House of Mages and Raven (Shades of Ruin and Magic #4)

Chapter 21

21

Barbie

I trekked toward Jubilee Haven after the morning classes. Usually, I was always the first to arrive at the dining hall, but now I dreaded going there despite my hunger. I knew what would be waiting for me at every turn—another confrontation. Another conflict.

What I dreaded most was watching Killian parade his women at the heirs’ table, a constant reminder of the class gap between us and that he had chosen them over me. I hunched my shoulders, my gut telling me that they’d all be in the dining hall, showing off their superiority and “epic romance.”

They ruled the academy as the hottest, most powerful royalty.

Yet I wasn’t going to back down, even though I was all alone. Bea had gone home because her grandmother got sick. I was worried about her and her grandma and wished that I could do something for them.

Well, I’d just sneak into the dining hall, grab something, then get out.

I paused at the door to check for any offensive spells or traps. It wouldn’t surprise me if those copycats pulled a Carrie stunt again. When I didn’t spot any tricks, I slid into the hall.

What I didn’t expect was to see a full house, every head snapping in my direction as if they’d rehearsed it. It dawned on me a breath later that Grace had prearranged this scene. She’d gotten every student here before my arrival. What was she going to do? Show everyone how to put me in my place? I was already in the lowest of low places. Yeah, she was still going to kick me, even when I was prone on the ground.

Instead of making an exit as my instinct screamed for me to do, I forced myself to keep jogging toward the buffet tables on the far side of the hall. Many students, including the former underdogs, yanked out their tablets and trained them in my direction, looking forward to catching a dramatic moment of me being a loser so they could go viral on Spinchat.

The seating in the academy was always a game, and Grace was utilizing it to target me. I stayed on course toward the food and caught a glimpse of Killian on his upstairs throne with Grace. Surprisingly, Queen Lilith wasn’t there, but Prince Louis was sitting with them.

The chaos prince had never bothered showing up here before. But lately he seemed to insist on coming for every meal, as if he found cruel pleasure in reminding me that I’d been replaced. He didn’t even eat here, and unlike him, I had to eat no matter how bad I felt.

Grace’s giggles reached me, grating on my nerves. Louis laughed with her. Last time in a situation like this, the vampire prince had sought me out and spared me from utter humiliation. That ship had sailed now. He’d joined their ranks, and I was on my own.

I’d thought my blood was like pure gold to him and he couldn’t get the same elsewhere. But I was wrong. The vampire prince was sniffing around Grace. Barbie 2.0’s blood must taste smoother and more refined than mine, and he would have an easy time sinking his fangs into her neck, while I guarded my blood like a she-dragon.

Now he was telling her jokes and made her laugh to get her on board. The vampire prince had a lot of dirty jokes, and he was more cunning than the shifter prince when it came to seducing women. Silas was more of a straightshooter, but then as an heir, he didn’t need to lift a finger to work the room, since women threw themselves at him. That was why he was so bad at courting me. They spoiled him rotten.

Obviously, Grace now had at least two powerful heirs to back her up. When Medea had gone against me, she’d relied on her leadership skills instead of rallying the heirs behind her. Grace had learned from Medea’s mistake and struck me where it hurt.

I bet she had more reserved for me. A chill slithered up my spine like a cold snake. Fighting back a shudder, I strolled across the hall, humming a song to fortify myself.

Sy sang with me in the background while I marched on.

“Look at that ridiculous idiot.” Grace’s voice floated from upstairs. “She’s talking to herself since no one will speak to her.”

She pointed me out to the heirs, but her voice carried to the entire hall, and everyone knew right away that she meant me. As if on cue, the entire hall burst into mocking laughter.

Grace was a lot smarter than Medea. She had started this social war, but she didn’t directly take issue with me. At least, not yet. Her amused tone spelled that I was far beneath her, and if I challenged her, I would only admit to being an idiot, as she called me.

So I refrained from reacting but kept humming to myself, tuning out all the noise around me and ignoring all the tablets trained on me, even though I wanted more than anything to burn all those tablets to charred pieces of metal.

Then a rich, entitled male voice boomed over the collective noise. “Barbie!”

I wheeled. “Uh?”

“You,” Silas barked. “I’m calling you, Barbie.”

I squinted and spotted the shifter prince at the heirs’ table on the dais on this floor. His entourage and guards loitered close by. I wondered why he hadn’t joined Killian, Grace, and Louis upstairs. But then, it made sense that the shifter prince would rather be alone here. Shifters and vampires didn’t see eye to eye. And Silas had a long history of butting heads with Killian. So, of course, he wasn’t going to join both of his nemeses without a buffer. Cade usually served as everyone’s buffer, but he was nowhere to be found.

Silas hooked his index finger at me, beckoning me toward his table. I eyed him warily. Was he going to give me trouble as well? It’d be tough to fend off opponents from every direction.

“Why? What for?” I shouted back from where I stood, not willing to give him an inch. All the heirs were top predators, and they could turn on you at the snap of a finger. “I need to get a first helping before everything is gone.”

“You don’t need to get your own food. In my house, no one goes hungry.” He jerked his chin toward a group of shifters a few tables away. “Javier will fetch your food.”

