by Belle Malory
“You don’t have to tell me,” she said, fidgeting on the bench next to me. The subject seemed to make her just as uncomfortable as it made me. “Your grandpa hinted things got a bit complicated at home.”
“An understatement,” I said under my breath.
“Look, you have Ares blood. Whatever you did, the Fates will find a way to include you.”
I wasn’t sure about that, but I hoped she was right.
“What about the other islands?” I pressed her to go on. The more she told me, the more I wanted to know. There was a whole life I’d missed out on, and I was fascinated by every detail.
“Summer is residential. Then there’s Fielders’ Island, where creatures like me live.” She paused to grin. “And Twilight Island, but its off limits to students.”
“Why?”
“There’s a street there called Folly Promenade that’s basically a Mythonian version of Bourbon Street. I’ve never been, but my parents say only fools looking for trouble go there.”
I remembered her mom forbidding it, and now I understood why.
Before I could ask more questions, Grandpa was back with our tickets. “All set?” he asked us, and we nodded. He reached for my suitcase and held out his arm, leading the way. The nausea had passed, thank God, and I could stand without feeling like I would fall over.
“Let’s board, then we’ll make use of the ferry’s café. Sheridan, you’re probably starving.”
“Not really.”
“You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday,” he said, frowning.
My stomach felt like it was caving in on itself, but the thought of food was sickening. Grandpa gave me a look that said he didn’t buy it, but he let the subject die.
Once I was up and walking, I dissected the huge crowds of passengers. Mages and creatures were everywhere. Most looked like your normal, garden-variety human beings. I wondered what kinds of magic they possessed. Then I wondered what kind of magic I possessed. Remembering the way the curtain caught fire in Riley’s room sent a little thrill through me. Could I do it again?—Did I even want to?
It happened while I was at my worst. Did that mean the magic itself was tainted? What a terrifying thought.
Filing in line, we quickly boarded and headed to the main lobby where there were rows of tables and chairs, and the café Grandpa mentioned.
Hazel tapped my shoulder and tipped her head in the direction of a group of guys who looked like modern-day gladiators dressed in leather kilts and metal armbands. Four in total, all of them proudly displaying well-defined muscles and golden from head to toe. I practically salivated—they were gorgeous.
“Betcha they’re House Ares students,” Hazel said with a wink. “That’s their uniform.”
“House Ares?” I said, confused.
She shook herself. “Oh, right. I keep forgetting you’re a newbie. Arcadia has houses for each of the original bloodlines, and one for special creatures such as yours truly. Wherever you get placed is where you focus your magic. Ares, for example, focuses on strength, fighting, war, and heroism.”
I stared at the gladiators more closely, in awe of their gleaming muscles and the raw power they exuded. They carried themselves with confidence, keeping their heads held high and their backs straight, as if they owned the world. I was a little jealous. I wouldn’t mind possessing some of that power for myself.
“Be careful, or you’ll drool all over the floor,” Hazel said, and I laughed.
Almost as soon as it happened, I stopped and pressed my lips together. It didn’t feel right, laughing. I wasn’t sure if I should be allowed to have happy moments, not this soon, anyway.
Grandpa noticed my reaction. “Hazelwood, be a darling and go and get us some lunch from the café.” He pulled out a few bills from his wallet, obviously trying to get rid of her. “Coffee would be nice too.”
I shook my head. “I’m really not hungry—”
He pushed the bills into Hazel’s hands. “Three sandwiches. Three coffees. Oh, and three of those strawberry pastries, the ones with the honey glaze and powdered sugar. Take your time.”
I groaned internally, knowing another speech was coming. Hazel gave me a sympathetic look before she darted off to do my grandpa’s bidding.
Once she was gone, he gestured to a nearby empty table. “Have a seat.”
I dropped into the plushy chair, and he took the one across from me. “This has been one helluva journey for you, these last twenty-four hours. Lots to take in.”
I nodded, wondering where he was going with this.
