Page 1 of The Blairville Legacies

Prologue

Twenty years earlier

They were the beginning of this city's downfall, gathered as pre-damaged students, bound together by tragedy. At least that’s what they thought.

“Why exactly are we here again?” the dark-blond young man asked from the end of the dark mahogany table. He was no longer comfortable sitting with theQuatura. And then, too, in theSensequeestate.

All the furniture was in that gloomy hunting style. In addition, there were floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lush main grounds, and above the fireplace were the old antlers - hunting trophies from times gone by.

He never thought he would end up here. Everything had changed within a year and he himself didn't even know to what extent he had anything to do with it.

Like many times before, the young man felt a strange shadow on the back of his neck, but he resisted the urge to look out of one of the windows because he knew there was nothing there.

“You're still asking that?” Amanda snapped at him, upset.

He winced, though he wasn't even startled. It was a habit to react humanly.

“I'm afraid his question is justified, Amanda!” Alarik, the curly- brown-haired young man, growled, visibly upset.

He had just as little desire to be with these people in his family's home astheydid. But their usual meeting place would not work this time.

“I'd also like to know why I have to waste my precious time with you!” he continued as if he hated the others, which he didn't...

The dark blond man, still sitting relatively unconcerned at the other end of the table, almost narrowed his brows but managed to restrain himself, just as he had learned.

He would never forget his training. The training that he had otherwise so despised and now appreciated more than the other students sitting opposite him.

How much he despisedthemthese days.Every single one of them.Yesterday, friends; today, strangers. That had not beenherintention, not at all. Ifshesaw this, she would be bitterly disappointed. He had known that this would go wrong at some point, butshehad been so determined that she had managed to convinceeven him.

“Because of you idiots, one of us lost her life!”

Amanda's anger was unmistakable.

The blond bit his tongue. Only it wasn't his tongue that hurt the most.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten. He never would. And yet, it hit him like a punch to have to think aboutheragain.

A whole damn year had already passed since that day, but to him, it felt like it was only yesterday. Some of them had already started a family…

He looked up at Diana, but she immediately avoided his probing gaze. As always, when it came to her. Ever since that damned day when everything had changed.

“Anyway...” Amanda continued disapprovingly, and for a moment, the blond man recognized her mother in her. “I drew up these documents here.”

She slid a stack of folders across the large dining room table.

If anyone made any documents, it was her.

“And what do we need these for?” Alarik asked, confused.

“Reading!” Amanda ordered harshly.

The blond man didn't have to grin to himself this time because the fact of how much she resembled her mother destroyed all doubts about what they really were.

They were each their parents' children, members of feuding families. And each one of them had the task of fitting into the gap created for them. It was precisely this thought that bothered him so much. Because that was exactly what would never happen. That was exactly why he had believedher. But she was the only one,almostthe only one, who was not present today.

“You've got to be kidding me,” Graham, who had taken a seat next to Alarik, snapped.

“Do I look like I'm joking?”