Javier was a panther shifter, and there was bad blood between us. I’d once kicked him in the balls when he tried to bully Bea, which ended up with him unable to fuck a duck’s tight ass for a week, estimated by Cade. I’d also snuck into his apartment to take a shower and used up all his lavender soap. He’d also blamed me, as did Dixie, Silas’s cousin, for getting Luna killed by a Shrieker.

I shook my head desperately. “No, sir, not that coyote shifter.”

Javier growled. “I’m a panther!” He dropped his growl at Silas’s growl.

“Javier hates me for no reason,” I insisted. “I don’t trust the coyote with my food. He’ll spit on it. I won’t take the risk when it comes to my lunch.”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t hate Barbie?” Silas called out.

No one answered.

Louis leaned forward to watch this, a smirk on his lips. Grace snickered loudly amid the silence. Killian looked bored, which stung more.

“Anyone?” Silas added, not giving up.

I looked around hopefully, my face flaming and stony at the same time. Not everyone hated me, right? I wasn’t that awful. I’d helped the minorities, who now refused to make eye contact. No one wanted to stick their neck out for me.

Somehow, the air became thicker than usual. A second later, I sensed mind power vibrating through the hall, the source of the hostility that turned everyone against me. Only true friends could resist such a persuasive power. The heirs could shrug off this type of mental power as well.

“Fine.” Silas sighed. “Does anyone want to please me by volunteering to bring Barbie food?”

“I’ll do it, Your Highness.” A girl rose from a corner table. It was Mila, a reindeer shifter. “I don’t hate Barbie. She stood up for me when I was bullied.”

Bellona and her demon pals had cornered Jinx, Mila, and their geek friends a couple of weeks ago, and I’d helped them out by putting the demons in their place. Mila still hung out with Drusilla and Charlie, but the rest of the geeks had followed Jinx’s lead and joined Grace.

It took courage to stick up for me, even though the shifter heir was backing her up. Then all of a sudden, a dozen or so students shot to their feet and volunteered to bring a tray of food for me, their eager gazes trained on the prince.

Silas beckoned for me to join him again, and there went my plan of getting the food and eating outside. I sauntered toward him, my hands in my pockets. I wasn’t worried about being tripped or attacked, since I was faster than everyone here, except the heirs, though I hadn’t tested the demon queen and her ward’s speed and fighting prowess.

I picked a seat ninety degrees from Silas. No way would I sit too close to the wolf heir. From this angle, I could also catch a glimpse of Killian and his new squeeze toy enjoying a drink. I hoped they choked.

“Are you looking forward to my courting you, Barbie?” Silas smiled at me, his intense amber eyes zooming in on me like a big bad wolf on a cornered bunny.

“What?” I squirmed and stared at him.

He was strikingly handsome. I hadn’t looked at him this closely for a while, but now I took the opportunity to examine him, since I didn’t have much to do while waiting for my food. He had a strong face with good bones, his nose straight, his square jaw stubborn. He definitely came from good stock. A tattoo of giant paws crawling down his left temple made him even more distinctive.

I bet the wolf is good in bed. Sy licked her lips. You should fuck him now that the chaos prince is fucking his bitch and her ward.

I bristled at her stupid advice and shallow personality just as an unexpected pain shot through my chest at the mention of Killian screwing his women.

“You don’t need to play hard to get anymore.” Silas grinned. “I can read females well, and I got strong vibes from you during our speed date.” His smile dropped as he paused to frown in displeasure. “That was a bad date, as it was being staged in the House of Chaos. Now that you aren’t in that suffocating house anymore, no one can control or even try to use you.” His smile returned. The prince could change his expression as fast as shifting. “I’ve been musing over what you said about what women really want. The problem in the realm is that not a single female spoke her mind until you came along. Last time, you bitched that no one ever asked you what your favor color was or what your favorite food was. I was about to ask you those things, but then that poltergeist spy sent by Killian kept interrupting our date. Killian can’t do shit to get between us anymore. Now I’m giving you a chance to tell me all about you.”

Did he seriously think that he was doing me a huge favor by letting me confide in him?

“So, what’s your favorite color, Barbie?” He gave me a nudge, looking pleased with himself.

“I can’t think about colors or anything else while I’m hungry,” I said, looking in the direction of the buffet tables. Why did it take so long for the two shifters to fetch me food? I’d rather pick my own food, since I knew what I wanted.

“Hurry the fuck up!” Silas barked across the hall. “You’re bringing food, not gold. I don’t want Barbie to faint in front of me due to malnourishmentwhile we’re having a meaningful conversation.”

I darted a glance upstairs. Shit, Killian had moved from his former seat, and now I was in his direct line of view. Aided by Sy’s superior sight, I could see him clenching his jaw. When I was in his house, he’d always made sure I had more than enough to eat daily, as if feeding me was one of his most important tasks along with protecting me. There’d always been guards shadowing me, and there’d always been food in the common area outside my room, even at midnight. And I’d still raided the kitchen on a daily basis. The chaos prince had been harsh toward any complaints about me from the kitchen staff until eventually no one else dared bitch about it.

