32. Raven

RAVEN

Everyone’s looking at me and I can feel my skin crawling from all of their gazes washing over my body. My shoulders are tense, my hands clenching, and my breathing hitched, but I still manage to put one foot in front of the other as we circle around the Silvercrest Memorial mausoleums.

It’s like a scratch I can’t seem to itch and I have to voice it even though it makes me cringe. “Everyone’s looking at me.”

“No, they’re not,” Leila replies too quickly and with an extra dose of perky that’s not the norm for her, which only confirms I’m right.

“Yeah, they are,” Zane states from behind me, and I give Leila a pointed look.

She sighs, relenting to the madness and admitting it. “It’s not every day someone gets a familiar, Raven. Nevermind a fucking griffin, of all things. That’s hot gossip, girl.”

I grimace. I feel like there’s been enough hot gossip and I’m really not excited for another dose of it. The connection I instantly felt with the griffin is incomparable and the second the professor confirmed it, I knew it was true.

Ari. That’s his name. I don’t know how I know it, but I do.

Professor Figgins insisted he will be released from the Gauntlet and I’m going to go and meet him after classes on Monday. That sounds weird as fuck. I’m going to go and properly meet my familiar, Ari the Griffin, in a more neutral environment instead of in the Gauntlet where I was supposed to kill him… a simulation? But I guess it’s my new normal. Understanding anything at this stage seems beyond my capacity.

“Raven?” Leila calls my name, breaking through my thoughts, and I quickly shake them off. “Like, a griffin? The coolest thing ever.”

I smile. “Go big or go home, right?” I say with a smile, trying to brush over it and she, thankfully, smirks and leaves it at that.

“They might be looking at you for how hot you look in that dress,” Eldon declares as he comes to a stop with us at the makeshift bar. Zane nods in agreement with him and I scoff. “What? It’s true,” he insists, earning himself an eye roll as well.

After Figgins declared Ari my familiar, the class ended. They didn’t want to startle him by harming the others. One class led into another before the day was over, then I was hitting up the shopping district with Leila. She insisted on the dress I’m wearing and I can’t deny that she definitely has good taste.

It’s a pale-blue, puff-sleeve mini dress that clings to me in all of the right places. I opted to get some strappy white sandals to go with it and kept my make-up light with my hair loose. But the guys are delusional if they think that’s the alternative. If they’re not staring at me because of the griffin, it has to be because of them.

“Maybe it’s because the infamous Bishops have shown their faces at another party?” Leila states, cocking a brow at them. It’s their turn to be flustered.

“Looking as hot as you all do, she definitely has a point,” I add with a grin.

As the drinks line dwindles, I heed my own statement and give myself another moment to take them in. Brax is dressed in black, which is no real surprise. Fitted black tee, black jeans, and black boots. He looks hot as hell, with his muscles flexing beneath the material.

Creed is rocking similar boots and jeans with a black fitted shirt instead of a tee, and I’m desperate to flick open the top few buttons. Zane and Eldon are both in gray shorts. While Zane wears a white tee, Eldon wears navy, and all I can think about is how easy the access is to their dicks.

Damn, I need a drink because I’m working up a sweat just thinking about them.

As if sent here to answer my prayers, Leila hands me a bottle of pearl shine and I take a big gulp. It’s so sweet and fruity, I love it. I’m about to ask if we’re doing any moon dust shots as well, but she offers me one without me uttering a word.

“We’ll meet you at the table over there,” Eldon murmurs against my ear as he points to the right. I nod, unable to find words to respond since my body is obsessing over his close proximity.

Leila leads the way and I finally take stock of my surroundings, realizing yet again that I’m easily letting my defenses down. Music plays in the background but it’s not so unbearably loud that I can’t think. There must be at least a hundred people here and that number will likely grow the later it gets. It’s set up the exact same as last time: the mausoleums framing the open space, a few high rise tables scattered around the edges, and a dance floor in the middle.

“Is that familiar girl with the Bishops?” Someone murmurs as they walk past me talking with their friends, and I hold back another eye roll. Apparently the hot topic of gossip is, indeed, the griffin and the Bishops. At least I can say I was right.

Placing my drinks on the table, Leila wastes no time hinting at the shots. “We so deserve this. Ready?” I nod and she counts us in before we down the liquid and it burns my throat in the most soothing way.

Damn. We should have gotten two of them.

“We are definitely having more of these after we do some dancing,” Leila states with a hopeful smile on her face.

“I’m down for that.” Her smile spreads wider as I take a sip of my pearl shine.

Turning my attention toward the bar to watch the Bishops, my view is quickly obstructed by an unfortunate sight.

“Nice familiar choice. But I must say, I’m surprised you’re still here after Monday,” Sebastian sneers, tucking his hands into his pockets as he tilts his head at me.

