Page 66 of House of Ruin
It was a scary thought. But it bloomed in Alecto’s mind against her will, swiftly planting roots. More than two weeks had passed since the night she came into his room and offered him this arrangement. But they still hadn’t had sex.
More precisely, Blaze hadn’t sought her out for his pleasure. Which was…weird. But it also meant Alecto’s plan was going perfectly.
Suddenly, Blaze inhaled deeply and grumbled something under his breath.
“What was that?” Alecto frowned, looking up at his face.
“I like the way your hair smells,” he repeated, pulling away just enough for her to catch the words this time.
Despite herself, despite her wicked plans of breaking his heart, Alecto still liked that Blaze liked the way her hair smelled.
She smiled, a tiny smile that most often would go unnoticed by the regular eye. But not with Blaze. He hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his face.
“Is that anactualsmile I see, Black?” He looked seriously taken aback by the prospect of seeing Alecto smile.
Had she not smiled, ever?
“And what if it is?”
Blaze brushed a thumb over her lower lip, frowning as he once again searched her face. Another small eternity passed until he finally found what to say.
“You look beautiful.” Blaze released her chin. “That’s all.”
Alecto’s whole body flushed again, but she resisted the urge to fidget away from his embrace. When his hand brushed her cheek, she knew the heat licking at her skin showed. But Blaze didn’t comment on it, returning to burying his face into her hair.
26
Yule parties around Inathis started early every year.
The most prominent Yule ball, of course, was the Frones’ White Ball, but only the select few families around Inathis were ever invited.
Leveau family wasn’t one of the lucky ones anymore.
Yet Blaze had the memory of going to a White Ball when he was little, maybe five or six years old. It always took place in their family manor located on the outskirts of Old Haven, and Blaze had never seen so much snow before in his life. It was snowing outside, the fluffy snowflakes covering the manicured lawn and moon lily gardens. And it was snowing inside as well.
Blaze spent the evening trying to catch the snowflakes that seemed to fall from the ceiling, but he hadn’t succeeded.
They’d melted before they’d even reached his tongue, no matter how much he’d stretched himself to be closer to the ceiling.
Back in Avalon Hills, the Leveaus were invited to multiple parties every season. All of which had to be attended.
This year, however, Blaze only had the obligation to attend one party at the Weir residence. And half the Venefica campus seemed to be here as well.
“It was a real shame that there were such big losses for the Tigers in such a short amount of time,” Octavia mused, nodding at Professor Gabetown. “I wouldn’t wish a tragedy like that on any House. They might not recover enough to protect their status as one of the Big Four this year. Oh, their alumni must be devastated.”
Blaze exchanged a glance with Andro standing opposite their small circle and tried very hard to hide his smile.
Would the Weirs be proud to know their son helped to destroy the House of Tigers, watching two members float away to their own death?
Blaze would think so. All their parents would salute their children for doing whatever it took to protect their House. But the fact neither of Andro’s parents knew he had anything to do with it told Blaze otherwise.
Weirs lived on the edge of the Upper North Side, on a street that housed a row of beautifully crafted five-story brownstones. From the outside, each home looked immaculate and manicured, with wrought iron railings, white trimmings, and polished black windows.
Yet, when one entered the world beyond navy doors of the Weir residence, it was as if one had stepped into a whole different realm.
Each room was modern and sleek, the light orbs floating around the house dimmed to create a cozy atmosphere.
Nothing was out of line in this house, and its sharp and tailored furniture was inviting to look at but didn’t scream,Sit down and have a conversation.