I was out of his hands and out of his house now. I was no longer his burden. But I hoped that he wasn’t relieved about it. I hoped his conscience, if he still had any, bit his ass hard and made it bleed. I hoped he’d never get his HEA with that demon queen and her ward. Even now, I kept sending bad vibes his way and thinking bad thoughts about his two women.

I promised myself I would read a mindset manifest book tomorrow just so I could learn how to shoot potent negative energy toward the trio, so bad luck would fall on them. Or I should just beg Bea to curse them with mage spells.

Mila came back with a winning smile on her chubby face. She dropped two plates of salad in front of me. The reindeer was a vegetarian. I groaned inwardly as I stared at the salad, and Sy growled at the broccoli.

“Thank you,” I said.

Instead of acknowledging my thanks, Mila beamed at her prince before she returned to her table, her gait light and proud, as if she was walking on clouds. I bet this was the first time Silas had even spared her a glance and a nod. But she didn’t know the heirs as I did. He’d already forgotten her face.

The power game was inbred into every supernatural in Mist of Cinder. They did not care about being nice. It was all about power. And obviously, everyone regarded me as a bottom feeder after I had been tossed out of the House of Chaos. No one seemed to appreciate the fact that I belonged to the House of Mages instead of being homeless. This might have to do with Grace’s mind power that perfumed the air.

A large hand came forward while I stared at the plates of undesirable salad, and three more plates were laid out in front of me one by one. The first plate contained my favorite smoked duck and roasted rosemary chicken, the second was full of cakes and puddings, and the third had peaches and berries.

Mouthwatering, I still remembered my manners. I raised my head, my eyes widening at who had brought me the dishes. Rock bowed slightly at Silas, despite the shifter prince’s scowl, before turning to smirk at me.

Why was the chaos warrior still taking care of me even though I wasn’t his charge anymore? And he’d done it in public while his boss watched from his upstairs throne. Rock was loyal to Killian to a fault. He’d never go against his boss’s wishes. What kind of message was the werewolf sending? Wasn’t helping an outcast who belonged to another house a conflict of interest?

Was he declaring that his house never really gave me up? Or was he acting on his own? I couldn’t help but dart a glance at the balcony. Grace’s full pink lips that looked exactly like mine parted in surprise, her smile half freezing. Anger flashing in her eyes, she turned to look at Killian, as if expecting him to discipline his man. If anyone, including the chaos heir, tried to hurt Rock, I’d make them regret it.

Killian drank his wine with the same bored look.

“Thanks, Rocky,” I said, looking between him and the smoked duck. For what it was worth, I didn’t want to get him in trouble. I also had to say something that wasn’t tacky or emotional to dampen the tension, since everyone was watching. “Can you find out if this duck I’m about to eat was raised free-range? It’s wrong to put animals in cages.”

Rock stared at me, then chuckled. “You must be really hungry if you’ve started to forget my name or you’re worried about a duck.” He set a tall cup of smoothie on the table and pushed it toward me. “Just so you know, your room in the House of Chaos won’t admit anyone else.”

I fluttered my eyelids to fight back the moisture at his loyalty and friendship. Rock nodded and strode toward the exit, not looking at anyone else.

Quite a few girls’ gazes traced him, glued to his taut butt. Not everyone could get a prince charming, but some would have a better chance at landing a powerful werewolf and the second-in-command in the House of Chaos.

I pushed away the plates of salad then dragged the three plates Rock had brought me closer and dug in right away. The flavor of smoked duck cooked with paprika, cumin, and chili exploded on my tongue.

The day was finally getting better. I sighed in contentment. Despite the war being waged against me, my life was still heaven here compared to the horror I’d gone through under Ruin’s thumb. If I would have a future and be able to look back on this day, I’d say that I had no regrets. But I knew that this sheltered life would end. The bubble of illusion would burst. Even so, Sy and I had a life here, no matter how briefly. So, I smiled, my golden curls bounced, and my chipped heart was full of gratitude for what I still had.

O how much more doth beauty beauteous seem…

The rose looks fair, but fairer…”

What the fuck? I paused in my chewing, my reverie disturbed, as Silas’s deep voice rumbled, rough and sensual at the same time. Something squeezed in my middle, not in a good way, though not in a bad way either. It was just weird, man.

The shifter prince gazed at me, trying to conjure up a romantic spark in his amber eyes. His firm and curvy lips continued reciting, as if he was greatly encouraged by my puzzled expression that he must’ve interpreted as awe.

I didn’t need that shit to weigh me down. I dropped my gaze to a red velvet cake on my plate and bit into it mercilessly.

“…Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odors made…”

Odors? What odors? I fought the urge to smell under my own armpits or Sy’s.

Did he mean we smell? Sy had to ask. She’d dozed off when Silas started to recite sonnets. The shifter prince is the rude one, but he’s smoking hot.

Silas smiled at me, pleased with himself. Maybe I should tell him that he looked ridiculous playing Romeo. He didn’t have an ounce of romance in his bones, but he was sexy as hell. He should just stay in his lane. And not every woman was a fan of old Romeo.

“Did you compose that ballad, Prince Silas?” I asked, my voice deceptively na?ve.

