Page 99 of A Drop of Anguish
DEAR CANDICE
It’sfunny how one small piece of information can change everything, isn’t it? You have these scattered pieces, some that almost fit together, but they don’t make sense.
Until you find that seemingly meaningless missing jigsaw piece and it all comes together.
What piece are you missing, Candice?
As for me? If I knew the truth back then, I never would have entered the games.
The Jinn
38
One Little Bite and Now I’m A Princess
“Hey, Candice,” a beautiful voice singsongs. I whip my attention to a blond girl I don’t recognize at all. Based on her glowing green eyes, she’s powerful. An Elite student, randomly greeting me in the halls?
So strange.
“Hi?” I say awkwardly.
“New BFF?” Janet asks, curling her arm in mine once we pass her by.
“I honestly don’t even know who she was.”
“Bridget,” Thompson says between bites of his chocolate muffin. “She was at the party.” Crumbs fall from his lips.
A set of short fae girls smile at me.
“It’s the bite,” Thompson says. “Well, that, and the hot public make-out session with a certain powerful prince.”
I sigh. “It wasn’t technicallypublic.”
“Well, a quarter of Elite Hall witnessed it, and the others want to pretend they saw it because they don’t want to admit they weren’t there.”
The day after the party, Jarron and I spent a good portion of the morning together. He fed me a luxurious breakfast of peppered bacon steak and the most delicious waffles I’ve ever tasted. It was heaven.
Then, I worked on potions for a few hours and gossiped the rest of the night away with Lola and Janet. Overall, it may be my favorite Sunday ever.
Today is a whole different story. Not that it’s terrible, but my bite-high is wearing off, leaving me with many questions and a whole lot of expectations.
Even my teachers treat me differently. My Orizian teacher is casual, but his gaze drifts to my neck with quiet interest. My next three teachers treat me like royalty, offering me prime seating, extensions on homework, and giving rapt attention anytime I speak.
They didn’t act this way when I was officially dating Jarron before. Now, I get one little bite and I’m a pretty princess in their minds.
Again, the supernatural world is weird.
I guess it’s a little different for me too, though. I haven’t committed to the idea of being with Jarron long-term, but at least I know now that it’s what he wants. So, it’s within my grasp if I choose that route. I just don’t spend a lot of time considering that option yet.
One day at a time.
As I walk toward the lunch hall, I receive smiles and waves, where last week, I’d been getting glares and scrutinizing stares.
A large shifter paces in the lobby outside the lunchroom. His white button-up is on backward and the word COWARD is painted in red on his back.
My lips twist as I stop beside him. “You guys can go ahead in,” I tell my friends. Janet’s eyes are wide, staring at the large shifter pacing around. Thompson pulls her forward, and Lola soars over their heads.
“Elliot?” I ask.
