Page 125 of House of Ruin
Words spilled freely from her lips. “A piece of gum, my bones, an old receipt, a condom, and the vial with Poisonous Widow.”
When Bea realized what she had admitted to without realizing, she clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.
Cadre’s and Gael’s faces were void of humor now. But Val was beaming, her legs swinging as her smile grew.
“My, my, Bea. Where would one get such a rare poison? And the question is why would one need to carry it with them to a student party?”
There was nothing Bea could do to stop herself from speaking the truth when asked. Well, unless she was willing to cut off her tongue.
So she gave Val all the answers.
“Norse Fox gave it to me. So I could make sure Blaze’s drinks and food are poisoned.”
“What?” Cadre asked, his voice weak. “Are you working with that asshole?”
Bea opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She just stared at Cadre, her eyes pleading.
“You don’t understand,” she finally managed.
But Cadre wasn’t buying it. He shook his head, taking a step away from her. Of course, it was the smart thing to do. Cadre had enough brains to realize distancing himself from Bea was the best move right now. Alecto wanted to feel disgusted at Cadre, but she didn’t have it in her.
“They have treated me like shit.Everyone, not only me. You saw what they did when I asked a question. My—”
Val interrupted Bea. “How unfortunate for you. How sad, poor little Bea, bullied by her fellow House members.”
“What did Norse offer you for this betrayal?” Blaze asked. His face was closed off, and Alecto couldn’t tell how he was feeling. “What was worth going against your own House?”
Bea glowered at Blaze, silent for a moment. But she couldn’t fight the truth serum for long.
“He promised me a place in his Inner Circle,” Bea said. Val and Andro both started laughing. Anger and frustration painted Bea’s cheeks bright pink. “He promised me a House that treats its members equally.Don’tlaugh at me.”
“Oh, you’re as stupid as you look,” Val said after she finished laughing. She re-lit the blunt that had died while they talked. “Do you think anyone at the House of Dragons would respect you after you betrayed your own legacy? Nobody would ever trust you or look you in the eye because you’d be permanently known as the backstabber, ready to turn traitor for whoever offers her a shinier prize.”
Bea looked as if Val had just slapped her.
“Now.” Val jumped off the pool table before walking over to stand in front of Bea. “Do you know what happens to rats?”
To Alecto’s surprise, Bea managed to shake her head. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, her hands curled into fists by her side.
“Alecto, do you mind telling dear Bea how bright of a future is ahead of her?” Val asked, glancing over her shoulder at Alecto.
Alecto smiled, meeting Bea’s gaze. “Walk of shame. If Blaze asks his daddy nicely, Kelthazane.”
Blaze and Andro laughed. The mocking, cruel laugh that made goose bumps skitter over Alecto’s skin.
Bea’s eyes were hot as coal. “I would have thought you’d be the one happy about Blaze getting poisoned. After everything that went down last trimester, how nastily he treated you, one would expect you to be the one to poison him yourself.”
“I am smarter with my revenge than that. Clearly.”
Only when the deafening silence fell around them did Alecto realize what flew out of her mouth.
Bea’s lips curled into a malicious smirk. “What was that, Alecto? Are you confessing to something? How are you going to get back at Blaze for the humiliation he caused you?”
It was as if Alecto had lost control over her mouth. Words formed on her lips faster than she could fathom, then spilled freely. “Poisoning him would have been too easy. I intended to make him fall for me and then crush him entirely. Just like he likes to do to other people.”
44
Blaze was too stunned to speak.
