Page 85 of House of Ruin
Forcing herself to stop shaking, Alecto placed her hand next to Blaze’s. Their skin barely touched, but it was enough.
Blaze smirked, dropping his eyes. He tilted his head to the side, his cheek coming to rest on her hand. When he exhaled a long breath through his nose, it tickled.
“Men like GalliermoandAlatar are sick.”
They stayed in silence for a long moment. Blaze didn’t push Alecto to speak, and neither did she volunteer.
Blaze had just volunteered a piece of himself that nobody knew, and it made Alecto want to weep. This was something she could have used to ruin him, to crush him beneath her feet. Just as she wanted.
Yet forcing herself to break his heart had just gotten a little bit harder.
“Do you think we’ll turn out the way they did?”
“I sure as fuck hope not,” Alecto said with a sigh. After a pause, she added, “We have the advantage—we know what not to do.”
“I hope that’s enough, Black,” Blaze said. “I sure hope that’s enough.”
32
“Ican’t wait to graduate so I don’t have to go to any more of these stupid ceremonies,” Alecto said, adjusting the heavy crown made of frosted branches and black roses resting on her head.
“Hate to break it to you, but then you’ll still be attending all these events to support your children,” Andro said, snickering.
He wore the same crown on his head, weaved together with his locs, matching black coal and blue glitter lining his big eyes. That, together with the all-black outfit, made Andro look regal. And Alecto looked like a ghost, the frosty blue and the black making her sunken cheekbones and dark under-eye circles more prominent.
“Over my dead body,” Alecto murmured under her breath.
She never intended to have kids. And even if she did, she’d never force them to attend godsdamned Venefica. If she were honest with herself, she might even forbid them.
Val snapped her fingers at them. “Move, fuckers. You can complain about the hardships of being a rich privileged brat later. We are already running late.”
They all walked faster down the path leading to the main Venefica building where the yearly White Ball took place. When the Snakes entered the ballroom, they were greeted with a sea of chatter and the scent of spiced wine lingering in the air.
Despite her foul mood, Alecto greedily inhaled, savoring her favorite smell. When a massive snowflake landed on her cheek, melting immediately, she smiled. There were hundreds of snowflakes falling from the pitch-black ceiling of the ballroom.
“At least we didn’t have to organize this one,” Jolene whispered to Alecto, and she chuckled.
On the round stage in the middle of the ballroom was a dais overgrown with winter birches and fire ivies. Firebirds roamed the frosted white blooms, the flap of their wings adding to the noise of the room.
In the middle of the dais, in a circle, stood what was left of the House of Tigers. They were all dressed in matching deep indigo robes, silver glitter painting their faces. Damon Soress stood in the middle with his hands raised towards the ceiling. Gentle chants floated over the crowd towards Alecto.
“I guess the Tigers are really struggling if the best they can do is conjure a dozen snowflakes,” Val said, scowling at them.
Alecto smirked, satisfied. She might not enjoy participating in the events, but she sure as Hel could appreciate a rival House making a poor show in front of the whole academy.
“When is our turn again?” Blaze asked. He came to stand next to Alecto in the crowded room, his shoulder brushing hers. Goose bumps skittered over her skin.
“After the Dragons,” Val said. She looked their crew with an intent eye and then added, “I’ll meet you at the dais when it’s our turn.”
Val walked away without another word.
“She’s been gone a lot recently,” Andro said. He had managed to fetch a drink from somewhere, the frosted-blue flute resting in his hand.
“Is this bubbly wine?” Alecto jerked her chin towards the glass. Andro nodded and laughed when Alecto frowned.
“Evening.” Leigh approached their group. She smiled at everyone and then went over to Jolene, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. Some of the silver glitter on Jolene’s cheek transferred to Leigh’s lips. “I’m so glad I caught you early. We should talk.”
“Did you bring us the copy of the police report already?” Blaze asked.
