Page 71 of House of Ruin
This girl saw right through him, all the wrong parts.
Yet she didn’t seem frightened.
“Well, sometimes there is a reason for an argument, Black. Don’t you think?” Blaze tipped his head back, letting the smoke stream past his parted lips.
“If that’s the only way one experiences life, then I’d say yeah, sure. There is always going to be a need for another argument.”
Blaze didn’t know what to say to that.
So he didn’t say anything.
“You don’t have to tell me anything,” Alecto said after a moment of silence. “We’ve already established the fact that we’renotfriends. But if you wanna, I’ll listen.”
Blaze looked at Alecto again.
At her face, open and solemn, at her snow-white curls that weaved wildly down her back, at her piercing-blue eyes that rarely held anything else but anger in them.
There was a surprising urge to open up to her. To spill his guts, curl next to her as he let her cradle his head in her lap.
Alecto was cold by nature, Blaze knew that well.
Yet she’d offer comfort, he was sure of it.
But it wasn’t meant to be.
From the opening in the maze, Andro’s tall broad figure appeared, and soon he was standing at the foot of the tree, right beneath their feet.
“Your mom is worried.” Andro sounded accusing.
Blaze waved his hand. “Auburn will be fine.”
“How did you know where to find us?” Alecto asked, leaning forward so she could see Andro better.
“It’s where we used to go when we needed to hide for a while,” Andro said, his eyes on Blaze.
“How cute.” Alecto got hold of one of the branches and rose to her feet. “Then I’ll leave you two to it.”
Don’t go, Blaze wanted to say, but no words left his lips.
“Actually, we’ve got to get back inside,” Andro said with a sigh. “Bitch’s orders.”
27
They walked back through the maze in silence, keeping their distance even though Andro was walking a few feet ahead of them.
Blaze wondered whether the distance between them was real or only in his head.
And even if he hated himself for it a little bit, he found himself yearning for it to be gone.
“There you are,” Val said when they entered the hall.
Alecto stripped out of her leather jacket and handed it to the Crahen who was on coat-closet duty.
“Missed me?” Alecto cooed, smirking.
“Always,” Val replied, eyeing Alecto’s outfit with a cocked brow. “Is that—?”
“Vintage Dior? Yeah.”
