Page 22 of The Fractured Veil

The moment he noticed me, his movements stilled. His head snapped up, those intense green eyes narrowing as they locked onto mine with a predatory glint. I felt pinned in place, like a butterfly impaled beneath his gaze.

"Who brought her here?" His voice was low, edged with a growl that made the room temperature drop a few degrees. Every word dripped with irritation, and I instinctively took a step back.

The air crackled with tension, each of them reacting to my intrusion in their own way. Zarek's amusement seemed to grow—a stark contrast to Nox's evident displeasure and Damon's silent intensity.

"No one," Zarek chimed in, his voice light and teasing, clearly relishing the tension. He leaned back on the sofa, one arm draped casually over the backrest, his eyes glinting with mischief as they flicked to Nox. "It seems our guest here is quite the explorer. She found her way into our lovely little home all on her own. Quite impressive, wouldn't you say?"

Damon finally turned to look at me, his expression unreadable—a mask that hid any emotion he might be feeling. But Nox's gaze remained fixed on me, intense and unwavering, making me squirm under his scrutiny. The dynamics in the room shifted subtly, the undercurrents of their relationships rippling beneath the surface like a disturbed pond. My presence had clearly stirred something deeper—something that went beyond mere annoyance at an unexpected guest.

"You shouldn't be here," Nox growled, his voice low and controlled, yet laced with an underlying threat that made my breath catch in my throat. "This isn't a place for you,human."

"Well, she's here now," Zarek interjected, breaking the tension with a casual shrug. He had a knack for that—defusing a situation with a light touch even as his eyes danced with trouble. "Might as well make her feel at home, don't you think, brothers?"

Nox's eyes burned into me for a moment longer—a silent warning that sent shivers down my spine—before he looked away with a shake of his head. Clearly, he wasn't happy about my presence.

"Well, if someone could control that beast outside," I retorted, my voice a bit shaky despite my attempt to sound confident, "I'd gladly leave right now and never come back to your... little oasis."

Just my luck to end up here, I thought, crossing my arms defensively as I stepped further into the room. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, as they say.

Zarek raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Oh, but you're just getting to know us, Thalia," he purred, his voice laced with amusement. "Surely you can't be so quick to judge."

"Quick to judge? Are you fucking kidding me?" I exploded, my frustration finally reaching its breaking point. "Ever since I arrived, you three have treated me like I personally offended your ancestors or murdered you in a past life! I've done absolutely nothing to any of you! But oh no, the 'powerless little human' is such a threat to the 'almighty, infallible gods of Nexara Academy'," I snarled, throwing in even more dramatics than I intended, my arms flailing as I emphasized each word.

My voice dripped with sarcasm as I continued, "And here I am, standing in a house filled with Gifted who apparently despise my very existence, while a giant, man-eating beast is waiting outside for me. Forgive me, 'oh mighty ones'," I practically spat, rolling my eyes before meeting each of their stares. Nox was now seated on the couch beside Damon, both of their gazes unwavering—watching my every move like hawks circling a field mouse.

I felt a flush creep up my neck under their intense scrutiny, but I held my ground, glaring back at them with defiance. "You know what?" I said, my voice shaking with a mixture of anger and fear. "I'm done. I'm done with the glares, the snide comments, the constant judgment. I'm just trying to survive here. I didn't ask to be here—I didn't ask to be dragged into your little supernatural drama. So if you'll excuse me, I'd really like to get back to my own life, where I don't have to worry about being eaten by a monster or judged by a bunch of arrogant, pretentious little as?—"

I cut myself off, taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart. "Just... tell me how to get out of here," I finished, my voice barely above a whisper.

Silence descended upon the room, thick and heavy. The brothers simply stared at me, their expressions unreadable. Finally, Damon spoke, his tone flat, his face an impassive mask. "The beast won't come in here. This place is protected. But you shouldn't be here, and you should never come back."

I took a steadying breath, trying to hold onto my rapidly dwindling composure. "Then maybe you should put a sign on the door," I snapped back, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "'Beware of the Beast and the Psycho Brothers'."

Zarek's laughter shattered the tension, warm and infectious. His amusement was undeniable, and even Nox's lips twitched in a ghost of a smile, though he quickly schooled his features back into neutrality. Damon, however, seemed to grow even more somber, his brow furrowed.

Zarek looked at me, his smile widening. "You've got fire, I'll give you that." He leaned back on the couch, his eyes shining with mischief. "Maybe you'll survive after all, Firefly."

I caught myself almost smiling in return, my frustration momentarily softened by the hint of humor in Zarek's voice. But Nox's gaze pulled me back to reality—still intense and assessing—and Damon's stony stare was a harsh reminder that I was far from welcome.

"Okay, you know what? I'll take my chances with the beast," I replied, my voice lighter but still edged with annoyance.

Zarek gave me a cheeky grin. "I like her," he declared, looking over at his brothers as if daring them to disagree. Nox's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing, while Damon's gaze remained cold and distant.

"I don't care if you like me, Zarek," I shot back, irritation flaring once more. The smirk on his face didn't waver, but there was a glint in his eyes that suggested he found my attitude rather entertaining.

"Look, I didn't come here to play games or earn anyone's approval," I continued, my voice steadying as I tried to regain control of the situation. "I just stumbled into your weird, isolated home while trying to find my way out of the forest. I don't need any of this," I gestured between us, frustration lacing my words.

"I told you to stay out of the forest, didn't I?" Nox interjected, his arms crossed tightly across his chest, his tone brooking no argument.

"Yeah, well, I didn't see any 'No Trespassing' signs," I shot back, raising an eyebrow at him. "Besides, it's not like I was expecting to run into you three while I was lost out here."

Zarek, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth, grinned. "Maybe she just can't keep away from us."

I rolled my eyes, scoffing at his words. "Please, don't flatter yourself," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "If anything, I'd rather not be anywhere near any of you. But since your pet decided to chase me here, I guess I didn't have much of a choice."

Zarek's grin widened, clearly unfazed by my retort. "Oh, come on, Firefly—admit it. You're intrigued."

Before I could snap back, Nox's glare deepened, and his voice cut through the moment. "This isn't a joke, Z. She doesn't belong here."

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