Page 335 of A University of Betrayal

Julie’s eyes turned to Gloria Westcode and she kept walking. She stopped in front of the bony woman, who radiated nothing but coldness and excessive pride.

The head of the Councils seemed to want to say something, because her mouth opened slightly, but Julie put her hands on the base of her stomach and…smiledcoldly at Gloria.

What on earth was going on there?What role did Julie Blair play in the system of the Councils and the Circle?

Again and again, this girl awakened countless questions in me.

I stared at her, trying to find answers in her graceful appearance, but all I could see was a girl reaching for a glass of water and emptying it in one go while the orchestra started the next piece.

Behind her, the gazes of countless women and girls followed as if Julie were a person of respect, the gaze of the head of the Council as if this strange girl were her downfall.

Only yesterday, she had pushed me up against a wall and taken me completely by surprise.

At first, I had wanted to defend myself and take her consciousness away with the same potion I had used on Miles, but then her hand had been on my chest and her ice had traveled over my clothes to my bare skin, settling on it.

The memory sent a cold tingle over my body, as if some of her ice was still on my skin.

Any sane person would have fought back, but I had been motionless, had let the cold wash over me, even worse, hadenjoyedit.

My jaw grinded against my cheeks.

She was threatening me with hergoddamnice magic, and my body couldn’t think of anything better than getting a fucking erection.

The memory alone was enough, and a heated tingle traveled down my groin.

I tried to suppress the memory because it wasn’t fair to J to allow such thoughts. And I hated myself so much for not having my body under better control.

I wanted to leave the ballroom, but I had promised J that I would give herfriendthe bracelet, and I wasn’t done with Julie yet.

What if she was a weak point in their system? What ifshewas the key to destroying them for good?

I would be a bigger fool than I already was if I let this opportunity slip through my fingers.

I clutched the bracelet and slipped it back into my pocket.

Nervousness crept up my throat.

I had to give it to her.Now.

Chapter 59

Julie

Wrecking Ball

Midnite String Quartet

As if spellbound, I lost myself in the sparkling peridots, letting him pull me further onto the dance floor and ignoring the fact that more and more eyes were directed at us, including those of countless Quatura.

“Quite daring of you to ask me to dance in front of people who would have you arrested immediately if they knew what you know as a human,” I said firmly, aware that he would pose no danger to me or the baby on the dance floor.

“Quite daring ofyouto let someone like that lead you onto the dance floor, Miss Blair,” he murmured. “I wonder what the Circle thinks?” He let his other hand move to my waist, and I sucked in my breath, overwhelmed by this unexpected touch. “Especially after you’ve dropped a baby bomb.”

Only now did I realize how close his hand was to my baby.

He smirked as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

Was he trying to unsettle me?