“Oh, please, that’s such a lame fantasy.”
I pause at the entrance of the flat upon hearing Ava’s voice. After further inspection, I find all three girls huddled up in the living area with Pride & Prejudice, the 2005 version, playing on the TV.
Annika’s obsession aside from Tchaikovsky.
I drop my bag in the nearest corner and join them. Cecily gets up, smooths the wrinkles on my bag, and hangs it before coming back again with a cup of tea in hand.
Her T-shirt for today says Manifesting the ability to punch people on the internet.
“Glyn!” Ava leans against me because she has no sense of boundaries. “Back me up on this.”
“What are we discussing?”
“Fantasies,” Annika says. “Cecily said her fantasy is finding a nice, normal man since that’s so rare nowadays.”
“It is.” Cecily takes a sip of her tea. “Sorry, I’m lame.”
“You’re lying.” Ava crosses her arms over her fuzzy pajamas. “A year ago, you said your fantasy was to be ambushed in a dark place and taken against your will.”
The cup of tea shakes in Cecily’s hand and she pales.
“Hey…” I inch to Cecily’s side and put my hand on her shoulder, then glare at Ava, “We agreed to not talk about that again.”
“Don’t act high and mighty. You said something similar, too. What was it? Oh, you want to fight it and be forced to take it, even when you say no. I can’t be the only one who remembers that.”
My cheeks go red as the memories return. I definitely said that back at Remi’s birthday party when the three of us got drunk and talked about our forbidden fantasies.
Then we realized how fucked up those sounded and agreed to never talk about them again. Before Ava disappeared on us in the middle of the night.
Was I anticipating what would happen with Killian?
I can’t believe I’m caught up in a classic ‘be careful what you wish for’ scenario.
Cecily’s shaking. She’s not the type who shakes. Now that I think about it, she looks paler than usual today, as if she’s seeing a ghost everywhere she goes.
I tighten my hold on her shoulder. “We were drunk, Ava.”
“It was the truest thing you two prudes have ever said.” She shrugs, then grins. “What’s your fantasy, Anni?”
“Uh, am I supposed to have one?”
“Of course you are. What’s the first thing you thought about when you were growing up and thought to yourself, ‘Shit, my parents should never know about this side of me’?”
“Oh. You mean that.” Annika slides her fingers over her phone’s sparkling purple case. “I guess, I always wanted to be kidnapped.”
We all stare at her, dumbfounded.
Ava is the only one who chuckles. “Damn girl, now that’s what I call go big or go home.”
“It’s not in the sense you think. I don’t want to be taken from my life and family for good, I just…want to be kidnapped on the day of my wedding. You know, like in those movies? Yeah, I know it’s fucked up, but uh, I guess in my mind, that’s better than an arranged marriage.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“It’s okay. It’s my destiny.” She throws up a dismissive hand. “On a more happy note, who wants to party?”
“Do you even have to ask?” Ava jumps up and they both disappear into her room.
Cecily’s still shaking.
“Ces?” I smile at her. “Are you okay?”
“What? Yeah. I’m cool. Totally cool.”
“You said cool twice. Are you sure everything’s all right?”
She nods.
“You know you can talk to me, right?”
Her light eyes glitter as she stares at me for a beat too long. I think she’ll say something, but then she shakes her head. “You’re a doll, did you know that?”
“And you’re hiding something.”
“We all do, Glyn,” she says with a hint of sadness.
“I don’t hide things from you guys.”
“Yeah, right. I guess I missed the convo where a certain Killian has become the center of your attention.”
“That…is not true.”
“Then Anni must’ve been dreaming about the whole flirting session that happened at lunch yesterday.”
“Oh, Anni.”
“Right. Anni. She wouldn’t shut up about it.”
“It means nothing, Ces.”
“It’s okay if it does.” Her expression softens. “I’m happy to see you more balanced these days, even if it’s caused by a bastard from The King’s U.”
“Why do you hate them so much?”
“Have you missed the bastard part?”
I pull away from her, thinking about the nightmare from two days ago. I’ve been meaning to talk to her and Ava about this since I realized it might not have been a nightmare, after all.
“Hey, Ces.”
“Hmm?” she says over the rim of her cup.
“You think I sleep better these days?”
“Totally.”
“I heard you say that to Bran and Ava the night Remi brought fish and chips.”
Her cup freezes halfway to her mouth, but then she takes a sip. “Oh? I must’ve forgotten.”
“Cecily.”
“What?”
“Look at me.”
She casts me a fleeting glance, then focuses back on her cup. “I know your face and love it, Glyn. No need to look at it.”
“You’re hiding something from me.”
An awkward chuckle spills from her. “You probably got things mixed up.”
