Page 299 of Fated to be Enemies

“You were right about Craig. He told me you didn’t come on to him. Eventually.”

“I hate that you didn’t believe me,” I admitted. “It hurt, Nai. I’m your best friend. Or was.”

“Was?” She blinked tears onto her thick lashes.

“We are if you still want to be. I wasn’t sure.”

“I’m the problem here.”

“Let’s move on,” I said, then rested my forehead against hers. In so many ways, she’d become a sister to me, filling the hole of a loss I couldn’t cope with at eleven years old. Having her close to me again made everything feel right.

“How was the test for you?”

I swallowed thickly. “It’s not important right now.”

“I heard Viktor was taking the test.”

“Yes, he did.”

“How did that go?”

I hesitated. I didn’t want to make her feel worse. “He didn’t become a keeper.”

She scoffed. “No doubt. He’s not been here long enough. What was he thinking?”

I sighed. I mean, he did technically pass the test, but I won through experience. I wished I could tell her the truth, that he was thinking he could probably get his family back, but I was afraid of what would happen if he found out she knew. Freya had said he was trying to be good, with emphasis on trying. He hadn’t killed us to get what he wanted, but he was a god, and if history was anything to go by, they had their tempers.

“He was trying to do the right thing,” I said, wishing I hadn’t.

“What do you mean?”

“By him, anyway.” My heart hurt. He was a man trying to get back his family, and now he’d lost it all. He could be dangerous right now, and I was sitting here, a mile from the coven that needed protecting.

“Nai, I need to go. Will you come by tomorrow?”

She nodded. “Thanks, Elle.”

“We’ll go shopping,” I said.

She gave me a watery smile. “I’d like that. We can talk about what I’m going to do next over lunch after.”

“We will. So many people are starting their own businesses and stuff. You’re talented. Together, we’ll come up with something.” I wanted to spew some crap about how this might be the opportunity she needed to spread her wings, but I know if it were me, I wouldn’t want to hear that right now. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

I headed off. I needed to face Raiden. I couldn’t keep avoiding him, especially when he was a loose cannon.

I found him in his room. His queen-size bed was made with navy sheets. Fresh white shirts were folded on the chair of his dresser, ready to be put away. Above his bed was a small painting, a landscape of the main city in Istinia, a place of art, culture, music, and gangsters, from what I’d heard. I bet he got it from the iris in town. I hadn’t noticed it the last time I was in here.

He glanced at the painting. “Yes,” he answered, his tone clipped.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Navarin.” I exhaled slowly, fumbling my fingers with my necklace as I searched for the words to say.

He broke the silence. “Before, when we spoke, you said to ask, so I’m asking. You have access to the vaults now.”

I bit my bottom lip. “It’s not as straightforward as that. I’m a brand-new keeper. They’ll know it was me if something goes missing. Maybe we can ask Edmund. I can’t lose my position.”

“He’ll say no. Trust me. He knows what those keys are for. If anyone finds out I’m a god, the entirety of Istinia will come after me.”

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