Page 88 of Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty)

I can’t help but cringe. When she puts it like that, I realize how archaic it sounded. Maybe Song was right, maybe it really is about Arthur.

She rolls her eyes and laughs, obviously enjoying my discomfort. “Clearly, there’s a dire shortage of hot, straight, or fluid boys around here, but—”

“Hey!” Jago tosses a cushion at her, which Elodie effectively dodges.

“Oh, cool it,” she tells him. “Play your cards right, and maybe someday I’ll get around to you, too.”

They both laugh, then Elodie turns back to me, and points at the cushion I abandoned in my attempt to flee. “For the last time, sit.”

Left with no other choice, I do as she says.

“What’s going to happen here is not about you.” Her voice takes on a hard, brittle tone. “You’re just not that special, despite what you think.”

I don’t say a word or react in any way. Better to appear cooperative and calm, while I work to uncover the weakest link in this chain. There’s always that one person who’s slightly less committed to the plan than all the others. And, in this case, I’m counting on Jago. Mostly because, after me, he’s the newest student at the academy.

“You’re about to be inducted into a long-standing, highly revered, rather sacred Gray Wolf Academy tradition that holds great importance.”

I stifle a yawn. That’s a whole lot of hyperbole, even for her.

“What we do here at Gray Wolf is the stuff of legend. But it also comes with great risk. In many cases, our lives depend on one another. Which means trust is essential.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” I arc an arm wide, gesturing among them. “After what you all did to get me here—I don’t trust a single one of you!”

“Well, we don’t exactly trust you, either,” Song says, her features arranged into a scowl. And I can’t help but feel the sting of betrayal. Isn’t this the same girl who warned me against Elodie and claimed she wanted to be friends? “But—” Song continues, sitting up straighter, her face peering out of her silver puffer, reminding me of a pearl nesting inside an oyster shell. “That doesn’t mean we don’t want to. Trust you, that is.”

“Why?” I ask. “What difference could it possibly make?”

Song starts to reply when Jago cuts in. “Guys, she doesn’t know.” He shoots me a quick but meaningful look, then pushes away from the wall and leans forward. Bringing his knees to his chest, he folds his arms around them. “I told you, she’s clueless.”

“What don’t I know?’ I look from him, to Song, to Elodie, pretending to have no idea what they’re talking about.

“About the time tr—” Finn starts, until Oliver places his hand over Finn’s mouth and silences him.

“I thought for sure Braxton told you.” Elodie peers at me, as though trying to peel back the many layers of my neutral expression in hopes of exposing the truth. “Or that you were at least smart enough to figure it out on your own.”

She’s baiting me, but I keep my lips clamped. Still, I can’t help but wonder why Braxton saw fit to warn me about the time traveling, and yet failed to mention this charming, long-standing ritual.

Or are they only pretending this is some ancient tradition, when in fact, it’s really a fresh new hell Elodie’s invented solely for me?

Is this what Braxton meant when he warned me about getting on Elodie’s bad side?

And what’s Jago’s game? Was that look meant to convey that he’s secretly siding with me?

“Do you even want to be here, Nat?” Elodie brushes her hair over her shoulder and leans toward me. And the way she regards me, eyes wide and questioning, as though she’s truly interested in hearing my reply, reminds me of the girl I knew back at school.

I can’t allow myself to fall for that again. Because this is what Elodie does.

She makes you feel like you matter—like you really can be someone.

Like you’re smarter, prettier, with infinite potential.

Like if you hang out with her long enough, you’ll glitter like stardust, too.

“Do I want to be here? In this lighthouse?” I scowl. “No, El. I much prefer my own bed. Which is where I was headed before you shoved a bag over my head.”

She continues to peer at me. Her gaze steady, even, giving nothing away. “At Gray Wolf, Natasha. Do you want to be here at the academy?”

Aside from the sizzle of flame meeting wax, and the gust of wind rattling the lighthouse windows, the room has fallen eerily silent.

“You do realize I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you. You set me up!” My voice screeches in a way that reveals my current state of anxiety, which only increases when I watch the way they all turn to one another, a silent message passing between them. “I mean, fine, maybe I made the ultimate choice to come to this island, but we both know it all started with you.”

“No one’s denying that,” Elodie says, her face flickering in and out of view. “But now, I’m going to let you choose again. And this time, Nat, the choice is entirely yours.”