Page 106 of Revenant

Pryce’s hand lands on my shoulder, threatening to pull my focus somewhere else. But I’m not done, not even close. He deserves so much more. Death would be a kindness—a mercy. And that’s one thing he doesn’t deserve.

“You don’t know what this will do to you,” Pryce insists, his eyes pleading for me to stop.

“I’ll feel better.”

“At first. Then it will eat you alive. He isn’t worth that torment.” It’s then I realize he’s not doing it for Eryx. He’s doing it for me. “Don’t give him the satisfaction of ruining you.” Unwilling tears well in my eyes, blurring my vision, with the truth that he’s right.

Pryce wipes away the tears as they cascade down my face. My focus doesn’t waver. Looking down at Eryx, I start pulling my magic back, envisioning the tendrils moving from him back into me, allowing the power to settle back into my marrow. His body drops instantly, taking his first full breath I’ve allowed.

Breath is a stretch—gasp is more like it.

He uses his non-injured arm to reset the other, the sickening crunch causing a shiver to roll down my spine, and I’m less than pleased to see it already begin to heal. His body jerks with the aftermath, much like the werewolves did after I inflicted pain on them. It’s only a matter of time before he resets his leg, and he’ll be able to walk again.

Suddenly I feel faint, like I’ve used too much of my magic at once and my body is yelling at me to recoup. I turn away from Eryx—though the sight of him vulnerable and helpless is one I never want to forget—and let Pryce’s hand slip onto the small of my back, offering me comfort and support as we leave.

Before crossing the threshold, I turn over my shoulder, relishing in the wave of satisfaction when he’s still lying on the floor. “And stay the fuck out of my head.”

33: Alicent

Very early on, we settled on switching rooms weekly. Selfishly, I didn’t want to be hauling my things around every night. I’m just grateful they were able to be civil, rational little vampires and reach an agreement instead of fighting over it.

It doesn’t matter what room I’m sleeping in; if others want to stay, the more the merrier. Truthfully, I don’t mind having them all under one roof; it makes me feel protected—safe in a way that I thought was lost to me a long time ago.

Christmas holiday started last week, and I sure as hell didn’t have anywhere I was foaming at the mouth to return to. Also, none of the guys were thrilled about me leaving campus for such a long period of time.

Neither was I.

Other students filed out rather quickly, some staying behind because, well…family sucks. Thankfully, the stragglers have kind of kept to themselves, not getting ideas about coming to the forbidden wing while professors and other students are away. Part of me thinks it’s because the guys didn’t leave, but the other tells me that they have installed the fear of Satan himself into everyone, and break or not, that’s the golden rule nobody would dare to go against.

Scrolling aimlessly on my phone, I nearly jump out of my skin when Koen’s voice rings over the funny dog video I was watching. “Are you ready for your one on one today?” he asks, stepping out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, using another to rub his hair dry. It doesn’t matter how many times I see him like this—or any of them for that matter—the sight still makes the saliva thick in my throat and my pulse race.

Instinctively, my eyes track over the tattoo etched on the area over his ribs. A king chess piece takes up the space, dark and haunting with some sort of script written beneath. I’m not sure what it says; it’s in some language I’ve never seen, but I haven’t found it in me to ask. There’s something about it that seems personal, especially considering it’s the only one that marks his otherwise flawless, unblemished skin. I decided when I saw it the first time at initiation that if he wants to tell me what it means, he’ll do it on his own accord.

I lock my phone, throwing it on the other side of the bed to give him my full, undivided attention. “Ready? Sure. Willing? Not quite. There are so many other things I would love to occupy my time with.” I load the admission with just enough innuendo to be unmistakable, tilting my head and unleashing my most shameless puppy dog eyes.

Koen’s smile stretches across his face, a tint of pink on the apples of his cheeks, as if he’s trying desperately not to read too much into it. “Nice try.”

I’ve been working around the clock since the Christmas holiday started. One-on-one sessions with Eldritch in Wisteria Terrarium have taken up basically my entire day, and by the time the lesson is over, I’m exhausted. And as much as I hate to admit it…they’re helping, but I miss my seemingly normal life. I miss Moriah. We’ve texted and she thinks I’m buried with homework, but I hate lying even though I know keeping my distance is for her safety.

Before meeting with Eldritch, it was always a wild card whether my magic would yield to me. Now, the control is getting easier, more fluid, and for the first time since I found out I’m a witch, I think I’m getting a handle on things.

I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting the urge to pick at my cuticles. It’s been a tough habit to break, but I’m trying. “Can I–can I ask you something?” My voice sounds as small as I feel, butterflies swarming in my stomach with anticipation.

“Always, love.” Love. It sounds so endearing, especially when it falls from his lips.

“How did…how did we get here?” The question seems to confuse him, his brows furrowing as if he’s trying to dissect the question for some deep meaning.

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

I sit up, trying to find the words without making this situation more awkward than I already am. Looking down at my hands, my fingers fidget with the blanket, straightening the creases as I try to calm my heartbeat pounding in my ears. “When I first got here, I thought you hated me. It was like you couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as me, and now…” My words taper off, feeling stupid for bringing it up in the first place. I’m not sure what possessed me to even say anything. We’ve been good, great even, I’m not sure why I suddenly felt the need to detonate calm waters.

He crosses the room, quickly yanking up a pair of boxers before letting the towel drop and putting on a pair of trousers. The silence is deafening, only making my anxiety grow with each passing beat. Koen puts his arms through a white button-down, making sure not to close it because I secretly think he knows I could look at him all day.

His back leans against the dresser, hands shoved into his pockets while crossing his ankles, and with each calculated movement, a part of me feels like dying.

“When you first arrived, my mind couldn’t separate you from her, or quite comprehend that you weren’t Veil. It was a trigger of sorts. Seeing you, and then with Pryce, at the lunch table that first day, it was…catastrophic.” His admission causes my heart to constrict, but I keep my lips sealed, needing him to get this out, or offer me a small piece of his mind so I might understand on my own. “Your presence stirred up feelings I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in centuries. It was jarring. And I think, for a short time, I wanted to hate you for putting me through it again.”

I nod, understanding what he’s saying and where he’s coming from, even if it hurts. “Because you were in love with her?” It’s out before I can stop myself, emerging as a whisper, as though my body was trying to keep my mouth from moving. My lips tighten in mortification, my face heating instantly with embarrassment.