Page 94 of House of Malice
“You also have to swear that you won’t tell anyone about this conversation,” Blaze said. “Not my father, not the other alumni.”
Auburn didn’t even hesitate. She offered her pinky, and Blaze hooked his around it.
“Alright, first question,” Blaze said. “Are you trying to replace Dean Gondalez with a Dean from the House of Snakes?”
“Yes. That was your father’s plan.”
Alecto blinked, surprised that Auburn was so willing to answer their questions.
“Why?” Alecto asked. “What happened with the current Dean that troubles you?”
This time, Auburn took some time to answer.
“It is always about the same thing: accumulating more power, protecting our legacy, and ensuring that our kids have a bright future,” Auburn said.
“That is a bullshit answer, Mother,” Blaze said. He lit another cigarette before the first one was even out. “Something happened in the past, between Galliermo and the Dean, right? Don’t try to deny it. Alecto and I found Demitria’s journals. She writes about it there.”
Auburn sighed. “It is not a bullshit answer, Blaze. It is the truth. Much of what is going on at Venefica is politics. It’s a preparation for the real world for you. The Game is only kid’s play, compared with all the things that await you once you graduate.”
“What happened between the Snakes and the Dean?” Blaze pushed. “He’s out to get us, did you know about that? He’s the one who was behind the murders Norse committed. Murders that were the exact replica of the murders your group committed when you were at Venefica.”
Auburn blinked, clearly surprised about how much they knew. “Those murders… I wasn’t part of them, but they were part of the Game,” she said. “They were supposed to ensure the win that year. And it did, in the end.”
“We figured that much,” Alecto said. “Did something happen that involved the Dean? Did those murders involve him in any way?”
Auburn’s face was full of sorrow. She looked down at her hands in her lap. “It was awful, what happened,” she said, shaking her head. “It was never supposed to happen.”
Blaze leaned forward. “Tell us.”
Auburn looked up at him and shook her head. “I cannot. Even if I wanted to. I swore an oath that forbids me from speaking about it to anyone. They made us all swear oaths before the police questioned the Houses.”
“The Inner Circle?” Blaze asked, frowning. “They are the ones who forced you to swear the oath?”
Auburn nodded, pressing her lips together.
“Do they know that the Dean is trying to ruin our House?” Alecto asked. “Do they know about his plans?”
Auburn looked even sadder now. “Yes, we are aware of what Eliot is trying to accomplish,” she said with a sigh. “It became clear after the incident with the Tigers. No way would they have managed to attack you in such manner without someone’s help.”
Alecto couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“So, all this time, you knew and did nothing?” Blaze asked, raising his voice. “He had been poisoning me. He almost got Alecto killed! And none of you did anything to stop him?”
“Blaze, please,” Auburn said, lifting her palms. “There wasn’t much more to do than try and eliminate Eliot through the means your father and the others had been working on.”
“Bullshit,” Blaze spat. He got to his feet and walked a few steps away from them, rubbing his face. “You use us as pawns in your political power games.”
“That is not fair, Blaze,” Auburn said, her voice shaking. “You are our children. Of course, we care about our children.”
She looked at Alecto when she said that. Alecto felt bad seeing Auburn so distraught. But she wasn’t sure she believed her words.
Auburn perhaps cared. But the others…
“What are you doing now?” Blaze asked, turning around. “Where are you in your plans for taking down the Dean? Is it happening or not?”
“There have been complications after Miss Bellthrove’s death,” Auburn said. “She was the one who had direct access to the Dean, and now that she is gone, it’s more difficult to gather the evidence we need to remove him from his current position.”
Blaze and Alecto exchanged looks.