He stroked the edge of his jaw, studying me. “How are you handling it so far?”
“About as well as Alice after she fell down the rabbit hole.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I can see that.”
“I’m fine, Grandpa. Really.”
“The situation with your sister…” His salt-and-pepper mustache twitched. “Are you ready to talk about it now?”
“You know what happened.” I fidgeted with the charms on my bracelet, the one I’d forgotten to throw away and had strangely found its way back to my wrist.
Dad heard and saw enough to know why the fight started. I figured he would fill Grandpa in on all the awful details.
“I heard the short version. I’m giving you a chance to tell your side. I’m also hoping to God I got it wrong, and you’ll tell me this didn’t start over a goddamned boy.” He shook his head, as if the idea disgusted him.
A boy.
I almost laughed.
It sounded so cliché and petty summed up like that.
Connor wasn’t just any boy. He was the perfect boy-next-door I’d been crushing on since middle school. He was every girl’s high school fantasy packaged together in six feet of lean muscle and wavy blonde hair. He was intertwined fingers, long kisses, and phone calls that lasted until four in the morning. But most importantly, he was mine.
Yes, it started with a boy.
I blinked once, trying to unsee everything I’d seen, but the images flashed through my mind, one after another. The two of them breaking apart when I walked into her room. The way they hurried to adjust their clothes. Riley’s lack of remorse. “Dad wouldn’t have let me see him,” she said, her voice eerily monotone. “He kept me confined to this house, like a caged animal.”
At least Connor seemed sorrier than she did.
“Please understand, Sher.” Tears watered his green eyes—eyes I used to daydream about. Eyes that used to gaze at me as if I were all that mattered. “It was the only way we could be together.”
Their confessions slammed into me, each one hitting me with the weight of an anvil. I could barely breathe. “The two of you used me?”
Connor dated me to get access to my sister.
Somehow it seemed worse, that this wasn’t just about cheating. This was a carefully laid plan of deception. It meant every tender look, every kiss, every moment of affection Connor and I shared was fake, all done for her. Ugh, it was sickening.
The freaking shitstorm of all love triangles.
I pushed Connor aside to face Riley, glaring as rage brewed inside of me. She squared her shoulders and tilted her chin, as if she were preparing for battle. Her large hazel eyes that were so like my own stared back at me without…anything. There was nothing there that should have been. Not shame, and certainly not guilt.
Everything weighing between us over the last seventeen years came to the surface. My science trophy she shoved behind her pile of sports trophies. The time we went to Charlotte for her soccer regionals, because according to her, it was more important than my stupid science fair. The time she made Dad shell out double for her homecoming dress, because she was in the homecoming court, and her dress mattered more than mine. Her life was always more important. Her friends, her boyfriends, her interests and hobbies were the priorities. Now she’d stolen the one person who meant something to me. Not just stolen, but proven he was never really mine to begin with.
It felt as if a barrel of dy
namite waited between us, and Riley lit the match. I didn’t just want to kill her—I wanted to obliterate her.
“Start talking,” Grandpa said, drawing me back into the present.
I pressed my lips together. What was there to say?
It may have started over one asshole boy, but this ran so much deeper. Riley’s betrayal severed whatever sisterly ties connected us. From now on, we weren’t family. We were enemies.
“Everything Dad said is true,” I said simply. “I have no excuses.”
“Most people don’t like to take accountability. I admire your ability to do so, but I still don’t know how you feel.”
He wasn’t going to let this go, not this time.
Next to me was a window looking out on the dark blue sea. My ordinary, everyday world was drifting farther and farther away. I watched it fade into the oblivion, trying to figure out how I felt about it. “I’m torn,” I admitted. “Between guilt and fury.”
He considered that. “You can feel bad about what you’ve done and still be angry with your sister for what she did. I’d be surprised if you didn’t.”
Within that spread of endless blue, I saw Riley’s face all over again, that unfathomable gleam in her eye. I curled my hand into a fist, anger swirling hot in my chest. “She enjoyed it.”
