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“Second rule: I give orders, not requests. ”
She pointed at the door, and it flew open.
“Third rule: your life is demon hunting from now on, starting with the handsome one. I don’t care if it’s unusual for freshmen to be so involved in the hunt. When you hear of his whereabouts, you follow. When he asks you a question, you answer. I don’t care if you live or die.”
A glacial gust of wind shoved me out the door.
“That handsome devil owns you now.”
ChapterSeven
THE ORACLE MUSINGS
It’s Halloween, degenerates! Fae House is throwing Under the Mountain again, of course. That is if you can get an invite. Notoriously exclusive bastards—they only invite their own and the few potential new members they think are suitable for membership. Don’t worry, though! The unwanted and unlovable are always welcome at Wolf House: that pack of animals keeps invites open to everyone. Riffraff and mutts included!
Show up or get out pledges! Tonight will make or break your place in the social hierarchy of Aether: dress to impress, or you’ll never get invited back again. Just remember: this isn’t high school anymore. May the most vicious and beautiful win!
Halloween was my favorite holiday.It was where the dead came alive, and the living got to play dead.
My mother wouldn’t wear some ridiculous hairstyle or hat to cover her pointed ears. I could eat as much candy as I wanted without worrying the sugar would feed the bacteria that feasted on my flesh. Gaksi would join my schemes and make me the best-dressed girl in town.
In fifth grade, I won “best dressed” at my neighborhood’s Halloween parade when Gaksi played the strings of the guitar for my “Haunted” Taylor Swift costume. He played the song all night without me even having to strum.
“It’s haunted,” I told fascinated kids and mildly concerned adults.
“It’s just pre-programmed,” my dad told his friends with a wink. “Luna has been learning about engineering!”
I wasn’t.
In middle school, Gaksi used his power to make me a giant, glittering tiara. It was so extravagant one of my school bullies called me a ‘rich, spoiled brat.’ I took that as a compliment.
I wasn’t cool enough in high school to be invited to parties. But I stayed home with Gaksi instead, handing candy to the children who stopped by. To please my mother, I’d have on a Renaissance corset dress, with Gaksi lighting fae lights that danced around my head. “I’m a faery!” I would tell the little ones. And even though I couldn’t see it, Mom beamed behind me. I could tell by how gentle she was when handing out her own candy. And I was always happy because I made my mom happy, which made it the best day of the year.
This year would be different. I had goals to reach, alone.
Bass shook my dorm room as I got ready. Excitement painted the air. Around me, I heard the whooping and hollering of drunk revelers. It was hard to sit patiently and apply my eyeliner when such spirited music played. My foot tapped to the beat, eager to shimmy and dance.
Behind me, giant, arched feathers sprouted from my back and extended high into the air. My dress was dangerously cute, white, and short, and I’d paired it with thigh-high lace socks and platform heels. Gaksi fluttered my feathers with the wind, making me look like a descendant of the heavens, wide enough wingspan to topple any man.
No gossamer faery wings tonight. Let me show these houses just how fallen angel I can be, instead.
Curling the last coils of my night-black hair, I sent a last-minute text to Aubrey.
Luna:Ready?
My phone buzzed, and I looked at it, only to find a message from Cordelia.
Cordelia:Xavier invited me to a cookout with the wolves tonight. Want to come? He said everyone’s invited.
My brow furrowed. I already made plans with Aubrey, but I felt bad excluding Cordelia. I couldn’t invite her Under the Mountain, either. Aubrey said it was hard enough as it was getting us on the guest list.
Luna:Sorry, can’t tonight!
Probably best not to let her know I was going to a different party. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
There was a pit in my stomach as I shifted between my feet, watching the last three dots of her response. I already told her I loved Halloween and couldn’t wait to party tonight. What if she knew I was going somewhere else? What if she thought I was a rotten friend?
Cordelia:Next time, then! :)
