My throat tightens around the truth. “I guess… it’s my only option.”
A small, almost pleased curve tugs at his mouth. “Good. Let’s get back to the Academy before anyone notices you’re gone.”
35
Thou Shalt Not Flirt with Manipulation
Arwen
The dorm door swallows me like a shadow, and Holly’s arms wrap around me before I can steady myself. Her grip is fierce, as if holding me might keep me from disappearing. On the bed, Tabby and Cleo sit with messy hair and long faces, silently waiting. They look like they haven’t slept... or are hungover... or both. Which, to be fair, I’m sure I look the same.
“What the hell happened Arwen,” Holly hisses the second she can stop groping me. “Where have you been? Atticus was here freaking out. We thought you were—” She stops, breath catches, and her face goes still as she composes herself. “Gods, are you okay?”
I let them herd me to my bed and sit—careful not to show them the burn marks on my wrists from the rope. My hands are shaking, and I feel like I could pass out, so I skip the theatrics and decide to tell them everything. As fast as possible.
I start with how Professor Gabriel kicked me out and told me to stay away after my embarrassing display of seduction tactics. How I started spiraling as the bond felt like it was dismantling my insides, Brix’s confession that he can’t help anymore because it’s dragging him under, Ryker’s overheard words of truth and betrayal, my escape, capture and subsequent rescue by none other than Atticus Willshire.
When I finish my rant, I look to each of my friends… I’ve never seen them stunned to silence. Mouths hanging open. I’m secretly glad it’s taking them a long time to process too.
All three rush into their own rants. The force of their anger almost knocking me off my bed.
Holly is pacing, fists clenched. “I’m going to kick Ryker in his balls so damn hard his dad feels it all the way in Greed,” she promises.
Cleo’s knuckles are white where she grips her thigh; muttering under her breath, “Why would Brix say that? It doesn’t add up. This isn’t right. Something’s not adding up.” As if the idea is painful.
Tabby yells in outrage and is hilariously vindictive about the potion and her well-laid plans failing on Professor Gabriel. “These are tried-and-true techniques, Arwen. You should be basking in the afterglow of hot, sweaty professor sex. You must have done something wrong.”
I just want to hide under my bedcovers at the thought of it all. I do not defend the dignity of that plan.
“Hold on,” Holly stops her irate threats on Ryker’s body. “Did you say Sloth rebels kidnapped you?” The other girls stop too and look back at me. I may have rushed over the details of that part.
“Yes, I know leaving was stupid. But everything is okay. I got away. They didn’t do anything to hurt me.” I say, placating. I don’t want to linger on this topic.
“Wh.. What did they want?” Cleo asks, shell-shocked.
“I honestly don’t know. They were very cryptic about their plans… but they know that they have blown their cover by now. I doubt they are within a hundred miles of here anymore.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.” Holly says coming to sit by me and taking my hand.
Breakfast is a weird sort of battlefield. We eat in silence as we all process everything that has happened. Brix and Sly walk by us without saying a word and sit at a far table, pretending not to be a tableau of awkward.
Holly mutters that they still haven’t spoken. Brix looks up right at me—there’s something raw and guilty in his expression that makes my chest contract. I hate that he’s hurt. I hate that he’s struggling and that it’s my fault. He quickly masks his face and looks away, going back to his conversation with Sly.
In the corner of my vision, I see Atticus walk in. He glides over and sits at our table as if this is the most casual thing in the world.
My eyes are as wide as saucers. He’s here. Sitting next to me. In public.
Heads turn. Conversations stutter. The room goes silent. I chance a quick glance at the table full of elite Pride freshmen that he usually sits at. Daphne and Camille shoot daggers with their eyes and then pretend not to notice. Slowly, everyone goes back to their conversations.
The awkward silence doesn’t last long at our table. Holly blurts, “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I promised to help Arwen stay at the academy,” he says, dead calm. “We don’t have much time. I’m going to take every opportunity I can get to help work on a plan.” His words slice clean.
The table is… once again… stunned into silence. “So…” Atticus says carefully, “What is the plan?”
We stare at each other. Tabby finally says, “Well, Plan A through Plan Z blew up in our faces. We’re back at square one.” It’s truer thanany of us want. Atticus exhales, like he’s prepping for hard labor. “Ok. So let’s start with plan A through Z then? What have we tried that didn’t work?” My breath hitches and my eyes widen as I look at the girls with pleading eyes and minutely shake my head. Atticus does NOT need to know that most our plans involved me trying to seduce him. Nor does he know he’s not my only bond. He will have to stay oblivious on that front. Thankfully, Holly catches my drift and says in a bored tone, “Who cares. They didn’t work. We need new ideas. You got any?”
Atticus looks at the table like he’s pondering something. “Maybe.” Then he turns to me while standing up to leave. “Meet me after class in the courtyard. I may have an idea.”
