Page 75 of Ruthless Chaos

First, Nya is dragged away by a guy dressed in Kingmaker colors. Yes,dragged.It wasn’t Vance, either. That can’t be good, can it?

Half an hour after that, Tara steps away to “use the bathroom,” but I glimpse her scurrying away in theoppositedirection—toward the humanities building.

Tension starts to build in my chest.

Being alone doesn’t bode well for me, so I move to one of the hors d'oeuvres stations to occupy myself. The spread is decadent, filled with an assortment of pastries, cakes, savory bites and fruits.

My stomach rumbles at the sight.

Despite the corset squeezing the life out of me, I decide to eat. Tara made me skip lunch and dinner to fit into this dress. It’s almost dusk now.

I’m starting to feel a little light-headed.

Weaving through the crowd gathered around the nearest display of food, I avert the curious looks they give me. I’ve found myself by a yummy-looking selection of deviled eggs, so I take a taste.

I’ve barely put it into my mouth when I overhear a nearby conversation.

The two guys are dressed in elaborate red outfits. They were on stage during the nomination ceremony, though I don’t remember their names.

They’re part of the Chaos House Council.

“It’s too bad we can’t kill them,” one of them says, his words slurring slightly.

His friend guffaws, his body shaking so much that he spills some of the champagne from his glass on to his fingers.

“We’ll just have to bring her as close as we can,” the other one says. “I was thinking of hanging them from the eaves this evening. Just long enough for them to pass out.”

“I love it,” the slurring one says, snapping his fingers. “And when the girls pass out, we’ll strip them and take them upstairs for the ritual.”

The other one nods ferociously. “Do you know if any of them are virgins? Some of their blood will make the ritual more potent.”

My jaw goes slack, and suddenly I can’t taste the food. My throat tightens, and my mouth feels watery and bitter. The overwhelming urge to puke takes me over.

It’s not the food.

It’s this place.

This university is, quite literally, hell.

And I’m here eating finger food around devils dressed as kings and queens. Devils who would use my blood for their rituals and kill me if they had the opportunity.

I excuse myself from the party and head to the dorms.

At least I’m safer there.

TWENTY

ALEXANDER

“To another successful nomination ceremony,”Vance says, raising his drink for a toast. Ezra laughs and we clink our glasses together.

“As if there was any doubt,” Ezra says.

Though the freshmen would never know it, the Council Nomination Ceremony is just a fundraiser for the school.

The stuffy costumes, the elaborate ceremony and party afterwards, it’s all a facade to cover up the fact it’smoneythat gets you nominated for House Council.

Sure, the members of the House vote, but it doesn’t matter in the end.