Page 109 of Hidden

My face heated, and I covered my cheeks. I didn’t even consider how she might feel about Bryce showing up to our room in the middle of the night.

Bryce wasn’t the most sensitive person. The conversation between them was probably short and abrupt. He might have even made hercry.

I could imagine the whole scene now. How had the news been delivered to her?

“I’m sorry.” I couldn’t even look at her. “It wasn’t anything you did.”

“I know,” she said. “Bryce explained everything.”

Dear Lord. My eyes squeezed shut in horror.

“He told me the jig was up, that he was angry with me, and,most surprisingly, that you two were married. He’s quite amusing when he’s in a fluster,” she said. “My favorite part, though, was him asking for your stuffed animal.”

My head was starting to pound. But then her words registered through the horror, and I peeked at her through my fingers. “Why would it be amusing for us to be in love?”

“I’m sure youarein love.” She smoothed the pages of her book down. “But not in that way. It’s incest. Besides your thread of fate isn’t connected to Bryce Dubois.”

“Incest?” I’d given up trying to be cool and collected.

Jiayi shot me a patient look. “Iknow. I’m Damen’s Tongjun, and I’m a fortune-teller.” Before I could respond, she changed the subject. “I’m waiting for Xavier. He’s supposed to help me. Have you seen him?”

My breath caught and conflict swirled inside me.

I wanted to be annoyed. Her earlier comment defending Finn made a lot more sense now.

But…

She needed my help. She was going toXavier,and he was absent today. Since he was my underling, it was mymoral obligationto assist her. This was my chance to prove myself. “Xavier missed class earlier, so I’m not sure he’ll show. What do you need?”

“I’m going to curse someone, and I need information.”

Whatever I expected, it wasn’t that. I blinked at her—perhaps I’d misunderstood. “Pardon?”

“My revenge must be swift and deadly. But not quite enough to kill him completely.” She tapped her chin, gazing off into the distance. “I want him mostly dead for a time. Perhaps with some permanent scarring.”

“Why are you askingXavierthis?” I knew that folklore had stated the fae—and especially Unseelie—might be cruel, but surely such stories were exaggerations. Take me, for example. I didn’t skip through life with death spells and plots hidden up my sleeves. Besides that, “Don’t you have a witch in your quintet? Ask them.”

She sighed. “Catalina is a softy. She’s a firm believer of doing no harm. She’d not approve.”

I blinked at her, did this mean Xavierwould?

Jiayi ignored my open-mouthed stare. “Besides, this is Xavier’s book, and it seemed promising. But I have questions.”

I eyed the item in question, which now didn’t seem quite so innocent. “What book is that?”

“Ah.” She shut it, revealing the flesh-colored leather that bound the book. Scrawled across the top—in rusty brown letters I suspected might be blood—were the words:The Practical Applications of Advanced Demonology. “It’s just a bit of light reading.”

I was unsure of how to respond. I couldn’t ask if it said anything exciting, not without compromising my morals.

“Does this scare you?” She frowned.

“I’m just surprised.” I turned my stare to my knees. “You’ve always seemed so…” What was the word? “Poised and put together.”

“I’ve been raised with certain expectations. In my family, women are seen rather than heard. And no matter what, we exist as something pretty to look at. I discovered my love for my fashion when I left for boarding school. It’s the one thing I’ve done for myself,” Jiayi answered. “Besides, it works out better this way.”

I shot her a questioning glance.

“Lure in your prey with innocence and a pretty smile.” She clenched her fists against her chest as she turned her eyes toward the sky. “Then you cancrush them.”