening grin on his face.

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