Page 6 of House of Pain
With one last glance at them all, Galia turned on her heel and strode up the path, her blond bob moving with each stride.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, bitch,” Alecto said, turning back to Val. “Because it doesn’t look as if Galia’s going to fall for what we have planned for her.”
“I do,” Val assured her. “And trust me, Black. She’s gonna be on her knees, begging, when we’re done with her.”
Alecto’s heart thrashed against her rib cage at the sight of the cruel, wicked grin blooming on Val’s face. Wordlessly, they fell back into step, strolling towards the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was packed when they entered, all the students crammed around large tables, clearly separated by their Houses. You’d never see an Ox sit with a Rat, or a Pig sit with a Rabbit.
Even if last night you fucked in the middle of a party, for the whole student body to see.
Val and Blaze went straight to their usual table, at the very end of the old Victorian hall, perched by the arched window overlooking the Dean’s building. They exchanged a few whispers, Alecto trailing a few steps behind them.
It was Alecto’s second year at Venefica. Her second year being a member of the House of Snakes and the Inner Circle. Yet, she still didn’t quite fit in. Not enough to be the one Val shared her secrets with.
Alecto left her bag on the chair between Andro and Jolene and went straight to the bar, hoping that there would still be a cinnamon bun left for her.
She needed something sweet to kill the aftertaste of vodka still lingering at the back of her throat.Some happy hormones would have also been nice this dreadful morning.
When she took her place at the end of a long line of students all trying to pack their plates with breakfast food, Alecto’s appetite wavered.
There was some coconut porridge this morning and fancy-looking avocado toast available from the small list of food she could stomach, but none of it was appealing.
Cinnamon bun and black coffee were the way to go.
“Is that going to be all, Alecto?” A forest sprite dressed in a tiny green dress made from already yellowing leaves jumped up from the other side of the counter.
“Yes, Kaliad. That’s going to be all for this morning,” Alecto said, passing a card to the sprite.
Kaliad was a small one, so the card was almost half her size. But she took it in her tiny hands nonetheless and swiped it through the cash registry.
“I heard someone got slapped today in the middle of the campus,” Kaliad said, her voice a whisper. Alecto couldn’t miss the shine of excitement in her eyes.
Kaliad wasn’t a fan of Val.Most people at Venefica hated Val. She had that quality about her.And some days Alecto wished she was one of those people.
“Yeah. Galia really tried her best,” Alecto said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
“I’d be careful if I were you, Alecto.” Kaliad’s words came as a surprise, but Alecto shuffled that emotion down.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
A shrug of tiny shoulders. “You’re a nice girl. Val’s exact opposite. Don’t let her change you.”
Alecto left Kaliad behind without another word. Kaliad didn’t say it to Alecto’s face, but the meaning behind her words was obvious. Val was a full-blooded witch and Alecto wasn’t.
You’re a nice girl.
Alecto wanted to scream. She would have rather been anythingbuta nice girl. Nice girls didn’t get to survive at Venefica. Or anywhere else in Inathis, for that matter. And Alecto wanted to survive.
No, that wasn’t right. Survival wasn’t enough. Alecto wanted to thrive.
“So, when are we going to find out whether our little spell worked?” Jolene asked in a loud whisper just as Alecto approached their table.
She glanced around and over her shoulder, but there was nobody there.
“How the Hel am I supposed to know?” Val just shrugged, biting on a piece of burned bacon. “It doesn’t say in the Book the exact date and hour of when the Guardian is supposed to show up. But I’m sure we’ll know when he does.”
“Should we even call him a Guardian though?” Andro took clear lip gloss out of his pocket. He slowly traced his plump lower lip, spreading the thick, sparkly liquid evenly. “It would be more fitting to call it a sex monster.”
