Page 55 of Eternal Ruin

“I can give you Warde.”

Her heart beat slowly at first, then gained another beat. Their shadows lengthened, one tall, one shorter, yet melding into each other, like spilled ink on paper. Kidan tried to picture what he said. Her sister suffering for a stranger… refusing to eat or speak. That had been Kidan for more than a year. What had Warde done to earn June’s love?

Was he Kidan’s replacement?

Her voice became unrecognizable. “Are you going to kill him?”

“No, true pain only comes from hope. The hope of being reunited.” He seemed to be talking to himself. “Like you and the devout boy. It’s the hope of seeing him again that hurts you.”

Her teeth rang with fury. “You’re vile.”

“I’ve been called worse things. I can remove Warde. You’ll see what it does to your sister.” His voice promised danger. “And I’ll expect your answer about Susenyos soon.”

A chill spread down her back. “What makes you think I know anything about hurting him? You’ve known him longer.”

He gave her a close-lipped smile, making his neck scar ripple. “Yes, but I don’t know him now. What he values, what he hates, what he fears. I need to know so I can plan carefully.”

With that, he melted into speed, a blur of shadow. Kidan’s eyes slid back to June, she harnessed her rage at her sister to temper her nerves about Susenyos.

Quickly, she fished out her phone. Still no response from Susenyos. A hollowness spread through her.

Why the hell was he ignoring her?

Kidan was torn between marching into the Southern Sost Buildings and demanding Susenyos answer her, or saving her pride. It might be in her head, but she had the sense that whoever sought the other first would lose this game of powerthey’d entered ever since he signed over the house. But Kidan also didn’t know how long she could stand feeling like this.

You don’t need him. He needs you.

Kidan said the words again and again, yet with each repetition they rang falser and falser.

23.

JUNE

June Adane was being watched.

Warde walked beside her without speaking, his Mot Zebeya chain clinking, but he didn’t seem to sense a threat. Yet June was sure they were being watched. Every time she turned, there was a flash of golden ribbon slipping into the shadows of buildings or trees.

She knew a lot about ribbons. How stubborn and tricky they were, often getting stuck in things. Her own was always getting tangled in her curling braids but she liked what it reminded her of. June’s follower should have chosen less troublesome clothing if they didn’t want to be spotted.

Once, June could barely sleep or walk the streets alone, terrified of vampires, the shadows that appeared in the hallways of her school. But ever since she’d met the Nefrasi and Warde, there was no need for fear.

She exhaled and looked at her semester schedule again. She wouldn’t let anyone ruin her classes. This was her last chance to experience everything she possibly could. She’d be a stellar student. Makehumanfriends. Have her first kiss. Fall in love.

Uxlay University

Semester 1

Student: June Adane

House: House Adane, Department of Archaeology and History

Course List

Food Chemistry and Microbiology,School of Food Science

Traditional African Medical Practices,School of Medicine

Introduction to Dranacti,School of Philosophy