Page 45 of Spellbound
“Get out of here.” My jaw clenched. “I felt something off about you since day one. You’re bad news. I could sense darkness in your eyes. I hate you more than anyone I’ve ever met. I bet it’s you killing those people.” I didn’t mean to say it. Or did I? I was so angry. I didn’t actually think he was, but then he’d insisted on going into the woods, and the murders did begin not long before he arrived... or around that time.
The corner of his eye twitched. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I closed the distance between us, my eyes narrow with rage as I glared into his. “I see right through you. I don’t know what your plan is here, but I see you.” I didn’t know why I was saying what I was. It was a horrible accusation, but I was so angry, my brain was no longer connected to my mouth.
“Elisivanes, himniulo, efgeloi, Lor. Meso via jafiloir, ao.”
My heart skipped a beat as he spoke in perfect Lor:I can speak Lor. Good luck trying to win.He’d even used the right syntax. Shock rooted me to the spot. Adrenaline coursed through my body. I clenched my fists so tight, my nails dug into my palms. “Who are you? No one comes from Salvius and is that good this fast. No one. Not even witch-born witches.” I took a step back. “I’m right, aren’t I? You’re not who you say you are. You’re the murderer.”
His intrusive gaze latched onto mine. “I’m not a murderer.”
“Why not? We’ve already established you’re a liar.”
Warning laced his features. “Careful.”
As much as I wanted to scream at him, I didn’t. Something in his expression told me not to push it. “I need to go to bed anyway.”
“I think it’s best.” He stepped aside from the doorway to let me pass.
I edged toward him, then quickly passed him, uneasiness consuming me. I felt him watching me as I ran down the long hallway toward the staircase up to the bedrooms.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The next day aftertraining, I pulled Maddox aside. “I need to talk to you about...” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Viktor.”
“What about him?” He took a bite from his toast, then brushed the crumbs from the front of his blazer.
“There’s something off about him,” I whispered. “Last night, he spoke to me in Lor.”
“Good. I’ve been teaching him. I’m glad he’s practicing.”
“No, Maddox. It was perfect Lor. He shouldn’t be learning it this quickly.”
“I doubt it was perfect. Yours is a little out of practice too. It’s not that difficult to pick up on once you get the hang of the grammar and the way the sentences are structured. I’m sure he just remembered a phrase or two to worry you. Youarehis competition.”
“No.” I wanted to shake some sense into him. Viktor had even said it wasn’t a competition. It was a test. He was wrong, but then maybe he really didn’t see me as competition because he thought I wasn’t good enough. “Don’t you find it off how fast he’s learned everything? It’s not normal.”