“Yeah?” He hesitated for half a beat and then nodded firmly. “Of course. It’s been a while since I picked up poetry. I guess I still have it. Romance and gentleness are in my blood.”

I almost choked on the air I inhaled.

The world was full of liars, but some lies were harmless, so I let it go. One wouldn’t have time to eat if they set out to expose every lie. At the very least, I appreciated the prince making an effort to make me feel welcoming. While everyone else avoided me, he invited me to his table, fed me, and even plagiarized to win my good will—the opposite of what Killian had done by choosing my nemesis over me.

In any of my books, a liar was better than a cheater.

“I can’t believe you can grasp ancient verses,” I said. “I never got Shakespeare, though, and I don’t understand all the hype around him.”

He blinked, yet he didn’t flush. “Is this romantic enough for you, Barbie?”

Suddenly, Killian’s roar of laughter rolled across the hall from upstairs. He’d been listening to our conversation with his superior hearing. I pulled my lips back in a half snarl as white- hot anger shot through me at the asshole laughing at the shifter prince for showing me that I was desirable.

“It’s so romantic, Prince Silas.” I put on a bright smile for him and gazed up at him through my thick eyelashes. My golden curls bounced with glee. “Perhaps you can recite more of your poems on a date, if you’re up for it? I don’t know if you know that I’m a romance lover like you. We have a lot in common, and I bet we’re going to have a fabulous time.”

While the chaos prince’s laughter died, the shifter prince’s face lit up. He was a bit surprised though, since I’d never been that sweet to him. A grin stretched his lips, and my heart stuttered at his wolfish beauty. But then he overdid it by flexing his biceps to further impress me. It must’ve worked well on other women.

As I glanced at the nearby tables, my speculation was verified. The other bride candidates traced the movements of his hard muscles in admiration. Power was a thing in Mist of Cinder. It never failed, and that was the language the shifter prince understood. Next, he let his power ripple across the dining hall to charm the mass, an automatic muscle memory that he wasn’t even aware of. But I would not forget that he’d once tried to use compulsion on me to get me to suck his dick, even if it now seemed like ages ago.

You hold a grudge for so long even though the wolf prince has long since forgotten, Sy said.

I didn’t hate Silas, though, never had, but I couldn’t say the same about Killian.

Sy edged closer to the surface to study Silas . He’s powerful. If you feed from him, we’ll feel sated for at least a week.

As she ogled him, starting at his cruel yet gorgeous face, then his throat, then his broad, tattooed shoulders, then his cut chest, I followed her lead. In the back of my mind, a thought sparked like a warm ember. Maybe I could use Silas as a rebound.

A dragon’s growl rumbled across the hall, full of rage and menace. While everyone froze in their seats, I sneered inwardly, then stretched my smile even bigger. “Prince Silas, a date?—”

“Well, well,” Louis cut in as he descended the stairs with a lazy and confident gait. He was like a strutting peacock, yet dangerous. “Is it me”—his gaze fixed on Silas and me—“or is it just too painful to watch this?”

The bride candidates swept their gazes toward the vampire prince, shuddering with excitement as he flashed his fangs at them. They were struggling to settle their attention between the three heirs. Killian still held the interest of half the crowd, even though he hadn’t made an attempt to draw attention to himself other than his dragon’s growl. He wasn’t as cool and indifferent as he’d tried to appear.

Louis rolled up his sleeves, showing off his muscled arms for the benefit of the girls. His pale blue eyes sparkled with competitive glee. His blond hair flowed down his broad shoulders.

Silas huffed out a displeased breath and propped his feet on the table so his powerful legs, hugged by his tailored slacks, were on display for all to ogle. I pulled my smoothie and the plate of cakes away from his expensive and spotless leather shoes and gave him a look. He arched a brow at me, but finally he reluctantly removed his feet from the table.

“What are you doing here, Louis?” Silas demanded, eyeing his rival like he was a fanged serpent. “Don’t you see Barbie and I are busy here?”

“I had to come down.” The vamp prince shook his blond head. “It was just too painful to watch how you awkwardly tried to get into Barbie’s pants. I felt her pain, man, I did, and thus I had to be her shining knight and rescue the virg—” Over my look, he amended, “inexperienced maiden.”

Not too long ago, when the fae prince took me to his villa, I’d blurted out that I was technically a virgin. Well, I wasn’t anymore, thanks to another asshole. But no one knew that Killian had taken my maidenhead. I’d take that secret to the grave. Everyone, except his inner circle, still believed no woman save for his betrothed could touch him without being burned. What a sham! And now, Grace could touch him as well, since the demon queen made an exception for her ward.

Silas glared at Louis. “I don’t do awkward, vamp.” He added with a sneer, “As if you know how to court females.”

“I do,” Louis said cockily as he pulled a chair up next to me and sat his ass down. “It irks you that I always get a lot more action than you, doesn’t it?”

He crossed his ankle over his knee, his arm on the back of his chair, his body trained toward me in invitation. Intense hunger lit his eyes, turning them dark blue, as he couldn’t help but glance at the veins pulsing in my neck. As he noticed my regarding him warily and scooting my butt to the other side of the seat to put a few more inches between us, he fixed his gaze on my face, consciously dimmed the thirst in his eyes, and turned up the voltage of his smile to disarm me.

