“It’s a big house.”
“Romannnn…”
He sighs. “I’m sorry. Truly. It’s… Work’s been fuckingnuts, you know?”
“Eh, it’s okay,” I smile. “I know you’re busy. So, you really called just to chat?”
“M-hmm.”
I grin. “Cool—oh, guess what, I’m at your alma mater right now.”
“Man, I gotta get back up there sometime,” he sighs. “I miss that place. Hey, I should reach out to the current leadership of Para Bellum and let them know you’re up there so often these days. I’m sure they’d be happy to show you around or take you to dinner or something.”
Normal colleges have fraternities and sororities. Knightsblood has four secret societies, like an underworld version of the Hogwarts houses: The Reckless, which tends to appeal to the warrior, daredevil types; The Ouroboros Society, which attracts the information brokers and the secret keepers; Para Bellum, which pulls in the future leaders of families, the generals, and the tacticians; and The Order, which is for the spies.
Roman and his friends, no surprise, were all in Para Bellum.
“Maybe,” I shrug. “I dunno if Para Bellum is really my scene. I mean, I wasn’t ever a student here.”
“Yeah, but you’re my kid sister. That opens doors.”
My lips thin. “Maybe I’d like to open my own doors.”
The phone goes quiet for a sec.
“Hey, you okay?”
I exhale. “Yeah, sorry. I…”
“I didn’t mean anything by it, Evie. Just, you’rethere, they know me, and they could take care of you. They're my college club. That’s all.”
“No, I know…” I lift my shoulders. “But they’re notmycollege club.”
“Okay, I get it. Sorry.”
Roman clears his throat.
“Fuck,” he mutters.
“Rome?”
“Okay, therewasa reason I called you.”
The edge in his tone pricks my ears. “Oh? Everything okay?”
“I…hope so,” he growls before exhaling heavily. “Eves, were you at a party at The Moon Room the other night?”
I sit up straighter in my seat. “What?” I breathe.
“The rooftop place in that new skyscraper near Rockefeller Center.”
“Yeah, no, I know what it is…”
“Well?” he grunts.
I frown. “Wellwhat?”
“Were youthere,” he rumbles.
