Rhett
I glare hard at Max, my hands shoved deep in my pockets. He returns the look with interest, his fangs bared at me.
God, what an idiot.
“She’s lying to you, Max,” I growl. “We’ve been over this!”
“You’re such a jerk, Rhett,” Max snarls, shaking his head at me. “She’s a lovely girl – I can’t fucking believe you had a knife to her throat earlier tonight –“
“I probably should have cut it!”
His mouth drops clean open. “What is – Rhett are you okay?” Max asks, storming forward, not an ounce of actual care for my mental health in his expression. “She’s a tiny, sweet little girl who is kind of a nerd! She likes to read and sit in the library all day! She was sobbing in my arms this evening terrified of
RhettI lean toward Max, pressing a hand to my chest, speaking slowly and seriously like I’m begging him to hear me. Which I am – even though we’ve been through this a thousand times. “I don’t date in this school, Max, because I’m a fucking Delta. The girls here are Celestials – they don’t even look at me.”“One – bullshit,” Max, says, holding up a finger at me in the same way I did to him a few minutes ago – something we’ve been doing since were kids. “I see girls looking at you all the time –““Looking is different than dating. You can look at someone without acknowledging its worth as a person.”Max takes a deep breath, I think seeing my point and working hard – again, as he usually does – to check his p
RhettI stare at it, my lips turning down as I realize that it’s…moving.Slowly I move closer, my eyes training on it and then going wide when I realize that it’s…A little golden fish, swimming through the air without a care in the world, making lazy circles and leaving little sparkling ripples in its wake. I lean close, completely fascinated and utterly baffled.The fish looks at me and then slows, turning toward me in the air like he’s just noticed my presence. I bend low so that my face is even with his. His little fins pump as if he’s holding himself steady in the water and he turns his head from side to side, studying me with each of his eyes in turn.Hello.The word echoes in my mind, shining and golden and…wonderful.Wouldn’t you like to come with me?Slowly I nod.I have something delicious to show you. You&r
Sabrina I lean against the stone wall in the shadow of the library doors, using one of the very expensive pieces of higher magic that my father bought for me as a child to pull darkness around me, letting me blend in here with the wall. The spell, ingrained in my body now, takes no effort or magic – controlled and run by the beating of my heart until I dismiss it just as easily.God, but higher magic is great.My wolf paces back and forth in my soul – not precisely anxious but…wary. Eager. Waiting. My eyes move to the little table I set up before the library doors.There’s not much on it, just a little saltine cracker resting on the wood. And above it, my other magical fish, which gleefully fileted and cooked itself upon my command. I’m very pleased with this little spell of Philomena’s – it’s brilliant, and so detailed. I mean, the fish is largely
SabrinaI clench my fists against my side against my wolf’s desperate protests as Rhett opens his mouth and slips the cracker inside.The crunch is audible in the silent hall as he begins to chew.I watch the movement of his throat as he swallows.Victory wars with remorse in my heart, my wolf falling to the ground of my soul in grief, wanting him alive.But he left us with no choice.Rhett crumples to the ground a moment later and I wait, watching as he moans, as the foam starts to bubble at his mouth.Cosette I gasp, going still in the middle of the empty hall, my mind suddenly clearing. My eyes go wide, my hands flying out to my side as if I’m catching myself as I suddenly realize that I’m walking alone in the middle of the hall – with nothing but my water bottle clenched in my hand – when on earth did I pick th
Cosette“Give me that!” Sabrina growls, throwing herself to the ground next to me and snatching for my water bottle, knowing precisely what I intend to do with it.“No!” I cry, shoving her away, kicking her sharply in the thigh. She gasps, sprawling on her side for a moment as I turn back to the dying man whose body hitches and shakes, coming to the absolute end –I have to get to him now –I shift to my knees, crawling back to his side.“Cosy!” Sabrina screeches, getting up too, grabbing for me. “Don’t you dare –“I turn, whipping the water bottle out and splashing her in the face with it. She gasps, surprised more than anything, going still.“You move,” I snarl, pointing at her with the bottle. “One fucking inch, Sabrina – and I will turn that to acid &nd
CosetteShe smacks my finger away with her free hand, glowering. “He tried to kill me first!” She rips her hand from her cheek and pulls back the neck of her hoodie, lifting her chin so I can see the bandage on her neck.“Sabrina, that’s barely a scratch if it can fit under that –““Oh shut up, Cosette, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” she grumbles, letting go of her hoodie and lowering her chin to glare at me again. “Any knife to the throat is a threat to life!”I shift my eyes to Rhett, glaring at him for a second. But then I feel very stupid – it’s not like he can see me – so I shift my eyes back to her.“Well, what did you do to make him want to kill you!?”She gasps, pressing her hands to her chest. “Cosette, I am the victim here!”
