Page 110 of Slayer

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you saw me.” He looked genuinely remorseful.

I laughed nervously and clutched my chest. “I was engrossed in reading.”

His eyes glittered as he smiled. “I think that’s cute about you. How into studying you are while the rest of us are bowling every night or having a dorm party.”

I smirked. “I didn’t have the blessing of growing up in this world. I have to work twice as hard.”

He nodded. “So I wanted to ask you something.” He wiped his hands on his jeans as if clearing sweat from his palms.

“What’s up?”

“You know the winter masquerade ball is coming up, and I asked around. People said no one has asked you, which I think is crazy, and I was wondering if maybe you’d want to go with me?” He sounded unsure, talking fast and rambling a little.

Oh. Greyson? I’d never thought of him in that way. I mean, he was an attractive guy and supersweet. I just…

Asher. My heart tugged at the name.

Ever since I’d gotten here, I’d felt this undeniable pull toward Asher, but even after Daphne had broken up with him, he never showed any interest in me. Other than that delulu moment he said he thought about kissing me. He had just been broken up with and was super vulnerable when he said it though.

“Or not. Or just as friends?” Greyson looked panicked, and I knew I’d taken too long to answer.

“I’d love to,” I said. “As your date,” I added.

Relief rushed across his face. “Oh man. That’s awesome. It’s going to be so fun.”

I nodded, giving him a genuine smile.

If Asher wasn’t into me like that, I wasn’t going to be pathetic and wait for him. Greyson was cute and sweet, and he was asking for what he wanted. I admired that.

“Can’t wait.”

He left with a grin on his face, and I peered down at my book, about to close it so I could go back to the dorm and tell Harper and Luna about Greyson asking me to the dance. But when I saw the words Forbidden Rune, I froze.

A forbidden rune, labeled Noctis Muertis, or the shadow mark, was found to be on Serafina Vale in 1801. History does not hold a lot of information about what exactly happened at that time as records were later destroyed, but on a sealed crypt in the underground vault beneath Veil Haven, there is a plaque that reads as follows:

SERAFINA VALE

Bearer of Noctis Muertis

Executed by the Hunter Guild

“May her shadow never walk again.”

Chills raced up my arms, and I slammed the book shut. Executed by the Hunter Guild. My heart raced as I reached up to touch the mark on my shoulder. It was ice cold, and my fingers shrank away from it as confusion washed over me. Why did I get this mark? Did it mean I was a bad person? Would I be killed if the guild found out?

So far, only three people knew about it. Akari, Celia, and Asher.

A haunting realization dawned on me then. My mother was an arcanist. She knew runes and the Veil Stone better than anyone. She’d been the one to put them on my body as a baby, which I assumed was for protection from vampires while I grew up in the human world. But now I wondered if she somehow knew this Noctis rune would be given to me and that was why she said I’d need to buy a property to hide away in one day. I’d written it off as overly paranoid thinking before, but now, perhaps it wasn’t a bad idea.

Opening my phone, I emailed the real estate agent who’d helped me get Rae a place in Paris. I told her I needed to find a small, discreet hunting cabin, somewhere remote and off the grid, and I wanted to buy it privately, not even in my name if possible. There was a risk she’d think I was crazy, but I didn’t care. Now I was scared. There was a mark on my arm that got the last woman who bore it killed. I had to be smart about this.

Not one minute after I sent the email, she responded.

Stella,

I’d love to help you purchase your next property. This kind of request is common with my wealthy clients. You can buy it anonymously in the name of a trust. I’ll have some properties for you to look through by the end of the week. Do you need a lawyer referral for the trust setup?

Best,