Page 109 of Depraved Boys

I stormed out of the room and headed down the hallway, clenching and unclenching my fists. The more interactions I had with the people at this accursed academy, the more I believed that Corrine had been killed… And I would be next.

Students crowded outside the dining hall, a sea of bottle green uniforms. I hardened my stomach. One of them had set me up to die. Possibly two. If anyone taunted me about the accident—

“Willow!” Appearing from the crowd, Cormac wrapped his arms around my shoulders and knocked the air out of my lungs. “There was an article about your accident in the paper. It said you were airlifted out from the mountainside. I kept calling the hospital, but they wouldn’t give me any information on where you’d gone.”

His words came out in such a long rush, I had to lean into his embrace and close my eyes to parse their meaning.

“Sorry,” I murmured. “I should have called, but my mobile got lost.”

He drew back and placed both hands on my shoulders. “You weren’t at your cottage?”

“The doctor advised me not to stay on my own.”

“Right.” He cupped my face with both hands. “You should have seen the photos in the middle spread of the Gazette. There’s a picture of your car in the stream!”

Some of the people crowded around the dining room doors gathered around us. Perhaps they’d all seen the article and wanted to hear the latest gossip.

“Why don’t you two snog already,” muttered one of the auburn-haired twins. “The sexual tension between you ugly virgins is getting tiresome.”

His twin doubled over with laughter, and Bruce clapped him on the back. Ashley smirked at his side and flipped her hair. I curled my lip. Had she always enjoyed seeing me insulted? Perhaps with Mom and Dad gone, she no longer had to attempt solidarity.

“Have you looked in the mirror recently?” I snapped.

“Have you?” the twin shot back.

“Yes, thank you. And I was delighted with what I saw.” I raised my chin and glowered into his malevolent, gray eyes until he walked away in a huff.

Cormac pulled me to one side. “Willow, you didn’t need to stoop to his level.”

I leaned against a storage closet and folded my arms across my chest. “Rising above these people doesn’t work. That’s twice someone’s tried to kill me.”

His face dropped. “What are you talking—” He glanced from left to right and whispered, “The car accident?”

“My memory of that day is blank, but can you imagine me getting into a car while drunk? They said my blood alcohol was three times the limit.”

“That can’t be right. When I saw you that night, you were sober.”

I shrugged. “Exactly.”

He glanced around. “Who do you think—”

“He’s right, you know.” One of the twins, presumably the one who had observed his brother call us ugly virgins, stalked toward us.

“What are you talking about now?” I snapped.

“You two are made for each other.”

Cormac’s nostrils flared. “Thank you, Mr. Riley, but I already have a girlfriend with whom I am very happy.”

The auburn-haired wretch reared back. “You?”

I looped my arm around Cormac’s and walked away. When we reached the far end of the hallway and were out of earshot, I whispered, “Who’s your girlfriend?”

“I’d love to tell you,” Cormac whispered back, “But she’s asked me to keep things quiet for now.”

My brows drew together. One of Corrine’s diary entries had mentioned that Prakash hadn’t wanted to announce his relationship to the rest of the kings. I hoped this girlfriend was a scholar like Michelle or Cora and not one of the mainstream girls playing the pull-a-pig game.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN