Page 286

“Miles!”

I was about to kick him out. The only reason I hadn't done so yet was that he forced me out of my denial.

He was right. I should do something. I should make a decision. And I knew I couldn't let her go.

“Julie knows her,” I shared my thoughts with Miles. “But she won't tell me anything. Should I try to gain her trust first?”

“You won't do anything wrong by gaining her trust, believe me.”

Deep in thought, I looked back outside. The fine snow danced in the light of the lanterns, on which ravens huddled together.

Everything in me resisted the idea of gaining the trust of a Quatura, and especially of a Blair.

“I have to go.” Miles rose. “It was nice talking to you.” He blew out one of the candles and finally grinned at me. “Romantic.”

I toyed with the idea of throwing a pillow at him, but that was just what he wanted.

“Do you know that I feel the urge to kill you?”

I was surprised by my honesty.

“Oh, lots of people do,” he said dismissively. “But I'm still alive.” He winked. “Probably because of my family name. A curse and a blessing, believe me.”

I pushed him toward my front door.

“See you around,” I muttered, opened the door, pressed his coat to his chest, and pushed him outside.

“How about Thanks, Miles. You’re my savior in my darkest hours.”

“Don’t push it.”

He just grinned one last time before disappearing into the night.

Investigation in the APT

Cho Young-Wuk

Whipped by the nervousness in my chest, I sat on the couch

I was the epitome of a coward.

That was as far as I got.

My thumb hovered over the send button, but didn't reach the display.

The moment my screen went black, all the tension in my chest dissolved.

I threw my phone into the cushions next to me, deciding not to pull it out from there again until I had to go back to university.

How could I ever text her without worrying she would feel harassed?

Cursing quietly, I got up from the couch and turned my attention to the pile of shards in front of my display case.

Remorseful about all the decisions I had made since returning to Vanderwood, I swept the shards onto the gray dustpan.

My gaze slid over the runes on the rough inside of the shards.

I paused.