Only a fool would take it easy facing two predators, one a big bad wolf, the other a ruthless bloodsucker. Not to mention a third predator—my betrayer—and my doppelg?nger were also staring at me with laser focus while the entire school was watching, expecting a showdown.

Supernaturals loved drama as much as humans.

“Sometimes I fucked several women at once. Barbie saw it firsthand,” Louis gloated before he put the brakes on his brag when he noticed my sour look. “I didn’t mean it in a disrespectful way, Barbie. You were Little Bob during those dark times. I haven’t had an orgy ever since your girlhood was”—he paused to glance upstairs—“exposed by Killian.”

He was purposely redirecting my anger.

“You’re upsetting Barbie,” Silas growled. “She isn’t easily impressed by anyone, and I’ve just gotten her to open up. It was going so well until you crushed our good time. Why the hell don’t you go back and sit with them?”

“Them?” Louis narrowed his eyes. “When did it become us and them?”

“You and I aren’t us,” Silas said dismissively.

“Hold the thought,” I chimed in, eyeing Louis with suspicion. “I second Prince Silas. Why didn’t you stay with them , Prince Louis? Grace has the same face as me, and her hair is shiner. Furthermore, she doesn’t have the attitude all of you complain about.” I annoyed people even on my best day. “Highness Silas was sharp enough to ask, why you are with us? I bet the new chick’s blood is sweeter.”

“Now I know what this is about and why you have such a sour look on your face,” Louis said, and flashed me a knowing smile. “I kept wondering how nature could produce someone who looks exactly like you, yet more refined and a lot politer.” He licked his lips, amused laughter in his pale blue eyes as he regarded my scowl. “Everyone can see that Princess Grace was made to replace you. Now that she’s here, Killian’s eyes don’t need to wander.”

My heart skipped a beat. The heirs were more observant than I’d given them credit for. They’d noticed Killian’s interest in me. Well, it’d shifted toward Grace. I swallowed the bitterness rising to the back of my throat.

“I get it, Barbie,” Louis continued. “No one understands rivalry more than I. The other heirs are like my brothers, except Silas of course, yet we’re constantly in competition, pushed by our courts. You couldn’t understand the fucking weight of peer pressure, which would smother a lesser rival.” He glanced at Silas meaningfully, and the shifter prince growled. “You don’t need to feel insecure, Barbie. Killian might be smitten with the new girl, but I have your back. I’ll never abandon you and go for some new hotshot. She looks like you, but she isn’t you. Her magic is different, and she doesn’t have your scent.”

“Care to elaborate on the scent thing?” I asked.

“I’ll explain it to you in detail on our next date,” Louis said. “I’ll even give you tips as to how to counter your doppelg?nger and regain your lost ground.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, mirroring Silas’s expression of annoyance.

Louis chuckled. “Admit it, Barbie. You became unpopular overnight as soon as Grace showed up. Killian might be fooled—after all, he’s a shallow guy like many others here.” He sent Silas another pointed glance before smiling at me cozily again. “But not me. I’m a ‘deep well’ kind of guy.”

“Deep well my ass. You’re the shallowest guy ever,” Silas retorted. “And were you upstairs spying on them?”

“I don’t spy,” Louis said. “I investigate. I don’t like leaving puzzles unsolved or mysteries undiscovered. However, I won’t reveal my trade secrets to unworthy ears.” He turned to me. “I’ll tell you more on our next formal date, as I promised.”

“Back off, vamp! Barbie has set up a date with me,” Silas said.

“This isn’t first come, first served,” Louis said. “Haven’t we all agreed on ‘may the best man win’?”

So their bet on who’d be the first to get into my pants was still running. No wonder someone said that once the heirs marked their target, they never gave up their hunt. They were born predators.

But on the other hand, it comforted me that both heirs had decided to stick with me while everyone else, even those I’d thought were my friends, turned their backs on me. I hoped Bea would stay my friend after she came back. I missed her so much. I tried not to bite my nails as a wave of anxiety washed over me. I hoped her grandma was fine. Bea hadn’t had time to tell me more before she had to return home. I wished I could be there for her as she’d always been here for me.

“And now everyone’s talking about this Barbie 2.0, an Underworld princess as hot as coal,” Louis drawled. “Why don’t you take a chance with her, Silas? Grace is more welcoming, while Barbie doesn’t even care about table manners.”

I glared at the vampire prince.

“Hard pass.” Silas shrugged. “I know what I want and who I want.”

“Barbie isn’t even your type,” Louis tried again. “She has no status and is as poor as dirt.” He forgot that I was no longer as poor as dirt, since I’d gotten a handful of gold coins from him. “You’re the most snobbish son of a bitch among us. As the most sought-after bride candidate, Grace is exactly what you’ve been looking for. You always go for what Killian wants. So, court Grace, since she might be your fated mate.”

“Fuck off,” Silas said. “And you should return upstairs.”

“I’m going nowhere,” Louis said. “I’m right where I want to be.”

