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The door is levered open with a forceful arm, and I let it go in surprise as three figures push their way into my room. My heart stammers as I realize who they are.
Have they realized who I am? Is that why they’re here?
I step back as a lamp is placed on my small table and quickly lit. My room is flooded with a warm glow, and I can see Grey, Kallum, and Dane clearly. Their serious faces home in on mine, and I make sure I look equal parts confused and angry at their intrusion as my eyes rapidly adjust to the light. I try to remember that I’m an annoyed troll who’s been woken up now, not an injured and scared girl who murdered a student last night.
None of them speak, and I know they’re trying to unnerve me with the silence. I wish it didn’t work, but I’m skittish around them at the best of times. And this is the worst of times. I shuffle from one foot to the other, trying not to make it look obvious that I’m anxious.
But of course, they know, and I see Kallum’s expression change from somber curiosity to wolfish amusement as he looks me over.
‘What do you want?’ I ask more timidly than I’d like.
‘To help you,’ Dane says as Kallum slowly walks around my room, touching my things, and Grey leans against the wall to stare menacingly. Or maybe that’s just his resting face.
‘I don’t need help,’ I say, resisting the urge to sit on my bed because my injuries are screaming at me to stop moving around.
‘Don’t you?’ Grey scoffs from his place by the wall, and I frown at him.
Dane takes a step towards me, and I only just hold my ground. ‘You were seen, Lia.’
I swallow hard as my stomach drops.
‘Seen?’ I ask, licking my suddenly dry lips and noticing that Kallum’s eyes track the action.
‘Running Yeith through,’ Grey says, his dark eyes not leaving mine. ‘I saw you kill him last night after eleventh chime.’
My mind is reeling. Someone saw, and not just anyone. Fucking Grey.
I glance at the others whose steadfast glares make me feel like they’re staring into my very soul.
‘He attacked me first,’ I blurt and then wince at my confession.
Dane’s laugh is brittle, and the sound of it makes my knees almost knock together.
I try to get control of my fear, but I know they’ll already have noticed it. All I can hope for is that they misunderstand the reason.
‘So?’ Dane chuckles. ‘You’re a servant of the academy. Do you think the Guard is going to care?’ He moves closer, and this time, I can’t help my step backward as he comes to stand directly in front of me, and I have to tip my head up to look at his face. ‘They’ll tell you that you should have just submitted, and you know it.’
I grit my teeth, hating that he’s right. They’ll say that he wasn’t in his right mind before the Mating Moon. They’ll tell me it was my fault for tempting him at such a time. And then they’ll wonder why I didn’t succumb to the Moon as well. The questions will start, and, finally, I’ll be investigated thoroughly, and all the ways I’m not really a troll will become apparent.
‘So, you’re here to, what, do your civic duties and turn me in?’ I ask.
‘Not quite. Sit down, Thalia.’
I do what Dane says, and my body immediately thanks me. I see his surprise that I’ve done what he said without argument, so I cross my arms and affix him with a determined look.
‘I’m listening.’
‘They won’t find him until later today. Grey got rid of him for you. So long as you keep your mouth shut, no one will know it was you. They won’t even know he was killed on the academy grounds. You just need for us to keep our mouths shut as well.’
I watch Dane patiently but wish he’d forgo the theatrics and just tell me what they want from me for their silence.
‘I assume that will come with a price,’ I say, urging him on.
Dane’s eyes narrow. ‘Very astute of you, Thalia. Yes, it will.’
I gesture around my room, frowning at Kallum, who’s still touching the trinkets on my table.
‘What can you possibly want from me?’ I ask with a small laugh. ‘I have no valuables, as you can plainly see. I’m a troll. What could I give you?’
