Page 327 of A University of Betrayal

His look was... reassuring. “Hey. Don’t worry. I’m right here. The Circle can’t hurt you.”

He must have sensed my nervousness.

I nodded to him, and then we entered the festively decorated ballroom together, arm in arm.

Pompeii

Vitamin String Quartet

Warm lights shone everywhere from gigantic chandeliers, making the huge hall beneath us glitter and the girls shine in their pompous dresses. There must have been over a thousand people standing down there listening to the mayor, Amara Blair.

“So I would like to thank you, and wish the students a successful start for the coming semester.”

Applause rang out and the crowd dispersed to get ready for the dance. Men invited women to the dance floor and the orchestra began to play again.

And then Amara’s eyes met mine. I had hoped she would smile at me briefly, as she always did, but she seemed a little unsettled. Like I was someone she should be afraid of.

Her eyes widened, and as the crowd began to dance, other audience members seemed to notice that something was wrong with Amara because she was still standing on the stage, staring at me.

Next to the stage, I spotted Gloria, who seemed distracted. But then I saw Amanda, Vivienna’s mother, staring from Amara to me. Abruptly, her eyes widened too.

I didn’t have time to focus on the two women because Julian was leading me down the stairs.

“They’re staring,” I said as quietly as possible, but in such a way that Julian could still hear me through the violin play, and took one step at a time, trying not to slip. He held my arm tightly.

Then I felt his warm breath on my ear. “I’m sure it’s because you’re here with me.”

I hadn’t even thought about that.Crap.I didn’t care what Amara and Amanda thought about me, but what if there were consequences forhim?

“Maybe we should split up?”

“We’ll stay together,” he decided with determination as we reached the bottom of the stairs and I could no longer see Amanda. Only Amara, who forced herself out of her stupor and hurried down the stage. Then – through the dancing couples – I saw her whispering to Amanda, and only now did I realize that other people were also looking at me.

One was Rebecca Harlow, who was standing in an exotic copper-colored dress between other Quatura at Gloria’s side, looking around the hall like a paranoid eagle. When she spotted me, her wary gaze fastened on me.

I quickly looked away, towards all the men who had gathered on the other side of the hall and were looking over at the Quatura like conspirators. The Copeland pack. Next to them, more nobly dressed men with grim expressions on their faces.The Rolanows.

I spotted... Alarik.

Diamonds

Hannah V, Joe Rodwell

His eyes were literally glued to me, and the color had completely drained from his face. He was holding a glass in his hand, which he gripped tightly. His eyes wandered over the dress until they met mine and our gazes locked.

My heart made an overwhelmed leap. And another one...

I tried to read his expression, waiting for him to move, but he just stared, his eyes glassy reflectors of the thousand lights of the hall, all clamoring for his attention. But his attention was focused on one thing only.

I stared back. Or rather, I couldn’t break away from his gaze until Julian pulled me further away from the pack, closer to the corner where the witches were gathered.

“Julian...” He stopped and examined me. “Alarik, he...” I turned around. Alarik had disappeared. “He was just there…”

I looked back at Julian, who was now also looking in the direction of the pack, and I caught sight of Emely. She was wearing an elegant backless black evening dress and looked stunningly sexy. She wore her black-brown waves pinned up in an updo. Her whole appearance was reminiscent of an indigenous goddess.

I noticed Julian eyeing her.

“Maybe you should dance with her.”