Page 23 of The Royal Flame (The Royal Academy #3)

CHAPTER

RIVER

I hate leaving her, especially after she ran off.

I’m pretty positive she won’t do that again.

For now anyway. Maddy gets spooked easily, though, but it makes sense.

She’s had a rough life full of distrust. My life may have sucked, but I thought my mother was marginally trustworthy, but I’m not so certain about that anymore.

Where the hell are you mom? Did you get on that yacht with Maddy’s real mother? Why?

My mind is thick with worry, so much so that I don’t register a figure looming in the shadows of an alcove until it’s too late.

One second I’m walking down the hallway, the next I’m being jerked aside.

I raise my fist to punch the person, but before I can, a needle enters my arm.

Whatever they injected into me works quickly because one second, I’m throwing a punch at them and the next, my vision is tunneling and everything goes black.

“River, just close your eyes and this will all be over soon,” my mother’s soothing voice drifts through my thoughts. “They’re just going to take a tiny drop of your blood. That’s all.”

I blink up at her as I lay on the bed, the bright lights stinging against my eyes. “Why do they need my blood.”

“To make sure you’re pure.” She takes my hand. “We have to make sure you are, River. You have to pass, no matter what, or else he’ll kill you.” She leans closer to me. “Don’t worry, though, I’ll protect you. I’ll always protect you…”

“Is he awake yet?” someone asks as I start to wake up from that dream… memory… I’m not even sure what that was.

A hallucination?

“I don’t know. He looks like maybe he might be trying to,” someone else replies. “Is everyone here yet?”

“Finn isn’t.”

“That’s good. He’s gonna flip when he sees this.” Worry seeps from the guy’s voice. “Why did he have to choose River Averson to be the one for this. Anyone but him would’ve been better. He only did it because he’s pissed.”

“He’s an idiot. River could destory us in the blink of an eye. So could fin—ah, fuck, speaking of the devil.”

“Where the hell is my brother,” Finn’s angry voice clips through the haze.

I blink through the drug haze billowing in my mind. As my vision returns, the first thing I see is a stone arched ceiling with water dripping out of it. I sit up as a few droplets land on my face. I swipe them away from my face then scan my surroundings, only to wish I hadn’t.

A few weeks ago, Maddy and I had been out near the football field, eating and talking when the society had run out of the woods.

They were wearing cloaks, and one was donning a knife.

This scene is similar, only we’re indoors and I’m laying on some sort of stone-like podium in the center of a circular room lined with brick doorways.

“All right everyone,” Eli step steps forward from the group of cloaked figures with a sword in his hand. “We’re ready to start the ceremony.”

“Like hell you are.” Finn pushes through the crowd and steps toward me.

He’s not wearing a cloak and has on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He’s face is lined with so much rage I’m concerned he might be the hell out of Eli.

That makes two of us.

I stand to my feet, wincing as a spout of dizziness spins through my hear. For a faltering moment, the images that plagued my brain while I was unconscious flash through my mind.

Why did my mother have my blood drawn?

Eli points the tip of the sword at Finn. Finn stops striding toward him, but he looks more annoyed than afraid.

“You don’t get a say in this. You’re not in charge!” Eli shouts, his voice echoing against the domed ceiling. “He broke the rules! He went against me therefor he went against the society!”

Rolling his eyes, Finn shoves the sword away from him. “You have no proof of that. Just like you have no proof Maddy’s the one that gave you that bruise on your face. If it is true, it’s kind of pathetic. I mean, you let a girl kick your ass. Doesn’t that make you not fit to be our leader.”

“That’s what this is about,” I mumble as I careful approach them. I feel high and out of it, but I push through the wooziness, attempting to stay in the present. “Dude, I didn’t do shit.”

Eli’s lip twitches as he glares at me. He’s always been everything wrong in the Royal world—an entitled, spoiled brat that throws tantrums every time he doesn’t get his way. This moment proves that.

“She sucker punched me,” he growls out.

“Sure she did,” Finn snickers while trading a look with me.

Our twin telepathy kicks in and we both silent agree we’re going to push this to the point where he breaks. It might be my only way out of this, whatever this is. Eli said the ceremony was beginning but what fucking ceremony?

“I heard a rumor she knocked him flat on his back,” I chime in while stuffing my hands into my pockets, mainly to conceal the trembling in my hands from the drugs leaving my system. “How embarrassing for you, Eli.” I bite back a smile as a few of the society members snicker.

Eli’s eyelids lower as he narrows his gaze at me. “You have no clue what you’re talking about.” His hands curl into fists. “And if I were you, I’d tread cautiously. Sacrifice .” He sneers the last word.

Shock whips through, but fortunately I’m still too doped up to completely react.

“He’s not the sacrifice,” Finn interrupts, stepping toward Eli.

He’s taller and stronger, and by the way Eli steps back, he knows this.

I barely register his reaction, though, my attention getting snagged on the fact that Finn act as if he already the society was doing a sacrifice. And a human one?