Despite both heirs trying to get the other to go after Grace, neither of them made a move. I’d thought that they’d abandon me as soon as they saw Grace, but surprisingly, they’d picked me over her. And the one I’d thought was most solid switched sides as fast as farting.

“Out of curiosity, do you think Grace is more powerful than Barbie?” Silas asked. “Killian seems to think so, since he now constantly shows up here for her.”

Not even the heirs understood the depths of my power. Most supernaturals still thought of me as an Echo, which might be rare but didn’t carry much weight. Some students might’ve seen me levitate into the air and burn a group of Legion of the Brotherhood cult soldiers, but they pretty much refused to believe that I had that kind of power. In the end, Killian had arrived to save the day when he joined forces with the other heirs. People saw what they wanted to see, and everyone accepted that the heirs had led the fight and won the battle.

“The two of them look so much alike, you can barely tell them apart if you don’t check out the color of their eyes,” Louis said. “But their powers and scents are vastly different. Grace’s power comes from the Underworld. I think she also has some archangel blood in her veins. No one can pinpoint Barbie’s power. It seems that our Barbie just crawled out from under a rock one day, and there she was, in the realm. Grace, on the other hand, has a legit background and a solid record of her royal heritage.” He darted a glance at Grace before regarding me again. “No offense.”

I shrugged. “Whatever.”

“Don’t pout, Barbie,” he said. “Don’t let what they said get you down. You aren’t a pale copy of someone else. You’re too unique to be anyone’s copy.”

“I don’t pout,” I said. “And no one can fucking get me down.”

“That’s the Little Bob I remember.” Louis chuckled. “You’re the only female who doesn’t give a fuck about being a bride.”

And thus, I posed a challenge to the heirs and provided them with endless entertainment.

Silas gave me a look. “You need to have more ambition.”

“Nay,” I said. “Ambition can’t fill my belly but will get me killed.”

Even without ambition, I’d still be pushed to the front of the war. With ambition, the number of days I had left in this haven would surely be cut short.

“There’s more to life than filling your belly.” Silas continued to coach me. “Think big, Barbie. Dream big. Mindset matters.” The shifter prince had been reading lately.

“I’ll think about it,” I ceded just to get him off my back.

“How could this even happen that they look so alike, yet they aren’t twins?” Silas circled back to the former subject. He glanced at me, then at Grace, then at me again. “Maybe they’re twins.”

Sy growled.

“Not in any corner of the universe,” I said with disdain.

Grace would never be like me because she didn’t have Sy with her. No one knew about Sy and me, not even Killian and Rowan, who’d each been intimate with one of us. Not even the powerful Queen of the Underworld when she’d hijacked my mind to her domain.

“Lookalikes can happen, but no one can fake a magical scent,” Louis said. “The others can’t tell the difference, but I’m the most powerful vampire. Grace smells like Queen Lilith, as if she’s her extension. The blood of the Princess of the Underworld doesn’t appeal to me. And that’s a nail in the coffin. She’s just not it , unlike Barbie.”

I didn’t feel flattered. Monsters loved me; my flesh, blood, and scent were catnip to them.

“Killian is a lucky guy.” Louis chuckled to himself. “Grace can definitely touch him as well as his betrothed. Now he’s finally getting what he wished for?—”

I fought the urge to swing my arm across his handsome face.

“What wish?” Rowan asked, picking up the unfinished line.

I’d been so absorbed with the intel on Grace that I hadn’t noticed Rowan had strolled in and crept up toward our table. Sy was torn between growling at the other females who thrust their chests out at him and drooling over her boyfriend’s beauty. I gave the fae prince a second glance. He did have the most beautiful nose, straight and noble. He was also more ethereal than the other heirs with his remarkable silver eyes, silver hair, and pale skin. He was dressed in a traditional tunic that fae males favored. His leather trousers showed off his long, powerful legs.

Look at my princeling, Sy said proudly.

What’s there to look at? He’s the same, I said, not missing the fae prince looking at me strangely.

It must’ve been Louis’s comment on Killian being unable to touch anyone else except his betrothed and now her ward. My heart skipped a beat as I recalled that he may have seen Killian kiss me when the heirs rescued me in CrimsonTide. He’d never said anything, not even to Sy.

He glanced upstairs, as if to decide whether he should join Killian or us. The fae prince was closer to Killian than to the other heirs.

He’ll stand by us, Sy said confidently.

Suddenly, Rowan tensed and sniffed, his eyes glowing silver. Then he inhaled deeply, scenting Sy as she pumped her pheromones into the air through me. Rowan darted his eyes around, searching for her. When he couldn’t find her in the crowd, he turned back toward me, zooming in on me as if he could see her through me.

Louis and Silas went wild as well, darting their gazes around, searching for the source.

“What’s that scent?” Silas called, sniffing and inhaling.

“It’s mouthwatering,” Louis said. “I’ve never smelled anything like that.”

Get a hold of yourself! I snarled at Sy. If you expose us like this, you’ll put us in danger.

I was helping you bring them to their knees. She pouted, yet she retreated. Her pheromones faded. At the same time, I no longer shielded my scent but unleashed it into the air to cover hers.

