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34
Song pauses just shy of the Winter Room entrance, allowing space for a group of laughing people to enter. “I was sincere about us being friends,” she says after they’ve passed. “But I’m afraid Blues dine together. There’s not a lot of mixing between the levels during mealtimes.”
My heart sinks at the thought of eating alone. Even when I was demoted to sitting next to the recycle bin at my old school, I still had Mason for company.
She clasps my arm briefly. “Don’t worry,” she says, “it won’t last forever. You’ll make the leap soon enough.”
“And if I don’t?”
Her face turns serious. “If I were you, I wouldn’t consider that an option. Oh, and just so you know, you’re sitting at Braxton’s table tonight.”
An audible gasp escapes my lips. And though I’m not even sure why, and while I’m definitely in no mood to examine what it might mean, the worst part is, Song heard it.
“It’s possible he’s not nearly as bad as you think,” she says, her gaze sliding over me. “Then again, it’s also quite likely he’s worse. Guess that’s for you to determine.” The grin that follows is sly, like she’s in on a secret I’ve yet to unearth. “But Elodie, on the other hand…” She sneaks a glance past my shoulder before returning to me. “Be careful with her.”
“Pretty sure I already learned that the hard way,” I tell her. “It’s how I ended up here.”
Song looks me over. “Not what I meant,” she says. “I’m talking about her need to be Daddy’s favorite. And byDaddy, I mean Arthur. Or at least that’s how she thinks of him. And today, you threatened her spot as favorite daughter.”
“Okaaay,” I say. “But I’m not sure how that’s my fault. I mean, it’s not like I asked to join him for lun…” My voice fades when I see Song’s attention drift away as she waves to someone inside the dining room.
When she turns back to me, she places a hand on my arm. “Look, I’m not trying to scare you, but what you did or didn’t ask for probably won’t matter to her. If anything, it’ll just make it worse.” Her hand falls back to her side, the edges of her lips tugging down into a sympathetic frown. “Just watch your back, that’s all. And try not to fall into old patterns with her. Living here makes it hard to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s fake, and Elodie is a product of this place. She’s spent most of her life here, and it shows. She’s like the personification of the best and worst that Gray Wolf has to offer.”
“For someone who claims they didn’t mean to scare me, you’re kind of freaking me out.” I frown, my heart nearly doubling its pace. “I mean, lunch happened, and I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do about that.”
Song steals another glance inside the dining room, which makes me wonder if she’s starting to regret ever bringing this up. When she turns back to me, she says, “If it were me, I’d count myself lucky that Arthur took an interest. Lunching with him is not standard practice. Or at least I never got one. And considering how he’s the first and last word around here, you might consider milking that for all it’s worth. Just try not to flaunt it, that’s all. Deal with Elodie the same way you would any venomous snake—try not to agitate her, and do what you can to stay out of her way.”
Before I can even drum up a reply, Song swings her hair over her shoulder and goes inside.
