Page 56 of Revenant

“Thre–” I yank the door open, surprised to see Eryx on the other side. He rushes past me, searching the room as if he were my father looking for a boy hiding in the closet.

“Please, make yourself at home.” Before shutting the door, I check the hall, half expecting the rest of the guys to be waiting. A pang of disappointment hits me square in the chest when I see it’s empty. I push it away, because who cares? I know I shouldn’t. They clearly did last night, or maybe it was just to save themselves from this drama fest.

“Where the hell were you?” Eryx reprimands.

My arms fold across my chest. “I don’t know why that concerns you.” He pans over to Moriah, as if she’ll sing like a canary and give him the answers he craves.

He relents, concluding that I must be the easier target. “Did you not understand a word of what we said? Why would you so carelessly go and put yourself in a position to get kidnapped? Or killed? Is your will to live that miniscule?”

I stare at him in shock, stunned he would have the audacity to talk to me that way. But on the other hand, I guess I can’t be too surprised…Eryx has never been one to hold out welcoming arms with a shoulder to lean on. Who would possibly want to kidnap me? He’s always so dramatic.

“Excuse the fuck out of you. Who do you think you are? Just because…” I cut myself off, not wanting to say anything too specific with Moriah in the room. “Danger’s everywhere, Eryx. I could literally walk outside and get struck by lightning.”

Moriah covers her mouth, suppressing her laugh.

“That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

I scoff at the irony. “I’m fine! Everything’s fine!” I throw my hands up, turning around so he can get a nice, long look that I’m an adult and can take care of myself. “See? And I don’t need you or anyone else blowing up my phone because I wanted to have a night out.” He stares at me, confused. “I wasn’t sure last night, but after this morning when I had a plethora of missed calls and messages from…five unknown numbers, it wasn’t that hard to put together.”

My eyes meet Moriah who looks like she’s busting at the seams to ask for every detail. But she refrains. Barely. “Now you can go report back to the rest of your little group, let everyone know I’m alive and well,” I tell him, grabbing my phone and cardigan. “I’m going to take a shower.” I look toward Moriah. “Then we can start getting ready for round two.” I throw her a wink to really sell the lie; meanwhile, Eryx stands there, fuming, looking completely out of place.

“If you think—”

“I think I can do whatever I want. I barely know you, and frankly, I’d like to keep it that way.” I hold the door open, gesturing for him to leave first. No way am I going to subject Moriah to his psychotic tendencies alone. I thought once the door was shut, Eryx would go on his merry way—especially since I started walking toward my dorm room.

Of course, it can’t ever be that easy.

He grips my arm with a punishing force. “If you think for one second you’re leaving this campus again, you’re greatly mistaken.”

I look down at the connection, convinced bruises are already forming. “Eryx, you’re hurting me.” He lets go instantly, rubbing a hand down his face. The action causes me to look at him. Really look at him. Normally he’s the picture of calm, doesn’t let anything ruffle his feathers. But today? He’s disheveled—manic almost—like he hasn’t slept in days. “Are you…are you okay?”

“No, actually. I have a free-range witch running amok outside of Wickham who can’t get it through her stubborn skull that this isn’t a bloody game.” Right. Their curse. Because apparently my taking a night away was somehow going to derail the progress—or lack thereof—that’s been going on for centuries.

“Just because you have to spend the rest of your miserable existence here, doesn’t mean the rest of us are confined to the grounds based on your past mistakes.” His face contorts as if I struck a nerve. “I don’t want to be a part of whatever club this is. I never asked for it. Never sought it out. You all just put me in the middle of a mess I had no part in making. Declaring me the key to a lock you know close to nothing about. You may think my bloodline owes you a debt, but that doesn’t mean I’m yours to command.”

He bares his teeth, fangs on full display like an intimidation tactic. “Sorry our prison sentence is such an inconvenience to your insignificant, boring life.” Eryx’s eyes focus on something down the hall, and I follow, noticing Reyna coming out of our room.

“That’s my cue.” I hurry to make my exit, effectively leaving him in the hallway, before giving Reyna a quick nod in greeting and sliding into my room—leaving Eryx and his manic episode on the other side.

Scalding water drums against my shoulders, easing the tightness from my muscles as the steam floods the stall, turning the cramped space into a hazy cocoon. Anyone with even a trace of common sense would probably feel nervous about returning to the same communal bathroom where they were essentially abducted—but apparently, I’m not that smart. It’s the closest to my room, and I like convenience. Also, not that I’d ever admit it out loud, but the thought that Bastian could reappear at any moment sends an unexpected thrill through me.

I press my palms to my temples, pushing my damp hair back as water streams down my spine. My mind keeps circling back to the moment yesterday that Moriah interrupted—how he caught my lower lip between his teeth just hard enough to make my breath hitch. I hadn’t expected to like it—but I did. The memory crashes over me harder than the water, and I force myself to breathe out slowly just to steady my pulse.

Muffled voices carry in from somewhere beyond the curtain, snapping me out of it.

“I literally have no idea where she would’ve gone.”

“She hasn’t been to class in over a week, Naomi. The last time I saw her was at the bonfire. It’s not like Lacey to just go MIA.”

Naomi? Of course. I don’t understand how this school is so big, but somehow I always end up in her vicinity. But the bonfire? That was the last time they saw Lacey? I still never got a clear answer about that night. Moriah was no help, seemingly in the same boat as these two—no recollection of anything. And when I brought it up to Pryce, he dismissed it.

But knowing what I do now—I know I’m right. Something happened that night, and I’m willing to bet the scream I heard…was Lacey.

My brows knit together as I inch toward the slight opening in the curtain, heart pounding while I strain to catch every word. At this point, I’m willing to do just about anything to get answers. Even if that means the possibility of being spotted by the territorial bitch.

There’s a pause and I hold my breath, not daring to make a sound. Their feet shuffle softly against the tile, before placing something down.

“Honestly?” Naomi says, not indicating she’s the least bit concerned. “I barely remember that night. Everything after everyone went skinny dipping is just…blank.”