“I heard you. There’s some filth you, Ava, and Bran are keeping from me. What is it?”
She remains silent.
“Ces, please. I’m not a little girl.”
My friend releases a sigh, puts the cup on the table, and takes my hands in hers. “You’re right. We shouldn’t have hidden it, but we all thought you were in a fragile mental state after…Devlin.”
“What is it?”
“We threw it away because that shit is disgusting, but I took a picture.” She retrieves her phone and scrolls to a photo taken a few weeks ago.
My heart thunders when I see a blank canvas chaotically smeared with red paint. The words are barely legible, but I can see them loud and clear.
Why are you still breathing, Glyndon?
My mouth falls open in a wordless gasp and I stare between it and Cecily. “Where…did you find this?”
“In front of our flat. We called Bran and he said to get rid of it because, well, it would’ve broken you.”
It would’ve.
“Why would anyone do this?” Cecily breathes harshly. “You’re the least antagonistic person on earth. It doesn’t make sense for someone to target you.”
It doesn’t.
Unless I got myself in bigger trouble than I thought.
I’m at a party.
And not just any party.
It’s the party.
As in the one Killian told me to come to and I vehemently refused.
Now, I have a good excuse for the change in my decision. I wasn’t thinking straight when he was around—he just rattles me too much.
But once he left, or more like, once I went to class and was separated from him, I gave it some serious thought. While half focusing on what the professor was saying.
I’m still not over the bitterness of being eliminated from the initiation at the last second for the simple reason of catching the psycho’s attention. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get close to the inner circle and investigate Devlin’s involvement in the club.
My chances of getting rid of Killian are starting to seem impossible, so I might as well use him. If it were anyone else, my upbringing would’ve interfered and I would have felt bad for using them, but this isn’t a normal person.
Killian is a raging monster with no restraints. He targeted me first, so it’s only fair that he gets a taste of his own medicine.
“I can’t believe we got the chance to be here! This is like the shit!” Ava’s awed shout barely reaches me over the loud music and the endless chatter.
Countless students surround the massive pool and some are soaking in the Jacuzzi while singing and shouting and producing all sorts of noise.
To say I’m reaching sensory overload in a matter of ten minutes would be an understatement.
As a weapon, I came with my partners in crime—Ava, Cecily, and Annika.
In fact, this isn’t the party Annika and Ava had planned to go to earlier, considering Anni’s reservations about defying her brother. It was Ava who begged and implored and bribed her with some special edition lipstick so she takes us here. Since REU students aren’t allowed on The King’s U campus or in the Heathens’ compound, we had to use Annika as our ticket here.
If I’d told Killian I was coming, he would’ve given me access, but I won’t be asking anything of that twat.
The only unwilling person here is Cecily, whom we had to drag along. Not only does she hate The King’s U students with a passion, but she’s also a lover of quiet nights like me.
We all wore dresses except for her—or actually, Ava forced me to choose one of hers. I settled on a dark red one that molds against my body and stops right above my knees. Then Anni did my makeup, gave me smoky eyes and lipstick that matches the dress, then styled my hair to fall straight to the middle of my half-bare back.
Those two definitely looked proud of their creation while I was half-horrified, half-doubtful that the one in the mirror was me.
Cecily, however, couldn’t be forced to wear a dress. She’s in jeans and a shirt that says Sorry for the bitch face. Didn’t want to be here.
Her hair is pulled into a ponytail and her lips are pursed tight.
She’s really been moody today, and I have a feeling it’s not due to exams as she claimed.
“Who’s going to be the responsible adults when these two social butterflies get drunk and we have to get them back home?” is what I told Cecily so she’d agree to come along.
I’m such a hypocrite, because really, I need them around. Cecily has always been our rock. The ‘brainstorm first, act later’ girl. The ‘I’m here to listen’ friend.
She’s like a mother figure, and having her here fills me with a major boost of confidence.
“Anni!! Why didn’t you tell me this scene is your usual?” Ava grabs her by the shoulder. “I have like a major girl crush right now.”
They’re wearing matching tulle dresses. Ava’s is coral pink and Annika’s is pastel purple. I swear they have something to shop for every hour.
“It’s not, really.” Anni casts a glance at our surroundings. “I’m not usually allowed at Jer’s parties, and by usually, I mean never. The guard let us in earlier because I kind of begged.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll protect you.” Ava nudges Cecily. “Isn’t that right?”
The latter grabs a red Solo cup from the table beside us and releases an unintelligible noise.
“See? Ces always has your back.” Ava tells Anni with a heartfelt laugh.
I inch closer to Cecily, who’s been obsessively watching the stairs. Yesterday, I thought the mansion was huge from the outside, but it’s a downright castle from the inside.