“It’s similar to Barbie’s scent,” Silas trained his amber gaze on me, his eyes glowing, “yet not quite hers.”

“It vanished,” Louis said in disappointment.

“Hmm, it’s interesting,” Rowan said, looking at me.

Silas and Louis followed suit. And then all three heirs stared at me, studying me.

“Don’t look at me,” I said roughly. “I ain’t the answer.”

The three heirs inhaled again, looking rueful and still somewhat aroused.

Sy peeked out in glee at the mess she’d made, but she was at least refraining from getting too close to the surface now. The three heirs started to growl at each other, not appreciating smelling each other’s arousal in close proximity.

Rowan growled louder and more territorially, as he had intimate knowledge of Sy’s scent.

I needed to defuse the tension, as it was starting to feel suffocating around these alpha males. Their power beat in the air and made my skin tingle.

Killian leaned forward from his seat, observing us and expecting a fight to break out between his rivals. Now and then, I could still read his mood, as if this connection between him and me hadn’t broken, despite his betrayal.

I cleared my throat and let my dark power eat the last trace of scent left by reckless, immature, and horny Sy. “Prince Silas, I have a question for you.”

All three princes blinked at me as if they’d just woken up from a trance.

“Shoot, Barbie,” Silas said, re-collecting himself.

“I was thinking of the beautiful poem you composed,” I said. “The last verse of ‘when that shall fade’ got me thinking.”

“You don’t need to think further,” Louis snorted. “Silas didn’t come up with that sonnet. He stole it from WS.”

A flash of red appeared on Silas’s neck. “Who the fuck is WS?”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows that he’s the rightful author of Romeo and Juliet .”

“Do females really dig Romeo and Juliet ?” Rowan asked.

He was gathering tips on romancing Sy. The heirs hadn’t needed to pursue women, as they’d always been the ones to be pursued.

I sneered. “Romeo was a pussy.” I ignored the heirs’ stares and carried on. “Does no one realize that he was a womanizer? In the beginning, he had a thing for another chick, but as soon as he spotted Juliet, younger and more beautiful, he dumped his old girlfriend cruelly and went for the new squeeze right away. What a jerk.”

Silas frowned. “Are we reading the same Romeo?”

“Everyone goes for the younger, prettier thing,” Louis said shamelessly. “What’s wrong with that?”

Pigs! I almost shouted out. Males in this realm couldn’t even see what was wrong with that, since that was exactly what they did all the time—always went for someone newer, hotter, younger, and more powerful. Those pigs would argue that it was the nature of male biology, so the most powerful bloodlines would keep producing strong offspring, good for evolution, good for the future of the realm.

I glared at Louis, then at the other two princes, including all of them in my wrath, before I sent a glare upstairs, trained on the chaos prince.

“But Romeo sacrificed himself for Juliet,” Silas said. “He died for her, didn’t he?”

He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t finished the story.

“Suppose the star-crossed lovers got together and even had a dozen children, do you think Juliet would have lived happily ever after?” I laughed drily and viciously, but I took care not to let my spit fly, since the heirs were putting a bit more distance between them and me now. “Do you think Romeo would still fall to his knees to praise Juliet’s beauty and confess his undying love for her after she had crow’s-feet around her now-foggy eyes and flashed her yellow teeth at him? She could have a saggy belly due to aging and having a bunch of kids.”

I hoped Killian would picture Grace with all that floppy flesh in a few years.

The princes winced at the vivid images I’d described for them.

“Thanks, Barbie, for ruining Romeo and Juliet for me,” Silas said, sighing.

I didn’t feel bad. At least I didn’t have to run from him to avoid his poetry.

“That’s a vicious picture,” Louis murmured. “I can’t unsee it now even if I go home to wash my eyes.”

“That image is disturbing,” Rowan agreed.

I wasn’t done. “Beauty fades. And think of the apron of sagging skin hanging below your future mate’s big navel, Your Highnesses.”

“Who shit in your coffee today?” Silas asked.

“I didn’t have coffee today,” I complained.

“Don’t worry, Barbie,” Louis said. “We’re immortals.”

“You all missed my point,” I said, frustrated that I had to spell it out for them. “My point is that feelings fade.” I pounded my fist on the table. My smoothie spilled, and a donut was about to roll off the table. I caught it and bit into it, then spoke with an open mouth and open hostility. “Nothing lasts forever!”

The princes gazed at me. My rage turned them on, except for Rowan. The fae prince had eyes only for Sy.

“That’s deep, Barbie,” he said with an undertone of sarcasm. “I can see that you aren’t just some girl going after diamonds. Anyway, have you seen your friend Sy? I sent you several messages already.” He opened his palm, revealing another pink diamond. “You won’t respond until you see this, will you?”

I sucked in a breath. This one was bigger than the first diamond he’d offered me. Sy peeked out, grinning so big that I bet her face would hurt later.

Now everyone was staring at the diamond.

“What’s that for, man?” Louis asked.

“It’s for Barbie,” Rowan said. “We have a deal.”

“What deal?” Silas demanded.

“That’s between Barbie and me,” said Rowan.

I could feel Killian’s predatory gaze zooming in on Rowan. He wasn’t entertaining Grace now despite her pouting and pawing at him.

