Now I laugh. “Gods, that’s rich. How many girls have you screwed since Roland took over?”
I’d seen the condoms in the bathroom trash. Disposed of them. I’d only felt a slight flicker of jealousy.
He gets to his feet and smooths his hands down his long frame. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Honestly, it was a rhetorical question. I don’t give a shit.”
He swaggers over, cornering me against the wall. “Is it as good as what we had?”
He means Armin. Rupert. Miya.
“Better.”
I roll my eyes when he looks hurt. “Don’t pretend you care.”
“You may know my body, Hildi, but you don’t know my mind.” His jaw clenches and his voice drops. “They’re making progress, you know. Culling the weak. Fattening the strong. The longer this game goes on between you and Victorine, the longer she goes unchecked.”
“What are you saying?”
“This little power struggle you’re in? It’s a struggle of one. You against yourself.”
I look away from the intensity of his eyes, allowing his words to sink in.
“You’re getting played.” He pushes off the wall and walks away, disappearing out the swinging kitchen door.
19
Hildi
“It’s been a long time,” Circe says, sliding the shot across the bar.
I blink, taking in the bartender. We’d been friendly in New York, before I came to the Academy. The room has a flickering, shadowy atmosphere. I search the room for Morgan or one of the Raven Guard. Maybe they have a message for me. Maybe they’ve learned of my punishments and want to tell me I’m an embarrassment to them.
Or maybe, I realize, when no one else is in the room but me and Circe, this is just another weird dream.
I pick up the shot glass anyway. I may as well have a good time, even if it’s just pretend.
“How’s the mission?” the bartender asks.
“Shitty.” I lick a drop of alcohol that slides down my thumb. “I feel like we’re just a hot mess. This whole time I’ve basically had one job. One. And that’s to get the Immortals unified.”
“I told you they were feral the last time you were here. Did you think it was going to be easy?
“I didn’t think it would be this hard.” I rest my elbows on the bar. “I think I have Rupert, Armin and Miya on board. Marshal is a lost cause—big surprise. All he wants to do is make me crazy.”
“Sounds right.” She pours another drink. “What about the other one? The mean, angry one.”
“Agis?”
“I think he’s lost, too.”
Her eyes flick over my shoulder. “Well, that guy seems interested.”
As soon as she says it, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Even though I thought we were alone, it’s obvious that we’re not. I spin on my barstool and see a man leaning against the pool table across the room.
I can’t see his face.
But I recognize his body.