Page 31 of Twisting Beauty

Failure burned hot under my skin. My fingers tightened around my pen, and my whole body turned restless with the need to get out of that seat, out of that room, out of everyone’s line of sight.

“You were top of the class in neurobiology last term.” O’Sullivan peered at me over the rim of his glasses. “This is very disappointing.”

Great. Rua would’ve recited passages from the textbook by heart.

He moved on, but Lorcan didn’t. His gaze locked on mine with a flicker of triumph. Like he’d caught me out.

Like he could see the cracks forming in the Rua mask I’d barely managed to keep on and was quietly deciding whether to peel the disguise off slowly or smash straight through it in front of everyone.

10

LIATH

Ihid on the back bench in Pathological Chemistry prac, a classroom buried deep in the bowels of Ravenwood. Dark panels stretched toward the vaulted stone ceiling, and wrought iron lamps cast pools of light across specimen jars that lined the shelves, preserved creatures suspended in their glass tombs, watching with dead eyes.

I tried not to breathe too deeply, but the room forced itself into me anyway. Alcohol stung the back of my nose. Formaldehyde sat heavy and sour at the base of my throat. The sharp acid bite cut through both, and the mix sent twanging guitar strings skittering through my head with distant train whistles and one high, needling xylophone note that would not shut up.

The hairs lifted on my neck, a sign I was being watched.

Elias had twisted in his seat to look at me full-on, one arm slung over the back of his chair like he had settled in to enjoy himself. His stare moved over me slowly, openly, with the intensity of a predator who’d already decided I was his next prey, dragging over me like unwanted hands.

My shoulders tightened, my fingers fisting around my pen. Every instinct in me turned sharp and watchful, like my body had already started bracing for his next invasion.

His gaze flicked over to the empty seat next to me.

Christ, don’t come over here. Don’t⁠—

His gaze flicked sideways, and mine followed it straight to Lorcan.

Lorcan was already watching him. His expression barely changed, but something cold and lethal settled into his face, a quiet warning.

Elias turned around and shrank back into his seat like a scolded dog.

Lorcan turned his gaze to me and held it.

Heat climbed under my skin so fast it made me hate myself for it. I tore my gaze away, heart hammering against my ribs.

“Rua.”

A girl stepped into the space beside my bench with easy confidence. Honey-blond hair fell in a glossy wave over one shoulder. Her skin glowed with expensive makeup, and her red-lipsticked mouth held the polished smile of someone who bared teeth behind it.

Rua’s memories stirred at once, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Aoife.

Her two friends, Ciara and Emer, flanked her in matching little poses, all polished hair, glossy lips, and bright eyes trained on me.

Aoife had never bothered with Rua before. She made girls like Rua feel invisible with nothing more than a flick of her eyes. If Aoife spoke to her at all, it had only ever been to dismiss her, mock her, or make it clear she was standing in the wrong place.

But I knew her too.

She was the ringleader from the student prank at Magdalene. The one the others had orbited without question. The one who had taunted Nuala like it was all just a bit of craic.

Her smile turned on me now, bright and sharpened, and every nerve in my body pulled tight.

Suspicion crawled up my throat. “Aoife. Can I help you?”

Her smile stretched wide, all white teeth and faked charm. “It’s more how I can help you.”