“Enjoyed what?”
“The moment she confessed. It was like…” I shook my head, trying to find the right words. “Like she wanted to break me.”
Grandpa took a slow breath. “No one can break you, Sheridan.”
I met his concerned stare, knowing he was right. I was still here, still going, but Riley did send me over the edge. “You know that expression to see red?”
He nodded.
“I was consumed by rage, Grandpa. It felt like I had no control over it.”
He frowned, but his eyes were full of understanding. “It’s in your blood. Here in Mythos, you can learn to control it. This is the best place for you.”
“The best place for villains?”
He laughed at that. “You’re not a villain, Sher Bear.”
I tilted my head, wishing he wouldn’t make light of the situation. “How can you be so sure?”
“I just am.” He said it as if that were his final decision on the matter. “At their most evolved, Ares descendants embody heroism. You’re made of stronger stuff.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
In the distance, I saw Hazel making her way back, her arms full of food and coffee. “Eat something,” Grandpa said, his tone pleading. “We have a long day ahead of us, and you need the energy.”
It was a request, not an order. Almost on cue, my stomach growled. “Fine,” I sighed. I’d take a few bites, even if I had to force it down.
“Good girl. One more thing,” he added. “Do yourself a favor and leave what happened yesterday back in Davidson. You’re onto new beginnings, my girl. Don’t allow your sister to haunt you here.”
That particular request bordered on the impossible, but I nodded, agreeing to try. It would be nice, not having to share this with Riley. My own secret world. But at the same time, I wondered why they weren’t including her.
“Can Riley do things like me?” I said, thinking of the fire.
He shrugged, seeming unconcerned. “Probably, but we don’t think she knows it yet.”
“If she’s a descendant too, shouldn’t she be here?”
“In the future, if that’s what she chooses. For now, your dad thinks it’s best to keep the two of you separated for a while.”
Hazel approached, setting down cups and paper bags on the table between us. “They were out of the strawberry pastries, but I got us a few cinnamon rolls.”
Grandpa grinned. “Next best thing.” He began divvying out the food, ending our conversation. I wanted to ask him how Dad knew it was me who started that fire, but I let it drop for now.
He was right; Riley and I needed this break.
And for once, I needed to start thinking of myself. This was my chance to be on my own for a while. Maybe all of this was a blessing in a magical, unbelievable disguise.
4
Wind whipped at my hair and brine needled my cheeks. I’d finally found a moment alone, walking along the side of the ferry to collect my thoughts. A stretch of green grew in the distance, surrounded by miles of blue. This part of the boat was practically empty; most of the travelers were inside the lobby. My stomach was full, and my heart a little less heavy. For the first time since leaving home, I felt like I could take a deep breath. And I did, several times over. Out here, in the middle of the ocean, it felt like maybe I could leave what happened behind me. Big emphasis on that maybe, but hey, it was more than I expected.
Leaning against the railing, I took in my first views of Mythos. Spellbound, I didn’t notice anyone hurrying along the deck behind me until a guy built like a brick wall smacked into my shoulder, almost knocking me over. “Dude, seriously?” I spun to see who carelessly trampled me.
“Sorry—” He stopped short, staring at me with wide, incredulous eyes.
And those eyes, dear god.
Bluer than the turquoise water beneath us, surrounded by full, thick lashes that would make any girl jealous. It didn’t seem fair they belonged to a guy—and he was definitely all guy. A young gladiator, dressed like the ones Hazel and I had seen in the lobby, every inch of him ripped and full of lean, gleaming muscles. I couldn’t decide if I was attracted or afraid.
The rest of him was just as beautiful, even his flaws. Dark hair waved around his chiseled face, a tiny white scar marking the skin above his left brow. His nose was slightly crooked, as if it had been broken before, and his lips appeared both hard and soft. I always thought Connor was the be-all and end-all of gorgeous guys, but this one put him to shame.
