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“The back shelves are full of Umbra literature,” Julie added, looking at me as if I knew what she was talking about.

“What the fuck is Umbra?” Miles asked. Apparently, he only knew half of what was going on, too.

“Useful magic for everyone.” Julie’s voice sounded serious. “It’s a little complicated, but we could use it to free Bayla’s mother.”

Free Bayla's mother?! That woman was being held captive by the Quatura...

“Okay, wait a minute,” I laughed nervously, raising both my hands. “You don't seriously think I'm going to go along with this nonsense, do you?”

“For your peace of mind, no.” Miles smiled condescendingly at me. He was back to his old self. “I had my doubts from the beginning.”

“Be quiet, Miles!” Larissa hissed angrily, crossing her long legs at the boots.

“Julie and I had the idea that we could finish what our parents started.”

Bayla gave me a serious look.

Uncertainty spread through me.

I didn’t want to finish anything that some crazy Quatura had started.

“Your parents,” I corrected her, trying to decide whether I really should be here.

I had just witnessed planned treason.

“Each of us has a family member who was part of this secret society,” Julie stated firmly.

“Well, I find the idea appealing. Especially the part about magic for everyone.”

Everyone except Bayla turned to Miles in annoyance.

That was the moment my gaze lingered on him.

I didn't even want my eyes to wander over to this walking distraction anymore. At least, the last remaining pieces of my crumbling mind didn't want to. Everything about him was unnerving. He was my annoying rival. And yet, the rest of my body found something attractive about this idiot.

He looked directly at me before continuing more seriously.

“Imagine what we could achieve, Emely.”

My entire body stiffened.

To the others, this sentence must have sounded harmless, but its message got through to me. Even though the tone in his voice was still challenging, I knew that the content was intended to touch a sore spot.

How could he even think such a thing? Hadn't he seen the table on Bayla's phone? Didn't he know that what he wanted would never work?

Our species were doomed to have nothing to do with each other, even to wipe each other out.

And why was he still trying? Weren't the signs I was giving him clear enough? That he should stay away from me?

He was physically on the other side of the open salon area, ten meters away from me. And yet his words penetrated me mercilessly, making me tremble inside.

I should hate him, should continue to curse myself. But all I was capable of was feeling. I felt all kinds of things. Desire, longing. Longing for what? For his closeness?

If only he knew how often I had to think back to the winter ball...

Then came pain. Because I couldn't satisfy my desire. A sweet pain that burned in my veins. It hurt. And I hated myself more for it than I could ever hate anyone else.

“We could change this town's rigid system,” Bayla's words reached me distantly.