Page 144 of House of Pain
Jolene and Andro snickered. “Oh, dear, soon we won’t have fresh bagels every morning!”
“Well, that’s great,” Val said as she finished reading. She glanced up, scanning the room. “The first years will have a moment to shine and get to know our traditions better.”
Alecto almost felt sorry for the two first years who would probably have to do most of the heavy lifting.
Almost.
“So, what are we responsible for this year?” Goose bumps erupted over Alecto’s skin, her stomach twisting at the sound of that voice. His voice.
Alecto glanced at Blaze, sitting in the leather chair in the corner of the room. When their eyes locked, she had to try very hard not to let herself get lost in those dark holes that were staring at her as if she was the only person in the room.
“Well,” she said, willing her voice to sound bored as ever, “we’re actually responsible for clearing out the ruins in the Blessed Forest.” She took the paper from Val, scanning it. “Yeah, all of it relates to making sure that it’s clean, ready, and safe.”
“That’s gonna be a nasty job,” Andro mused, inspecting his black painted nails. “It’s been raining the whole past week. There’s literally going to be mud and all that shit.”
He grimaced, and Alecto had to bite the inside of her cheek so she wouldn’t laugh. Andro was such a fucking princess.
“Okay, listen up,” Val said, clapping her hands. “First years will do the initial sweep, making sure there’s no trash and shit. I’m sure there is a spell for that, but don’t be lazy to also use your fucking hands.” Val glared at the two unfortunate souls, nodding frantically.
Then she turned her attention to the next group. “Second years, I want you to work on reinforcing what’s left of the ruins. Each year we need to make sure that they’re protected from whatever fun the witches will have as they must be still standing by the time the morning comes. Got that?”
“Are you going to give us a spell for that?” Bea, one of the second years, asked, and her cobalt eyebrows shot all the way up to her matching cobalt hairline.
“I’m sure you know how to use the Book by now, Bea,” Val snapped, and the girl clapped her mouth shut. Val scanned the crowd and then continued, “Now, third years will work on clearing and securing the tower, and the fourth years will have to scan the perimeter and enforce the protection wards, just in case someone decides to have some fun and lure Hellbates or other fucking abominations as a way to spice things up.”
“Actually, that would be something we would do,” Blaze mused, a long finger trailing the line of his sharp jaw, his eyes still settled on Alecto.
She had the sudden urge to fidget, to clamp her legs together at the intensity of his gaze. The memories of their last night together were still very much fresh in her mind.
Sleeping had become a true fucking burden for the past week as well. Anytime Alecto closed her eyes, lying tangled in her sheets, she could hear his voice in her head.
You’d want me to bite you?
She could still feel his gentle whispers over her skin.
Say the word, and I’ll stop.
The bruises on her body were quickly fading, but she could still feel his mouth on her skin, those wicked fingers sinking into her flesh.
Now that she was thinking about it, why did she tell him that they shouldn’t do it again—
“Alecto?” A voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Alecto blinked at Val, who stared at her expectantly.
“What was that again?”
“I was saying that Gael will lead the first years, and you’ll have to lead the second years as a member of the Inner Circle. But if you’re not capable of concentrating for longer than ten seconds, then maybe we need someone else to take charge?”
Alecto smirked, flashing her the middle finger. “I’ll manage.”
Val smirked back, returning her attention to the group. “Blaze, lead the third years, and I’ll join the fourth years because nobody out of your bunch is capable of doing so.”
A few snorts and eye rolls went around the group, but no one said anything.
Of course, even their old High Priestess, Cassandra, who ruled the House and Venefica until Val showed up, knew to keep her mouth shut and take Val’s insults like a big girl.
Sometimes, Alecto wondered whether their little group took things too far.
But then she would remember that the only way to survive at Venefica was to destroy the others before they destroyed you.
