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I’m all for peace, and I really wanted Cia’s plan to succeed, which is why I didn’t even try to talk her out of it. But maybe I should have, because this is all too predictable.
“You may leave,” Kai replies coldly. “Thank you for coming.”
Before Gwenda and Arthur are out the door, Remus stands as well. “Well, this was more excitement than I know what to do with.” He looks from Lupa to Morgana, and then his eyes find Cia’s. “A friendly piece of advice. This isn’t an after-school special. The next time you feel like making an announcement, make sure to say the words out loud.”
Unlike the Hatt Leader, the Russo doesn’t ask for permission before following Arthur and Gwenda out the door.
As soon as it’s just us, Lupa and Morgana, Kai clears his throat. “I think the two of you should leave as well,” he says pointedly.
“I’m sorry, Kai,” Lupa says as she stands, her eyes downcast.
“Me too.” Morgana sounds so defeated I can’t help feeling bad for her.
Kai waves them off, but his gaze doesn’t soften. “I’m not going to say it’s okay, because it isn’t. Your lack of grace put my wife in the line of fire, in her own home nonetheless—”
His eyes flash with barely concealed anger as Morgana interrupts him. “That’s not what we…” Morgana trails off as Kai stands.
“You come into our home,” he says. His tone is deceptively low, but there’s no hiding the rage. “And you dare interrupt me? Who exactly do you take me for?”
Where Lupa shrinks, Morgana straightens her back. “All I meant to say is—”
Lupa interrupts her girlfriend. “We’re deeply sorry, Ruler. We meant no disrespect, and we know we behaved badly.” Then she stands, and places a hand on Morgana’s shoulder.
“Get out of my home,” Kai says, his tone cold and menacing. “You have proven that you can’t handle yourself, which is fine since you’re neither my concern nor my problem. But if you ever throw Acacia to the wolf and lion again, it will be the last thing you do. Is that understood?”
When Morgana looks Cia’s way, I notice her eyes having an almost glassy quality from the unshed tears. “I’m sorry,” she chokes.
As Cia begins to say it’s okay, I discreetly shake my head because I won’t fucking have her complete that sentence.
“We’ll talk later,” Cia says before swallowing audibly. “Thank you for coming.”
Lupa looks completely crestfallen as she looks from Kai to me, but when her eyes land on Liam, they widen and her breath hitches. As I look at him, it becomes clear why. The rage on his face is enough to make anyone halt, and the promise of violence in his darkened eyes is fucking scary.
“Go,” I say abruptly.
I don’t care that the women jump at the brusqueness of my voice. All I care about is getting them out before Liam loses his fucking mind. Kai just all but said that Lupa and Morgana have placed Cia in the line of fire between the families.
A part of me hates having to be nice to them after the shit they just pulled. But I can’t linger on that right now, because I know Cia will intervene if Liam attacks her useless friends, and that’s the fucking last thing we need.
“Now!” I shout when Liam moves.
Chapter 6
Cia
Ifuckedup.Ioverestimated myself and… no matter how many times I mentally go over tonight’s events, I can’t shake the sense of failure. Of course, failing is frustrating for everyone, yet I can’t let go of the disappointment and shame I feel. I’m disappointed in myself, and, frankly, slightly confused. When I look back on it now, it’s like I can’t really understand what I was trying to achieve.
Yes, I wanted to help Morgana and Lupa have a safe space, but if I’m completely honest with myself, that’s not all there is to it. So much has happened in the short time I’ve been at Kronos University, so many punches have been thrown and each time something got me down, I’ve bounced back straight away.
None of us have had the luxury of taking a step back to truly adapt, adjust, and most of all, take the time to wrap our heads around all that we’ve faced.
I look around at the dining room that no longer shows signs of the party I’d planned. The staff removed all traces of the decorations and food, and while they did that, Kai left us while mumbling something about answering emails.
“This wasn’t how I wanted tonight to go,” I say. Even though Gus and Liam are with me, the words are more for myself.
“Really?” My gaze darts to Gus, who’s leaning against the wall. “What did you think was going to happen?” His tone is too kind, which I don’t deserve after the shitshow I created.
It’s a fair question, and I wish I had an answer. Well, an answer that doesn’t make me sound like a naïve fool. That’s exactly what I am, though. A. Damn. Fool.