It’s hard as hell to act unfazed by his presence, but I force it anyway. “Didn’t you hear from Papa? He wasn’t sending me away after all,” I retort, hoping he’ll fuck off. What Papa did feels worse somehow, but I don’t say that. That’s definitely not information Sebastian needs to know.

I turn to look away from him, giving him a silent dismissal, but he grabs my shoulder and turns me back to him. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but griffin or not, you’re not going to survive here, Raven. I don’t know why you keep trying.”

Placing my drink down on the table, I shove at his arm, forcing his hold on me to drop. “What is your problem, Sebastian? I’m quite happy staying out of your way, pretending you don’t exist, yet here you are, getting in my face. Again,” I bite. I’ve had enough of his bullshit.

He glares at me, a carbon copy of my chocolate brown eyes piercing into me. “I wouldn’t even waste my fucking time on you,” he sneers, making me scoff.

“So what the fuck are you doing here?” Brax’s grunt comes from behind Sebastian, who stiffens at the menacing tone.

He quickly shakes it off, back to his unfazed bullshit, as the rest of the Bishops circle around the table. “If it isn’t the almighty Bishops. It seems that some time with your new housemate has you a little confused on how things work around here,” Sebastian snarks, clenching his hands at his sides.

“We haven’t forgotten anything,” Eldon states, stepping closer to him until they’re shoulder to shoulder. “We just protect our own, and you’re treading, unwanted, on territory that isn’t yours. Maybe it’s your turn to take an unwanted trip to the wastelands.”

I gulp at the memory of being lost out there and the thoughts of what could have happened if they hadn’t found me try to consume me, but I push them down.

Before Sebastian can respond, Brax steps up to his other side. “How’s your face?” He lifts his drink to his mouth, revealing his busted knuckles, and my core clenches.

I should not be getting turned on right now, especially not by some mostly-healed knuckles that were busted from hitting my brother. Apparently in the face too. Extra saucy.

“Sebastian, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I got you a drink.” Everyone’s attention slips to Genie, who joins the mix, and I’m already past my limit of assholes for the evening. She links her arm through Sebastian’s, preening up at him with her eyelashes fluttering, and I think I’m going to be sick.

She moved on from Eldon quickly. I glance in his direction, not sure what I’m expecting to find, but he’s completely placid. I’m just pleased she’s not still clinging to Eldon, really, but of all the people in this place, it had to be him?

“I was just coming to find you anyways, baby,” he purrs back, licking her cheek, and the bile burning the back of my throat threatens to rise.

They saunter off without a backward glance, the whole interaction weirding me the fuck out, but I’m just relieved that they’re out of my space.

“Did that just actually happen?” Leila asks, her face scrunched up in disgust, reflecting how I feel on the inside, and I chuckle.

“I wish my eyes were deceiving me, but it seems I’m going to need to wash them with acid,” Zane muses with a sigh.

“You know, if that actually becomes a thing, they’re going to think they’re a power couple for sure,” Leila adds, and I fake shiver.

“They can be whoever the fuck they want. Those two deserve each other.” I raise my bottle in salute to the group and take an extra large swig. Leila was right, we definitely deserve this.

Attempting to enjoy the presence of the people I like, I finally start to relax, my hips slowly starting to sway with the music as Zane grabs a few more bottles of pearl shine from the bar. The carefree vibe of letting go that I’ve been chasing suddenly feels possible.

Brax smirks at me from across the table, heating me from the inside, when Creed’s frown catches my attention. He’s looking off into the distance and I follow his line of sight to see a group of ten or more people entering the party. They look older and I don’t recall seeing them before. It’s startling how none of them are smiling, laughing, or joking around. They’re all wearing solemn looks as they head toward the bar, and the other students seem to give them a wide berth.

“Who are they?” I ask, turning back to the table to find everyone else also watching them.

“Fourth years,” Eldon explains, and my eyebrows shoot up.

I turn to watch them again, this time looking a little deeper. There are bags under their eyes, exhaustion written on their faces, and a tension rippling through them that I’ve never physically seen on another person before.

“Do you think they’re the ones from the attack?” I ask, still watching as they each down a shot before reaching for another.

“The way they’re downing those shots, I would guess so,” Zane answers, my stomach twisting into knots. I can’t even imagine how they’re feeling. They’re only three years older than me and they’ve already experienced battle and loss like I can’t even imagine.

I turn away, feeling guilty for staring, and my gaze locks on Creed’s for a moment as he offers me a soft smile.

“Nope, you’re not allowed to lose your good groove,” Leila states, reaching for my arm. “We’re dancing and having fun whether you like it or not.”

I quickly down the last of my drink before I relent.

Smiling at the guys, they seem amused by the fact that I’m being bossed around. Exhaling, I try to shrug off the funk trying to weigh me down as we slink into the middle of the dance floor. The music seems much louder here and I let my inhibitions go.

Fuck the drama with my parents, fuck the worry of what my magic may be, fuck the added pressure of suddenly having a familiar, and fuck Sebastian and Genie.

Fuck all of it.