Fuck Killian.

Let him say please first, Sy offered.

I grinned at Rowan, giving him a subtle nod of confirmation that I would be sending Sy to work tonight. Then I turned my smile on Silas and Louis, not wanting to alienate them. I needed all the other heirs to go against the chaos heir.

So far, they’d stood by me.

There had never been a true rift between the heirs. They were assholes to each other, but they’d always presented a united front to fend off any outside force. They’d never allowed anyone to drive a wedge between them, but that was before the demon queen came and pitted herself against me.

Now the camp was divided, the line drawn. On one side, it was Killian and his demon queen, who was aiming for the seat of the High Queen of Mist of Cinder. On the other side, it was the rest of the heirs and me.

“How about we go camping, Highnesses?” I suggested. “Or go hunting?”

Sy grinned happily. She was a hunter, as were all the heirs.

“You are speaking my language, Barbie.” Louis grinned. “It’s been a while since we hunted. What say you, gentlemen?”

“This weekend, then,” Silas said with an aggressive smile.

“I’m in,” Rowan said. “You should invite Sy, Barbie. In fact, I insist.”

Sy preened and thrust out her big tits.

“We should include Prince Cade as well,” I said, not wanting the mage prince to ally with Killian and his two women.

“Where the fuck is Cade?” Silas asked, looking around and narrowing his eyes. “Usually, he’s the most responsible one among us and shows up at every gathering.”

The mage heir was the glue of the group that was now divided for the first time. I wondered if he’d try to put the group back together again or let it go and side with me. I was now in his house, wasn’t I?

“We grew up together, and we often thought we knew each other,” Louis said, darting a glance upstairs. “Things aren’t what they seem, and some friends are not what they appear. Even Cade has his own secrets, probably more than any of us.”

The heirs all had dark secrets. I had learned a few of them already. A high position came with its own pitfalls. I didn’t envy the heirs. That was why I wasn’t willing to grab ambition by the balls.

Plus, mostly, I knew that I couldn’t really have a future with anyone, not until my father was dead. Well, Ruin was one of the old gods, and he would never really be dead no matter how many times I stabbed him, but I would find a way to contain him or reduce him to his weakest state—he’d been broken after his war against the other ancient gods, and that would buy me another thousand years.

In my head, I knew that I couldn’t have a future with Killian either, but it didn’t lessen the pain in my heart as I watched him replace me with another right after he’d fucked me.

“Did you spy on Cade?” Rowan stared at Louis in displeasure.

The fae prince hated anyone trying to get into others’ business, as he harbored one deadly secret that he’d only confessed to Sy, which spoke volumes of how deep her claws had him hooked. More power to her, though, and more diamonds for me in the near future.

I rubbed the new pink diamond the fae prince had given me and smiled, the future less gloomy. I just needed to send Sy to work double shifts. Working was fun for her anyway, and how many people could say that?

Not many people. Sy grinned. Am I on schedule to work tonight, Barbie?

I rolled my eyes with a yes. She’d asked five times, but I had to hand it to her that she was a good worker bee and never complained when working.

“Spy?” Louis snorted. “You can drop your gentleman’s act. As if you don’t have spies everywhere as well. Yeah, lie to my face and tell me that you don’t have any skeletons in your closet.”

Rowan pursed his sensual lips and shook his head in disgust. “Fuck off, vamp.”

Despite their rivalry and harsh banter, there was this easiness between them. Soon they started to tell jokes, poking fun at each other. And upstairs, Killian didn’t seem to be paying Grace much attention, even though she was trying hard to pull him back to her by telling him about her day or constantly touching him while batting her golden eyelashes that looked just like mine.

Scratch “lie low.” My foes wanted to be thorns in my side, then let me be the salt in their wounds. But I didn’t say fuck Killian under my breath again, since Sy would say Yes, please .

I laughed at the heirs’ every joke to show Killian that I was so over him. I might be living on borrowed time, but I refused to live in the shadows anymore—definitely not in the shadows of Killian, his demon queen, and my copy.

The dining hall suddenly quieted down, my final note of shrill laughter echoing in the silence. A new power rippled through the air. I turned my gaze to the source just like everyone else.

Queen Lilith stood in the doorway in a white gown, as brilliant as a star that would never fall. She gazed at the balcony, at Killian.

He rose to his feet, nodding at her. It took no time for him to descend the stairs toward her, his strides lithe and predatory. No man could wear a black dress shirt and designer pants as well as him. He was indeed a heartthrob, even though he belonged to another woman.

He reached her, not sparing a glance for anyone. As he offered her his arm, she hooked hers around his. Together, the golden couple strode out, his darkness and starlight accenting her hellfire.

My heart turning to hard ice, I dragged my gaze away from them and trained it on Grace, who stood in the middle of the stairs, watching the powerful couple leave her behind like an abandoned puppy.

Without them, she appeared like a shell without a soul to light it up.

Something didn’t add up.

But I should probably worry about myself, as icy pain burned in my chest. I hated to admit it, but I wasn’t over Killian. Even when he was gone, leaving with the woman who’d staked her claim on him, desire still swam in my veins like liquid fire.