There’s a regal air to it mixed with splashes of gothic touches. It’s undoubtedly old, probably older than both universities’ centuries of age.
I heard that the three mansions scattered across the island were castles that were used as defense lines in medieval wars. Now, they’re used as compounds for secret orders, illegal organizations, and twisted youths.
The Elites, the only REU club that belongs in their unholy union, is probably tame compared to The King’s U’s clubs.
Though I wouldn’t be so sure, considering Lan leads the Elites.
“Are you okay?” I ask Cecily.
Her head whips in my direction and alcohol spills on her hand. “W-what? Why?”
“I’m just asking.”
She smiles big, doing a horrible job at hiding her discomfort. “I’m fine, really. Don’t worry, Glyn.”
“That will just make me worry more.”
“I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself. Really, never mind me.”
My chest contracts and I swallow the drool that’s gathered in my mouth.
Never mind me, Glyn. People like me are just not important.
Devlin’s words rush back to my mind with the lethality of a storm. Red slowly creeps into my vision.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
“You matter, Ces,” I choke out. “You have no clue how much you matter.”
A shadow of incredulousness creeps into her features before they soften, “Thanks, Glyn. You’re like the sweetest.”
“What is this fucking betrayal? I’m the sweetest!” Ava barges in, batting her lashes. “Glyn is the doll.”
Cecily raises a brow. “No, you’re the one who curses like a pirate.”
“And I feel so left out, I’m revoking friendship rights to all of you bitches.”
We turn around at hearing Remi’s distinctive voice. He’s glaring down his very aristocratic—currently pissed off—nose at us while simultaneously flipping his dashing hair back.
Creigh, aka his unwilling shadow, stands a short distance away, both hands in his pockets.
“How did you guys manage to get into The King’s U?” Cecily asks.
“Anni is a doll and put in a word for us with the guards.” Remi’s tone turns dramatically hurt. “Since when do you party without me?”
“Since, uh, I don’t know, you party without us all the time?” Ava points a finger at his chest. “You don’t see us revoking friendship rights, do you?”
“I can’t believe this. So it’s my fault that you don’t come along when I ask?”
“Duh. In case you forgot, you end up ghosting us to shag anything in a skirt.”
“What the actual fuck, Ava? Of course I’d choose shagging over your mimosas and drunken rants about a certain psycho. Shagging is the whole point of these parties, not your unresolved feelings!”
“Screw you, your grace.”
“It’s actually your lordship, but I’ll take the upgrade in title.” He grins. “Now, who’s in the mood for an orgy?”
“Eww,” Ava, Cecily and I say in unison.
Creigh raises one hand.
Annika winces. “No clue what you guys find fun about this party. Can’t we get out of here? I’m game for anything Remi suggests.”
“Anni, honey.” Ava grabs her by the shoulder. “You should never, ever agree to Remi’s plans. He’ll leave you in an unknown place with unknown people and sod off to get his dick wet.”
“I did not leave you in an unknown place with unknown people!” Remi shouts. “I was kicked out of my own house by that fucker—”
Ava slams her palm on his mouth, making him shut up mid-sentence, then glares at him, but he waggles his brows.
Having been released from Ava’s hold, Annika grins and slides to Creigh’s side, then nudges his shoulder with hers. “Didn’t know you’d come. I would’ve picked a better dress.”
His expression remains blank. “Why?”
She rolls her eyes, then tugs on the tulle of her skirt. “Do you like this one?”
He says nothing, continuing to focus on Remi bickering with both Cecily and Ava as usual.
Seeming oblivious to the way Creighton blatantly ignored her, Annika continues, “I didn’t know you like orgies.”
“I don’t,” he says, still not looking at her.
“You just raised your hand when Remi suggested it.”
“He paid me to.”
“Oh, so you don’t like them. Ha. And here I was thinking about getting your attention somehow.”
He finally tilts his head in her direction. “Why?”
Her smile widens now that he’s looking at her. “Because I’m totally going to get you out of your shell since Remi is obviously failing. I wonder if he keeps a list of all the methods he tried so that I can maybe shrink the endless options I have in mind.”
“You talk too much.” Creigh simply turns and leaves.
Annika’s shoulders hunch, but she soon perks up. “I really should get out of here before Jer sees me. Or at least hide.”
I suppress a smile while watching them, but it slowly disappears when I catch a glimpse of Gareth heading upstairs.
It’s a knee-jerk reaction, but I slip from between the others and sneak up behind him.
Since there are so many people and so much chaos around, I manage to blend in seamlessly.
When I reach upstairs, however, an ominous feeling slowly creeps up my spine. I squash it and stay on Gareth’s tail as he slips away unnoticed.
