Page 29 of House of Ruin
“Kill his own High Priest?” Andro asked, squinting at the Tigers’ table. “I’ve never heard of something like this happening. The House is supposed to be unified. There are enough enemies around as it is. You can’t fight ones on the inside.”
“When there’s power and status involved, anyone can turn out to be an enemy,” Val said. All hairs at the back of Alecto’s neck rose. “But I think it’s safe to rule out the House of Tigers as suspects.”
“And just because you haven’t heard of it,” Blaze chimed in, his long fingers rubbing his temples, “doesn’t mean it never happened. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way.”
Val smirked, crossing her arms. But she didn’t say anything else. Alecto knew exactly what Blaze meant—their parents dating back when they’d attended Venefica.
Suddenly, something brushed Alecto’s thigh, the touch so soft and light, it sent tingles down her spine. When she looked down and saw it was Blaze’s thigh, now resting next to hers, something else tingled as well. Alecto gripped her cup harder, willing herself to stay put.
It was weird because Blaze hadn’t once approached her since that day in his bedroom. She had thought maybe he’d be more willing to come to her, but it did seem he had his hands full.
Anger flashed so rapidly and hot in Alecto’s chest, she almost choked on her coffee. It didn’t matter, she told herself. Blaze could do whatever the fuck he wanted, as long as he played into her plan.
Maybe Alecto needed to give him a little nudge.
Instead of pulling away, she nudged her thigh closer to his, their bodies touching fully now. For a moment, Blaze tensed, ceasing rubbing his temples. Slowly, he reclined in his seat, leaning against the back of his chair, and he threw one arm over the back of Alecto’s chair.
Alecto wasn’t sure how she managed to keep her face neutral, how she willed her body not to react to the flames that were roaring inside her, threatening to consume her whole. But she sat straight, sipping on her coffee, and even managed to listen to the conversation going around the table.
“I have a bad feeling about something,” Jolene said. Her eyes were cast down to her plate, where she was plucking the dough of her cinnamon roll, then rolling it between her fingertips.
“What do you mean?” Andro perked up, leaning forward. “You have an actual hunch, awitchyhunch, or is it just an opinion?”
“Every fucking hunch is an opinion, dumbass.” Val rolled her eyes.
But her dismissiveness didn’t fool Alecto because Val watched Jolene now with a tiny line wedged between her eyebrows.
“I don’t know,” Jolene said with a shrug. “I am not gifted with fortune-telling, so I’m not experienced with this fucking feeling. But something feels…off.”
“I don’t like the sound of it,” Andro said, shaking his head. “I think we should forget about investigating the murder ourselves. Blaze, did your father send you to meet your lawyer yet? My dad already got in touch with the best—”
It all happened so fast, Alecto only managed to blink. Val shut Andro up, sealing his lips the same way she had done with Bea.
“Val,” Blaze warned. Tension rolled off him in waves even though he didn’t make a move, lounging casually in his chair.
Andro’s eyes were wide, glaring at Val. Oh, he surely would have things to say once Val unsealed his mouth.
“New fucking rule,” Val said, seemingly not bothered by Blaze’s and Andro’s anger. She rose to her feet, smoothing out the wrinkles on her uniform skirt. “Someone says we need to lie low or let go of investigating the murder ourselves and they get a lesson to teach them not to be a scared little pussy.”
As she walked away from their table, Andro’s mouth unsealed. He rubbed his lips, watching her disappear behind the heavy door leading outside, his eyes burning.
“Don’t you ever think about getting rid of her?” Andro muttered, his face tight. “Cassandra might have been a questionable High Priestess, but this one crosses lines I didn’t think we had before she crossed them.”
Jolene pouted, frowning. But she didn’t say anything, simply shrugging.
“We can’t afford to do that right now, Andro,” Alecto said. When four pairs of eyes landed on her, there was only surprise shining in all of them. “Val’s good at what she does. We need her in charge whether you like it or not.”
Blaze’s eyebrows shot all the way to his hairline. Alecto couldn’t explain why the urge to stand behind Val was there, but it was strong and the only thing that seemed smart if their House wanted to survive to see the end of this year.
“But if you want to get back at her for this schtick, I’m sure we can arrange something.” Alecto smirked, pointedly looking at Blaze as she said the next words. “There is always a place and time for a little bit of vengeance.”
Those words coming out of her mouth were a risk, and Alecto was very aware of that as her heart picked up its pace.
But Blaze only smiled, a lazy predatory grin that made her insides melt. “Oh, you’re in a mood to play, baby?”
Alecto rose to her feet, gathering her stuff. Then she caught Blaze’s gaze, his eyes never once leaving her body and completely ignoring the other stares around the table. “Always.”
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