Page 52 of Fated for Flames

Since the day in class when I’d questioned the matriarch’s succession and power, there had been a shift. It was subtle at first but definitely present, further highlighted by the fact that Ruby, it seemed, had become my replacement. She had somehow turned into Lia’s best friend and nothing I could say or do made any difference to Lia.

I could hear it in the hushed whispers that followed me through the hallways. I could see it in the sidelong glances I received from those who used to be part of my social circle. There was a divide now.

On one side were Lia and her gaggle of followers, all vying for her attention, all too eager to remain in her good graces. Ruby was always at her side and a third wheel, as Lia was often with her boyfriend—a tall, unkind-looking warlock with ginger hair. Yet I caught her casting longing glances at our table every so often, particularly when Adrien was present.

Then there was our table, a gang of misfits in comparison. Every time we tried to join Lia’s, it mysteriously became too crowded, leaving us no room. So we created our own. There was Theo, Adrien, Felix, the twins; the goth witch and her sister, and an assortment of other students. Even a few shifters had joined us since the bonfire party.

It warmed my heart to see the barriers that once existed were slowly fading away.

The truth was, I didn’t have time for their whispers and sneers even if they were becoming more frequent. I chose to ignore them. They were nothing more than annoying gnats buzzing in my ear, a nuisance but not a threat. Just background noise.

As I made my way through the crowded hallways, a hand shot out, grabbing my arm forcefully. I turned to see Lia’s boyfriend standing before me, his icy brown eyes narrowed in a dangerous glint.

“You think you’re better than Lia now, don’t you?” he hissed, his voice low but laced with venom.

His cronies surrounded us, forming a tight circle that blocked any chance of escape.

I remained calm, refusing to let him provoke me.

“I don’t have time for this…whatever your name is,” I replied evenly, my arm in his grasp.

“My name is—”

I held my hand in front of his face, stopping him. “I really don’t care what your name is.”

He held on tight. His grip was nothing compared to Viper’s, and I almost laughed.

“It’s Rick,” he spat.

Was he trying to intimidate me?

Rick leaned in closer, his cold breath ghosting over my face. “You’re nothing but a pathetic little witch who thinks she canbetray her best friend. News flash, sweetheart, I won’t let you,” he sneered, his words dripping with malice.

The tension crackled in the air as students slowed their pace to watch the confrontation unfold.

Goddess, I didn’t have time for idiots like this. I easily maneuvered out of his grip, thanks to Chad and my Tactical Defense Training classes.

I raised an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. “First of all, Rick,” I began, my voice dripping with sarcasm, “I didn’t betray any of my friends, including Lia. And secondly, if you ever lay a hand on me again, you’ll regret it.” I let out a little power, sure it would cost me, but I needed to prove a point.

Rick’s sneer faltered as he sensed my power before he regained his composure.

“I think…” he started, taking a step closer to me.

But I cut him off. “I don’t care what you think, Rick,” I said and turned to leave.

The next few days passed in a blur of classes, training sessions, and whispered rumors. Word of the confrontation in the hallway had spread like wildfire, and I found myself the subject of both admiration and resentment.

Some of the students, particularly those from other covens, looked at me with newfound respect, intrigued by my willingness to stand up to Lia and the Luminary Coven’s cronies. But within my coven, the hostility only seemed to intensify.

* * *

The chatter around our table bubbled with enthusiasm as the topic of conversation shifted toward the upcoming Halloween party. I had always loved Halloween; most witches did. It was a time when we could forget about who we were supposed to be and instead lose ourselves in the fun of pretending to besomeone or something else. As a witch, the irony of this wasn’t lost on me.

“Adrien, what are you going as?” I asked, my eyes flicking to where he sat, his gaze fixed on Ruby, who was seated at Lia’s table.

He startled slightly before answering.

“Oh, um…I haven’t decided yet,” he admitted sheepishly, tearing his gaze away from Ruby to look at me.

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