Page 111 of Ashes and Lilies
“Baby girl, you could have gotten seriously hurt or even killed,” Damen said. “That is completely unacceptable—the well-being of the quintet, of you, is my priority—even more than solving any case or job. Promise me that this won’t happen again.”
“Oh,” I said, pressing my knees together. Why was this room suddenly so hot? “Okay.”
He could rest easy in the knowledge that such a situation wouldn’t happen again—I learned from my mistakes. From henceforth, I would be more prepared. And with the library and a research lackey at my disposal, a whole new world awaited discovery.
I would do my best not to disappoint him.
The day moved forward,and it was time for Biology once more.
It was interesting to note that now that I was paying more attention to Bryce Dubois’s mannerisms, it was hard to deny that when not in a casual setting—such as one from the previous night—he carried himself with a certain poise. It made me realize that, despite his appearance, yesterday’s Bryce really had been rather relaxed.
In fact, I probably could have called him ‘Bryce’ without getting into trouble. Alas, the opportunity had been squandered.
Still, as I watched him make a male student in the front row cry, I wondered if his offer still stood. I did not intend to become his protégé, but watching Brayden had made it painfully clear that I required a particular manner of instruction to succeed.
I tried to catch Bryce’s attention, but outside of his initial chastising of the front-row chatterbox, he ignored everything else throughout the rest of the class. Instead, he sat at Professor Hamway’s desk, head down, as he read a thick, burgundy-colored book.
He had dark circles under his eyes, and I wondered if he’d slept after I went to bed.
What did he and the others do the rest of the night if not?
To make matters worse, I wasn’t the only one to notice his duress. The girls around me were whining about him all period. Not only was it distracting, but every word made me feel worse for my part in his current state.
Why couldn’t he tell them to shut up, too?
Finn still hovered about. He waited for me outside my lecture hall, only leaving if someone—like Damen—was nearby. He avoided any conversation with his older brother.
We still hadn’t had our one-on-one conversation. I should probably arrange something once I moved back into my dorm room.
My French lecture dragged as slowly as biology.
However, there was an unsettled note that had little to do with the classic, old architecture. It felt like something was studying me, taking note of my poor phonics. I suspected Kasai was nearby, but I wasn’t certain enough of my skills to be sure.
Finally, after a grueling period of paranoia, the classroom began to empty and I quickly packed my items, rushing to leave.As I zipped my bag, I glanced up, noticing only me and one other left in the room.
A male classmate was standing near his desk, which happened to be directly next to the only exit. He’d already finished packing to leave. His lean fingers moved over the strap of his bag as he stared directly at me.
I wasn’t in the mood for this.
Trying to pretend I hadn’t noticed him, I hurried for the door. But before I’d moved past, his hand shot out and grasped my own, pulling me to a stop.
“Excuse me.” His voice was smooth as silk, and I shivered. “Do you have a moment?” His touch was like ice, and the beginnings of panic rippled through me.
He was as tall as Damen and lither than Julian. A long, black uniform mostly covered his pale complexion. His hair was so blond that it seemed almost white and long enough that I couldn’t see its length because the ends of his low ponytail were tucked under his shirt.
I couldn’t think of a word to say in response.
“I thought so,” he continued, disregarding my non-reply. His pale blue eyes drifted from where we touched and locked on to my eyes. “I wonder why no one reached out to me.”
My skin was clammy, and I felt sick. Yet, I didn’t dare look away.
He felt familiar and dangerous, almost like Bryce or Brayden. But unlike those two, there was something tainted hiding in this man. It was not stronger than them, but definitely darker.
He didn’t seem to notice my scrutiny. Instead, he grinned. Again, ignoring the fact that I hadn’t said a word.
“Hello, mistress.” He bowed. The danger melted from his expression into something more elegant and welcoming. Suddenly, his voice and mannerisms became reminiscent of a timelong past. Before I could object, he raised my hand and brushed his lips over my knuckles. “While this is unexpected, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I look forward to working together in the future.”
“Working t-together?” I asked.
