I reached toward my nightstand for a pencil to start on my homework, but I paused, noticing that my pencil wasn’t where I last left it. I looked down and spotted it on the floor nearly beneath my bed. I didn’t remember knocking it off, but maybe I did it without realizing before leaving for my classes.
I began to lower myself to pick up my pencil until I paused again. My eyes swept over my room, steadily noticing that more things were out of place. The differences were subtle. A pair of my shoes moved from near my closet to closer to my desk. One of my pillows was lopsided instead of straight. Someone had been in here.
With a tightening chest, I hurried to my bathroom, flicking on the light and checking all around to make sure that no one was hiding and waiting to attack me. Why else would someone come in here? Were they looking for something?
Maybe they came in here to poison me. People had been killed in crazier ways in this school. I couldn’t rule out the possibility, especially since my things had been touched and tampered with. I wasn’t about to let them kill me that easily.
In a flurry, I hurried around my room, grabbing any sort of liquid or substance that they could poison and tossing it in my trash can. I threw away my toothpaste, shampoo, all of my liquor, aspirin, and even my hand soap. I couldn’t take any chances.
A thud outside of my door sent me running to my desk. I reached underneath it, feeling a square compartment hidden on the underside. I reached inside and wrapped my fingers around my father’s pistol, drawing it out and loading it. I cocked it and pointed it toward the door with wide eyes, waiting for someone to burst in and finish the job.
Minutes passed. Nothing happened. Releasing the breath that I was holding, I lowered the gun and shook my head at myself. I couldn’t keep living like this, but what else could I do? I couldn’t give up on myself. All I could do was continue to be careful, to minimize my risk as much as possible.
I placed the pistol underneath my bed before crawling under the covers, keeping my eyes trained on the door as the sun steadily lowered outside. Darkness filled my room, but I still couldn’t fall asleep hours later. I feared that the moment I closed my eyes that whoever had come in here would return.
Eventually, they would. I knew that someone would come for me, whether it was Arvo, Zephyr, the killer, or someone else. If that did happen, everything I knew would die with me. And what about Biba? She would be left alone with all of those dangerous, tricky people without knowing the truth. All of it.
I was wary about telling her in person right now. She was probably being watched as much as I was. Here in my room, alone, I felt safe enough to draft my thoughts in a letter that I could give to her. After switching on the light on my nightstand, I grabbed my pencil and a piece of paper.
I poured everything out on that sheet of paper. I told her how I got to this lonely point, everything I knew about the history of Stormcloud and the Kings, and how I believed she could bring about change that could keep the Kings from abusing their power and causing more harm. She could be the key to everything. Maybe with this information and some luck, she could save this place and herself.
As for myself, I wasn’t so hopeful.
CHAPTER 10
BIBA
Vapor rose and floated throughout the Stormcloud steam room. Heat flushed through my entire body, but that wasn’t just due to the steam. It was mostly due to Arvo’s head situated between my thighs as he circled the tip of his tongue around my clit.
“That feels so good,” I breathed out as I tilted my head back, enjoying the warmth of his mouth against me. There was no better way to decompress than someone’s talented tongue.
Arvo slid his hands under me to grip my ass, pulling me closer to the edge of the stone bench. A sheen of sweat covered his strong shoulders and back as he knelt in front of me, caressing me and holding me close. His mouth didn’t part from me, like he couldn’t stand the thought of not tasting me for a second.
I drifted my fingers through his hair, grinding myself against his tongue as he softened it for me. Pleasure crashed over me in waves, pulling me closer and closer to a shattering orgasm. He worked me up so easily. Even a smirk could make me throb.
Arvo then drew his mouth away, making my eyes shoot open in surprise and bewilderment. He tilted his head at me with that cocky grin on his face.