Cosette Sabrina sighs and lifts her eyes to mine. “Yes, Cosy, we have to carry him. We’re going to carry him back to my room.”My eyebrows raise. I mean, luckily her room is on this floor but…it’s far.“And then what?” I ask, knowing that she’s very right about everything that Rhett will know once I heal him and he wakes up.“Then…we’ll wipe his memory.”“What!?” I lean toward her, aghast. “You can do that?”“I have a spell,” my cousin mutters, frowning down at the mostly dead guy before us. “I’ve…never tried it, but I have it.”“Brina!”“What!?”I groan. “This is a crap plan!”“The good plan is to let him die, Cosette –“I put my hand o
SabrinaI find the book, flipping to the requisite pages, glancing over them again and nodding when I’m sure it’s the right one. Then I move back over to the bed, sitting down and passively listening to Cosette’s soft singing as I work through the wording of the spell. A light breeze blows over my face -My head snaps up at that and I look immediately to the door to my balcony, which is cracked open. When did I do that?I shake my head, wondering if I’m getting a little sloppy. Or maybe I drank too much with Max earlier.God, Max. Was it really just an hour ago that I was curled up on a couch with him, making out, his hand halfway up my skirt?Man, this night really has had its highs and lows.I turn my eyes back to Cosette as she stops singing. To my shock, she sits back looking quite pleased, both of her cups empty.“That fast?” I ask, leaning closer to the bed and
Sabrina“Sabrina!”“It’s just girl code –““It’s insane!”I frown at her. “No, it’s not.”“Sabrina, I don’t even have a chance with him –““It’s not about that.”“It’s ridiculous to end all of your plans just because I asked you to –““But you didn’t ask me to,” I say, nodding seriously to her. “And…I mean, it would be easier to pull off all I have planned if Max is gaga for me, all wrapped up in a love haze but…” I purse my lips, considering again what I spent the whole night considering after I left his rooms. “I can do it in other ways.”She just stares at me, her mouth continuing to hang open.“I’m still going to have to stay close to him,” I sa
Sabrina“Cosette,” I say softly, pressing my hand to my heart and leaning toward her, needing her to hear me on this. “I didn’t know that you felt that way about Max.”She blushes and drops her eyes, her natural bashfulness coming into play. “I know you didn’t, Sabrina. I just…didn’t know you intended to get close to him in that way.”“So, when I said I was going to his dinner parties…”She shrugs. “I guess I just thought you meant as a friend. Or like, a spy. It never even entered my mind that you’d want more. I mean…” she lifts her eyes to mine now. “He’s your enemy. Why would you want to kiss him?”I smirk a little. “I mean, you’ve never wanted to…”She scoffs at me and I put my hands up, not pushing any furt
Sabrina“Stop it!” she shouts, grabbing her pillow and hurling it at me. “It’s not normal! No, it was not okay for him to put his hands on me but you’re not going to kill him! This is going to be handled in a very normal way!”“Which is?” I ask, dry.“We’re going to report it to the bosses and let them decide!”I huff, shaking my head at her as I turn back to Matt –“Don’t look at him!”Kind of stunned by my cousin’s unusual order, I turn back to her, eyebrows again raised. “I’m in charge!” she says, smacking her palm against her mattress with a thwack. “This is my life! We’re doing this my way – not some sick underworld Lupa way! Say it! Now!”I take a deep breath. “I’m not letting him hurt you, Cosette.”
