“You know, you really scared the shit out of me when you got the flu,” she says. “I was pleasantly surprised that Xavier took care of you like he did. It’s obvious that man is so pussy-whipped.”
“Raven.”
She continues on as though she’s discussing the weather instead of my vagina. “I’m surprised he doesn’t have a tattoo saying ‘cave of wonders’ because ‘X’ marked the spot.’ Get it?”
I groan and cover my face while she laughs so hard she wheezes. Only when she can’t breathe does Raven regain her composure.
“It’s nice to see you looking like your old self, even if you shuffle-walk like a zombie to class.”
“Thanks,” I mumble.
The lie I told her still makes my stomach turn. But there’s no way I could’ve told her the truth about the Trials, Xavier throwing a knife at me, and the wound being my reason for missing class and recovering in his room for two weeks. Although, I suppose I didn’t really miss class considering he went to every lecture of mine until I was able to walk unassisted. It’s one of the sweetest things someone has ever done for me.
I look over at Raven and smile. “Even though you embarrass the shit out of me, I’ve missed hanging out with you.”
“Same. Just so you know, there’s no getting rid of me.”
“Good.”
We finish our coffees, throw them in the trash, and continue our walk at a slow pace to compensate for me. My stab wound has finally closed, leaving nothing but tender skin on the incision sight. I’ll definitely have a scar, but I’m choosing to look at it as the time Xavier saved my life instead of a reminder of the Order’s power over us. The same thing goes for the signet ring mark on my shoulder. I look at it as Xavier’s claiming of me, not the result of the Order’s sick and twisted ritual.
“Lilah!”
We both turn at the sound of Ben’s voice. He jogs toward us, a big smile on his face. When my foster brother reaches us, he gently pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around Ben, soaking in the familiarity and the security of having him in my life.
When we separate, there’s a hesitation in his touch, as if he doesn’t want to let me go. “Where the hell have you been? I haven’t seen you since you got sick.” His gaze flickers over toRaven and then returns to me. I smile, grateful he’s going with the lie I told him to use.
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
“Much better, thanks. Ben, this is my roommate, Raven.”
He shakes her hand. “Ben. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I know who you are,” Raven says. “When I first met Delilah, she thought you were missing and was determined to find you. We might’ve gone on a little excursion that may or may not have been illegal. YOLO, right?”
“I had to find my brother,” I say with a shrug.
Ben’s smile thins, his expression strained. It’s only for a moment, a blink of an eye, but I catch it. Is it because I did something risky by searching for him? Or does he still have feelings for me even after Xavier firmly planted himself in my life? The questions are there, but I have no intention of digging for answers.
My cell phone rings, and I retrieve it from my pocket, hoping it’s not Xavier about to tell me to stop talking to Ben. I won’t do it. Whether or not Xavier’s in love with me like he says, I won’t abandon my family.
“One second, guys. It’s Gloria,” I say. I swipe my thumb over the screen and answer the call. “Hello?”
“Hey, Delilah, how are you feeling?”
“Better, thanks. How are you?”
“Good, good. The girls wanted to say hi, so I was trying to catch you between classes.”
“I have a couple minutes to chat,” I say. “Let me FaceTime you because Ben is with me.”
“Of course.”
As soon as the video feed connects, the sound of giggling and laughter fills the line. “Hi, Lilah,” the girls say in unison. Their smiling faces are blurry with motion as they wave enthusiastically at me.
“Hi, littles,” I say, and wave back. “Although you’re not so little anymore, huh? I can’t believe we have a teenager and a preteen in the family now.”
Ben sidles up to me, and I tilt the phone so we can both see the screen. The girls’ screams have me extending my arm.