What the hell?

Eli smirks. “You seemed okay with it when it was Zay’s brother.” He nods his head in the direction of Zay, a guy I grew up around and who I always loathed.

But I feel that way about most of these guys.

Zay steps forward and lowers the hood of his cloak. “It should be River. He’s barely been in this society. And he’s dating a north side slut.”

“She’s not a fucking slut,” I growl out with my fists balled. I’ve never been much of a fighter, but I’d throw down for Maddy. “Take that back, now.”

“Or what?” Zay’s brow cocks. “You gonna get your daddy to ruin.”

“No, I am.” I step toward him, but Finn sticks his arm out, stopping me.

“Bro,” I growl out. “Let me go. I’m going to kick his ass.”

Finn rolls his eyes at me. “Dude, this isn’t like you, so chill. You’re just high.”

He’s probably right…

I think…

I open and close my eyes, and spots dot my vision. My stomach lurches and vomit burns in my throat.

Shit, he’s right.

Finn lowers his arm and faces the group. “Look, he can’t be your sacrifice and I think you all know that. If my brother disappears, it’ll draw too much attention.

When Eli had said sacrifice, the first thought that had crossed my mind was that they were going to kill me. But that seemed way too ludicrous. But now, it’s starting to seem as if that’s exactly what they’re planning on doing to me.

When no one speaks, Finn crosses his arms. “You know I’m right about this. The society wants to remain a secret and taking out a Royal will put us in the spotlight. It’s why the sacrifice has always been an outsider.”

Silence skips by.

If I weren’t so out of it, I’d probably be panicking about why my brother was aware the society was doing sacrifices.

“He’s right,” Zay finally says, drawing his hood up. “Sorry Eli, but we’re not going to ruin the society over your vendetta with River.”

“Plus, he’s a member,” a guy named Greg adds with a nervous edge to his voice. “This never should’ve gotten this far to begin with. I think it might be time for us to discuss voting in a new leader.”

A few members agree then a discussion begins, but too many people are speaking at the same time and it’s making my brain spin.

While everyone is distracted, Finn inches closer to me. “Let’s get out of here.” He urges me toward one of the doorways.

My feet scuff against the floor with each lethargic step, but I keep moving, more than ready to get the hell out of here. Right before we duck out, I flick a glance over my shoulder and find Eli glaring at me.

I have a feeling this isn’t the last time he’ll try to ruin me.

Finn and I remain quiet as we ascend a spiral stairway that leads upward to a hidden door tucked behind a shelf in the far corner of the library. When we step out, we continue the silence until we’re in our dorm room.

The instant the door clicks shut, I ask, “What the fuck just happened?”

Finn slumps against the door. “The society had been mumbling about some sort of traditional sacrifice. Up until about an hour ago, I thought it was like a metaphorical reference or that they were sacrificing someone by kicking them out.” He yanks his fingers through his hair.

“I didn’t think they were actually going to hurt someone.

But then I overheard a few of the members talking about how every decade, the society takes some and sends them away to an island where they leave them to rot.

Again, I thought it was some dumb rumor, because how in the hell could that be a real thing.

But then I heard them say Eli was targeting you for the sacrifice because of what happened with Maddy, and that’s when I realize they weren’t messing around.

So, I went to warn you, but didn’t find you in time. ”

I press the heel of my hand to my throbbing head. “How in the hell are they getting away with sending members to an island? Do they die? Do they eventually pick them up? Seriously, what the fuck is going on?”

“I don’t know. Eli is in charge. Or well, he was. It looked like he might be overthrown.” He smiles, but it’s forced.

I don’t even attempt to reciprocate it. “This is so fucked up. And my head hurts like hell.” A shaky exhale fumbles from my lips as I lower my hand to my side.

“We need to look into this more. We can’t just let the society take someone else.

” I check the time on my watch. Shit. I have like five minutes to get ready .

“But right now, I need to get ready to go with Maddy.”

His brows knit as he pushes away from the door. “You’re going somewhere? Right now?”

I nod, turning around slowly to avoid falling over. “I have to. She’s going to meet up with the woman she thought was her mother to see if she knows anything about Ellie’s disappearance. And like hell I’m going to let her deal with that on her own.”

He follows me as I make my way to my room. “You can’t drive in the condition you’re in.”

“Yeah, good point. I’ll have to call a driver.” I start rummaging through my clothes.

“You really have to go?” he checks. “Because you look like shit.”

“Yes, it’s not an option.” I select a black shirt.

He leans against the doorjamb with his arms folded.

“At least tell Maddy about what happened. I know you hate worrying her, but she’ll keep an eye on.

” I open my mouth to protest, but he talks over.

“You can’t protect her if you’re out of it and she’s not aware of it.

Think about it, if something bad happens, you won’t be on full alert, but she won’t know that. ”

He's right.

But I hate that I can’t be the strong one for Maddy at the moment.

So I nod, even though I fucking hate it.