Page 141 of House of Ruin
She went to her bathroom to put on some makeup. As she was putting on concealer to cover up her dark under-eye circles that were even more prominent on her winter-pale skin, she paused.
It would be suspicious if she got dressier than usual to meet Norse. She had to show up casual as always, or he would catch on to her plan to seduce him.
“Damn it,” she cursed, then dropped her lipstick back into the makeup bag and stormed out of the bathroom.
On her bed, she laid out the gold coin and the vial with the truth serum. Only then did it dawn on her that she wouldn’t be able to apply the truth serum on her lips in the middle of rehearsal. She had to make it easy.
She went back to the bathroom to pick through her makeup pouch. After digging for a bit, she found her favorite lip gloss, which was half-empty.
Opening the tube, she returned to her bed, then kneeled next to it. She placed the wand between her teeth and carefully started transferring the truth serum to the lip gloss tube.
She only transferred half, reserving the other half for an emergency. It was her first time trying to mix a potion into something else—let alone something from the mortal realm—so Alecto didn’t know if it would be enough.
Worse comes to worse, I’ll shove the vial into Norse’s mouth and seal his mouth shut with a spell so he has to swallow it.
Carefully, Alecto mixed the serum with the lip gloss inside the tube, mingling the wand around. Then she stuffed the lip gloss into the pocket of her jacket along with the truth serum vial.
She was almost ready. But Norse hadn’t replied yet.
“Motherfucker,” Alecto cursed, walking around her room, looking for ways to occupy herself.
She could practice the lines forCarmen, listen to music or—
Page one seventy-nine, if you’re curious.
Alecto stopped pacing and went straight to the painting above the fireplace where she had her hidey hole.
She pushed the painting aside, finding the crooked brick and removing it from the wall. Her mother’s journal still lay where she’d left it.
Slowly, Alecto took it out and went over to her bed. She was suddenly nervous, more nervous than ever before.
There were many things she had learned in the past few days about her mother that unsettled Alecto greatly. What Blaze had told her today about Galliermo…
None of it sounded like the mother Alecto remembered from when she was little.
For a long moment, Alecto only stared at the journal on the bed. She crossed her legs and got comfortable but couldn’t force herself to open it.
Some part of her was scared that once she opened the journal and started reading, there wouldn’t be a way back. She’d learn things about her mother she wouldn’t be able to unlearn.
Finally, Alecto found the courage to open the journal. Immediately, from the very first page, she recognized her mother’s writing. So elegant and dainty.
The first entry was from September 3, 1949:
Dear Diary,
I decided to start you so I could document my journey here at the Venefica Academy. And believe me, there will be plenty of things to document…
I’ve only been here for a few days, and I haven’t ventured out past the mansion limits much. Only to sign up for classes. Alatar says it’s too dangerous for a mortal to wander the streets of Darly or even the campus of the academy alone.
Considering he was the one who brought me here, I’m not sure how he thinks I’ll take classes? So far, either he or Galliermo has been with me. But they can’t follow me around forever.
There aren’t many classes I can take here… I signed up for acting, dancing, and musical instrument lectures so far, and some of the history lectures where they don’t practice magic but rather discuss it, because that’s all there is for me to do, really.
If I were a green thumb, I could also take Herbalism, but I’m useless in nature. I can’t even stand touching dirt.
Alas, I’m still grateful to be here. If not for Alatar and his kindness, I would still be stuck in the mortal realm, counting my pennies so I could pay for the next meal.
And not having to worry about finding clients every night…it’s refreshing.