Cosette“Whoa!” Juliette shouts, skidding to a stop at our side. “What – what the hell’s going on here!?”Matty slowly raises to his feet as Demrick groans in pain – and maybe in terror - and I just stand very still, shocked.“Demrick put his hands on her,” Matty growls, glaring down at his enemy before lifting his eyes to Juliette. I watch as he shifts in to his usual calm demeanor – tucking his Lupa identity away, becoming again the hapless nice guy who is so helpful in the kitchen. “I told him not to.”Juliette turns her attention to me, eyes flaring. “Is that true, Cosette?”“Um,” I say, hesitating but then shrugging. God, I don’t – I don’t want this to become a thing. “Yes? He shook me –“Juliette gasps, spinning her attention back to Demrick with ire in her eyes as more people gather
Cosette“Was it a guy!?” he asks again – shouts, really, his arms tightening around me so much that I yelp, surprised as I’m crushed against his chest.“No!” I cry, shaking my head. And it’s not a lie – not really – Max didn’t do anything – and honestly, neither did Sabrina if I’m admitting the truth to myself – I didn’t tell her that I like the Prince, and even if I did I have no claim on him –The only person who’s really hurting me is my own stupid heart –“Who have you been seeing, Cosette?” Demrick snarls, his head lifting and snapping as he looks up and down the hall like someone who dated and dumped me is just going to be standing there thumbing his nose at us or something.“No one!”Demrick snarls again, louder now, his
CosetteI wipe hastily at my cheeks as I rush down the hall, sniffing hard. But no matter how fast my hands work they can’t seem to make the stupid tears just go away.God, this is so embarrassing.But I can’t help it – I’m just…fucking devastated.I couldn’t believe it for a second when I wheeled the cart into the room – I though I had to be imagining it or that my eyes had suddenly broken or that I’d gone insane.Sabrina! Fucking Sabrina in Max’s lap – my Max!My wolf howls and I scowl at myself because…why am I being so stupid!?I whip around the final hall corner and hurry down the basement corridor toward my room, desperate to get in there where no one will see me.Because this truly is so incredibly stupid. And not even just silly – just stupi
SabrinaAnd I remember that he’s always known her name. And while that might be just him liking her pastries and being kind to the employees of this institution, that sort of thing means something to girls like Cosette who are so talented and so often overlooked.I remember back to the night I tried to poison Rhett –And the charm she used on the water – the rhyme so simple, but flexible enough that a powerful Pancibus like her could…could use it every day, bake it right into the bread…Bread that Max eats every morning and evening.My jaw drops when I realize that…Cosette has been protecting him. Protecting Max from any poisons that someone might slip into his food – into any of his food, as long as he eats her bread along with it. And more than that, she’s been boosting his health – everyone’s health who eats her pastri
Sabrina“No!” Rhett calls back to me, pushing the door from the other side. “My thesis statements are fine – I don’t need your damned critiques tonight –“I burst out laughing, pushing harder, and the door gives way just a little bit. We’re all well aware that this is a farce - I’m small enough and he’s big enough that if Rhett wanted this door shut it would be. But I play along, pushing hard, enjoying myself. “Your thesis statements are crap!”“They’re fantastic!”“You need me!” I give one final shove and the door gives, Rhett smirking at me on the other side.He looms over me and points a finger at my face. “You keep your little sparkly pink pen away from my work tonight, Spencer.”I wrinkle my nose at him, all of my teeth bared in a wide smile. “Just try
SabrinaOr! That same bedroom could become the sky itself, and I could conjure up some wings on my back and walk through the clouds, feeling something akin to what it’s like to be a bird. I mean, I wouldn’t be able to touch any of the clouds or feel the wings, but it could be –“Hey!”I turn with surprise toward the voice, my face breaking into a smile when I see Oliver, of all people, chasing me down the hall.“Betty,” he says, smiling and slowing his jogging steps. “Damn, you got far fast.”I laugh, grinning up at him. “Little feet,” I say, lifting one fashionably booted foot and nodding down to it. “Make fast tracks.”His smile deepens. “You say weird shit. I love that.”Joy races through me. God, I love boys.“What’s up, Ollie?” I ask, stepping just half a step closer, ti