Page 6 of Cruel Destinies

I couldn’t tell if I heard a hint of annoyance in her voice or if it was in my imagination.

We walked into an unusually empty common room.

“Wanna watch a movie?” I asked. Finally my fucking mouth was working.

Almost like she’d planned for it, she yawned. “I’m actually very tired. All of my new training—”

“Of course,” I cut her off and turned to walk her back out.

“Actually, I have a room here now,” she said. “Since I’m part harpy, Caesar said it was okay. And since the mers kicked me out anyway...”

I stared at her. When she’d been in another wing of the Dome, things had been different. I could avoid her if I wanted. I could compartmentalize my life. But with her room this close?

I didn’t know how I felt about things. Anything. More specifically, how I felt about that kiss.

“So… I’m going to go to bed,” she said, breaking our stare and turning to walk down the hallway.

“Arya,” I said, reaching out and grabbing her arm.

She hissed, recoiling from the accidental burn of my touch.

“Sorry,” I muttered as I anxiously withdrew my steaming hand, embarrassed that my powers were a bit out of whack. Most likely from my recent trauma. Why it had to happen while Arya was near was infuriating.

She looked at me expectantly.

“Look,” I said, my eyes finding the floor again. “About the night of the attack...”

From my peripheral, I saw that she stared at the ground, too. I snuck a glance at her and noticed a pink tint to her cheeks. I didn’t know what I was trying to say or what would come out of my mouth next, so I just unleashed the words like a floodgate.

“I know that we went on that date as just friends, and then the vampires attacked, and they took you—” My voice caught. I cleared my throat and looked above her head, still not meeting her eyes. “And I should’ve been able to save you. I should’ve broken away and gone after you—”

“Stop,” Arya said, silencing me with a flat hand raised. “It wasn’t your fault, Tobias. There wasn’t anything you could’ve done. And you were the one...” Now, she was the one trailing off.

“I just...” I stepped forward and reached up with my hand as if to brush the hair away from her face. But I dropped it without touching her.

Her hand twitched toward mine ever so slightly, like she wanted to grab it, but maybe she didn’t want to get burned again and swung it back by her side.

“Goodnight, Tobias,” she said, her eyes finally meeting mine.

I frowned but turned the gesture into a forced smile. “Goodnight, Arya.”

And she walked off to her room, leaving me standing there like an idiot, trapped in an emotional prison of my own making.

Chapter 3

Ashlyn

Everything was unbalanced. Even with so many things to celebrate, there were just as many causing strain.

I never could have guessed how many students would like and accept me now that I’d found my phoenix. I liked being recognized as anything but the jinx for once, but it was overwhelming. Igneaus was on cloud nine, relishing in the heroism of his daughter by overworking her.

I preferred the silence and comfort of my small group of friends. But now that Arya was a chimera and the daughter of our sworn enemy, she was always busy with extra training. And Tobias was still on the mend, continuously putting Niko in a bad mood.

But Niko and I were exclusive. Aside from the curfew that kept us from spending more time with each other, there was no downside in the romantic department of my life, which I appreciated.

Well, except for my father. He strongly disliked how distracted it made me. Anytime I so much as spoke Niko’s name, he made me do an exhaustingly long wall-sit while balancing fireballs in my hands. And yet, saying his name was still worth the pain.

I knew it was bordering on obsession, but I’d never felt this way about anyone before. Sure, there was a crush here and there, but this was so much more than that. It was intoxicating, and I wanted everyone to know.

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