My stomach fluttered, and I immediately backed up.
Was that…
Holy crap, I could feel his magic. It radiated from him in strong waves, blazing through me like fire. Warm, intoxicating, and strangely intimate. If just standing near him could signal that much magic, he must be powerful.
“Sorry, I…” He repeated himself, stumbling over his words again.
“It’s okay,” I finally said, since he couldn’t seem to finish his own sentence.
I should be the speechless one. Between the two of us, he was clearly the marvel.
Another gladiator appeared, a little stockier and darker in complexion. He nudged his friend, trying to get him to move or react. “What’s gotten into you, Xander?”
Great question, buddy.
I mean, I was cute, but I wasn’t this level of attention-grabbing.
Then I saw it. A subtle look of recognition. This Xander guy acted like I was the ghost of freaking Christmas past.
But that didn’t make sense. There was no way for us to know each other, and he wasn’t exactly the forgettable type. I tilted my head, studying him more closely, and those eyes of his did the same, drowning me in their intensity.
“She said it’s okay,” his friend said, waving his hand in front of Xander’s face. “Question is—are you?”
He startled out of his daze, flinching. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, opening his mouth to speak, but his attention caught hold of something behind us.
“Sheridan,” Grandpa’s gravelly voice rang out. His firm hand came over my shoulder, turning me around. “We’re docking soon. Let’s head back to the lobby.”
He scowled at the blue-eyed gladiator. The island was far out on the horizon, still miles away—we weren’t docking anytime soon. Something deeper was going on here, and I wanted to know what it was.
His boots thudding against the deck, Grandpa steered me toward the lobby, kind of pushy about it. He obviously wanted me away from there as fast as possible. I stole a quick glance behind me to find the gladiator still staring, a frown pulling at his perfect lips.
“Uh, Grandpa?” I said, once we were far enough away. “Everything okay?”<
br />
He turned on his heel, practically growling. “What were you doing with Alexander Arius?”
“Nothing.” I straightened, feeling as if I were being interrogated. “The guy literally bumped into me. Do you know him?”
“Yes, I know him.” His lips thinned. “And you will do your best to stay away from him.”
The out-right order took me by surprise. Was he banning me from talking to all guys because my sister and I fought over one? No—Grandpa knew me well enough to know I wasn’t the boy crazy type. That meant he had a problem with this particular one, and it bothered me that he wouldn’t explain when I already knew so little about this world. I refused to let it go.
“Why?” I said, trying not to cower under his heated gaze.
Grandpa was used to having his orders followed without being questioned. He sputtered, his whole face turning red, and—ouch. My face burned as if he’d slapped me.
Whoa.
I lifted my fingers to my cheeks, feeling an invisible sting. “Because I said so,” he huffed, then proceeded to walk on ahead.
They were right about the Ares temper. My magic was new, and I still managed to set a room on fire. Grandpa was probably capable of a whole lot more. But that old parental cop-out wasn’t going to fly. I was determined to find out, one way or another.
Just as I was about to risk his wrath again, I felt a tugging on my arm. It was Hazel. She waited until we were far out of Grandpa’s earshot. “Xander is a student at Arcadia,” she said, but that much I already figured. “From a prominent family. The Ariuses practically own most of Summer Island. Anyway, my sister told me there was some sort of scandal surrounding them.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Word has it, they might be Hollows.” She said the word as if it were the definition of evil.
“What are Hollows?”
Hazel looked around, appearing worried about anyone overhearing our conversation. As a trio of bulky minotaurs staggered past; she grabbed me and ducked into an empty hall. “They’re a secret society of outliers who don’t stand by the core values of Mythos. They believe in using both light and dark magic, and they take power from others, which is illegal. Before Mythonians became a civilized society, mages were allowed to practice magic without consequences. Now we have laws in place, to prevent it as much as possible. Hollows don’t agree with or abide by those laws. Their main goal is to overthrow our officials and return to the old ways.”