He has a silent presence that’s almost nonexistent when he’s surrounded by godlike presences like Jeremy, Killian, and Nikolai.
However, when he’s on his own, he seems…menacing. Somewhat unpredictable. But then again, one can’t expect Killian’s only brother to be completely normal.
The deeper he goes into the hall, the fewer people there are. He takes a turn and I follow, but in just a fraction of a second, I realize something about the people standing near the walls.
They’re different.
While downstairs is filled with uni students, the age is drastically older now.
They also have mean, angular features and stare at me with threatening poses.
In an instant, I feel myself surrounded by those creepy bunny guards from the initiation. And it’s no less creepy now that they don’t have the masks on.
“Looking for something?”
I startle as a hand falls on my shoulder. I whirl around to find Gareth staring down at me.
How…
I search the path ahead of me. I could’ve sworn I saw him take that turn. How did he show up behind me?
Is there a secret path around here?
“Uh, no,” I say in response to his question, doing my best to school my reaction.
“Being lost once might be a coincidence, but twice is pushing it. So how about you tell me why you were following me.”
I don’t miss how the guards start to step toward me from all sides, circling me like a group of predators pouncing on their prey.
“It’s not that I was following you,” I’m thankful my voice sounds normal enough.
“No?”
“No.”
He pauses, watching me with no change in his expression. “There’s this conundrum nature specialists face in the wild. Some animals return to the trap because they know they’ll find food, so they keep getting themselves live-trapped over and over and…” He steps closer. “Over.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know, Glyndon. You tell me. After all, you’re the one who followed me in my own house.”
The crazy idea I’ve been entertaining since this afternoon slowly manifests and I swallow. “How about a trade?”
“What type of trade?”
“You…dislike Killian—or more like his guts and constant need to make your life hell. I can help you with keeping him off your case.”
He raises a brow. “And how do you intend to do that?”
“By keeping him occupied.”
He bursts out laughing, the sound echoing around us like a haunted chant. “Either you’re being funny or you have no fucking clue who you’re dealing with.”
“I actually do. I’ve been constantly tormented by him since the first time we met.”
Gareth’s expression hardens. “And you think that means something in the great scheme of things? How long have you known him? A week? A month? That has no value or credibility.”
“He’s obsessed with me or something about me, and as long as he has that fixation, then I have power over him.” I push up my chest. “You can discredit me all day, but you and I both know that Killian isn’t the type who gives up on things halfway in.”
A slight narrow of his eyes is the only change in Gareth’s demeanor, but I know I’ve chinked his armor when he asks, “And what do you want in return?”
“I’ll get straight to the point.”
“By all means.”
“I’m investigating my friend’s death, and I was told that he was part of the Heathens’ first initiation for this year. You’re one of the leaders and surely have access to records, camera footage, and stuff like that?”
“What if I do?”
“If you provide me with those, I’ll be your ally against Killian.”
“How do I know you won’t turn against me? In fact, how do I know this isn’t another one of Killer’s sick games?”
“I would never use my friend’s life as a game.” I fumble for my phone and scroll to one of the last pictures I have with Devlin. A selfie in the car. I’m smiling. He’s not. Then I show it to Gareth. “Surely you remember him.”
He pauses, lips thinning in a line. “Devlin.”
“Yes.” I breathe. “He died after the initiation.”
“Didn’t the police rule it as a suicide?”
“Yes, but…”
“You don’t believe it.”
I slowly shake my head. “Like you, I don’t believe in the existence of too many coincidences.”
“Fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ll help you in gathering whatever we have on the night prior to his death.”
“Thank you. I’ll be forever grateful.”
“Your gratitude has no value to me. In return, you’ll be my weapon against Killer.”
“I wouldn’t call myself a weapon…”
“Believe me.” A slight smirk curves his lips. “You are.”
That’s totally not true, but I let it go when I notice the men—probably guards—slowly retreating to the shadows.
“How well did you know your friend?” Gareth asks out of nowhere.
“I knew him better than anyone.”
“Did he ever mention us?”
“No…not really.” Just in passing conversation and gossip like everyone on campus would glorify, glamorize, worship at the feet of The King’s U’s exclusive clubs.
“Then I doubt you knew him at all,” Gareth says.
“Can you stop speaking in riddles?”
“Let’s just say Devlin was a lot more than you think. I knew him personally and I don’t know many people personally.”
“That’s impossible. He was shy and introverted.”
“That’s not true. But he was a fucking genius, I’ll give him that.” Gareth stares to the side, then smiles. “Now, for your end of the bargain.”
He slides into my space before I can blink. His fingers lift my chin and my eyes widen as he lowers his head.
The moment his lips touch mine, he’s wrenched off me in a flash.
I stare in complete disbelief as Killian sends his brother flying against the wall.
