Page 87 of House of Ruin
Alecto sipped on her vodka, not knowing what to say. Compliments from Val didn’t come often. If ever.
“Leigh wanted to speak to us,” Blaze said. He drowned his whiskey glass and waved to the air sprite tending the bar for another one. “She said there’s something important we need to discuss.”
“I don’t appreciate you using my girlfriend for your own gains like that,” Jolene said, glaring between Blaze and Val.
Val roller her eyes. “I heard you the first time around.”
Jolene crossed her arms.
Then Val fished out a silver vial from between her breasts. She unscrewed the top and peeked inside. With one long sharp nail, she scooped out white powder and snorted it through her nose.
“Killer has the best shit,” she said, sniffing. Finally, she turned to Jolene. “Do I need to remind you that you benefit from me using your girlfriend?” Jolene opened her mouth to speak, but Val lifted a palm to stop her. “And it’s not as if Leigh doesn’t get anything from it. You can thank me when yourgirlfriendbecomes the most famous journalist in Inathis after her exclusive interview with the Imp Queen.”
“That’s beside the point, Val,” Jolene argued. “I barely had time to date the girl. I wanted her to stay out of the Snakes’ business, and you drag her right in the middle of it.”
“I wasn’t the one to suggest it.” A predatory smile spread over Val’s face. She jerked her chin towards Alecto. “Blame sweet Alecto if you want.”
Alecto sucked on her teeth. “Fuck you, Val.”
Val only laughed.
“There she is.” Blaze waved a hand to Leigh walking through the crowd towards them.
“Beautiful performance out there,” Leigh said once she reached the bar. She glanced towards the dais over her shoulder. “Now I understand the differences between all twelve Houses. You have to see it to understand, I guess.”
“Indeed,” Val said. “Blaze said you have something for us. I hope it’s the file I need.”
Leigh looked around. “I brought you a copy of it, yes. And there is something more.”
“Consider me intrigued. Shall we go somewhere private?”
“Is that not going to look suspicious?” Leigh asked.
Val shook her head, already moving through the crowd. Over her shoulder she said, “Don’t worry about it. I know the place.”
The place Val had in mind was the rooftop of the main academy building, which they had to climb three sets of metal ladders to reach. By the time they reached the roof, Alecto was sure her fingers were going to fall from frostbite.
“Spill,” Val said once they all stood in a circle.
The distant surface of Blood Lake was calm. Eerily silent. Alecto turned her back to the lake, pushing the memories of Matias’s and Gabe’s mocking laughter away.
“Here’s the copy of the police file,” Leigh said, conjuring a pile of papers out of thin air.
Val took the papers, looking over them. Blaze lit up a cigarette, the dark shadows underneath his eyes more prominent than usual in the moonlight.
“What about that ‘something else’?” Alecto asked. “Did Detective Vin give you insight on the evidence they found?”
“Doubt it,” Blaze said. He took a long drag before letting the smoke escape through his nose. “That guy is an asshole.”
“No, the police force is still secretive about the evidence,” Leigh said. “While I was investigating that case from 1952, I went to see Professor Namiad at Venefica, who specializes in Fanhy magic and who was a professor back then.”
“Okay. What did she say?” Val urged.
“I didn’t know she wasthatold,” Andro said. Jolene nodded in agreement, and Val rolled her eyes at them.
“Just as I predicted, Professor Namiad wasn’t very collaborative when I asked her questions about the murders that took place back then,” Leigh said. “But she did let me understand that all and any attempts to bring the past up are unwelcome.”
“So?” Alecto shrugged. “Venefica doesn’t want the bad press. Go figure.”
