Read Novel Full Chapter 426: Fae's Food [II]
Chapter 426: Fae’s Food [II]
“You know,” I began, my voice completely conversational as I regarded the two girls. “The problem with you both is that you’re too easy.”
The brunette stopped whatever she was doing. Her hand dropped from my chin, expression hardening. “…Excuse me?”
Down in my lap, the blonde also halted her movements. Her face snapped up and her brow furrowed in a mix of offense and bewilderment. “What did you just say?”
“I said you’re easy. And boring,” I grumbled, running a hand through my hair, completely venting the bitter irritation that had been festering in my gut since sundown. “There’s no challenge. You both are just… offering yourselves up to me on a silver platter. There’s no chase or anticipation. This is boring.”
The two second-years exchanged a look that was clearly meant to question my psychological stability.
“Hey,” Revisa said slowly, her ember gaze narrowing as she tried to process my rant. “If you’re having performance anxiety because it’s been too long for you in that Death Zone, you don’t have to insult us. I’m a healer. If you’re… blocked, or feeling pressured by us—”
“It’s not performance anxiety!” I barked a shout that choked into an exasperated laugh. “Damn it. Sorry, I’m just not in the mood, I guess.” I threw my hands up, talking more to myself now. “She ruined my evening. And the worst part is, she didn’t even hide it. She looked me in the eye and basically told me she’s using my own heart against me, and my brilliant counter-strategy was to laugh like an idiot and pretend I’m above it all. But I’m not. I’m sitting here in a bar with two gorgeous girls, and all I can think about is how infuriatingly clever she is for figuring out the loophole in that oath!”
The blonde slowly removed her hand from my zipper, sliding off my lap to sit on the edge of the sofa. She looked slightly unnerved. I couldn’t even blame her. “Okay… who is this ‘she’? Are you talking about Revisa? Because we literally just got here.”
“No, he’s not talking about me,” Revisa waved a dismissive hand. Then she leaned in with a frown. “Wait, are you? Is that what this is? You think I’m playing some game with you, Lord Samael?”
“No,” I groaned, dropping my arms over the back of the sofa. “I’m not talking about you guys. It’s just someone… I like… I think?”
Silence descended on our corner of the VIP lounge, save for the distant sound of Michael trying to explain how dress shoes are different from loafers to his freckled captor.
The blonde stared at me for a long moment. The offense on her face slowly melted away, replaced by an expression that looked something very close to pity.
“Oh,” she murmured, a smirk, small and knowing, playing on her lips. “I get it now. You’re in love with someone else and you’re scared of it. Awww!”
I snapped my gaze to her, making sure to flash my golden eyes disdainfully at that ridiculous claim. “I’m not in love! And I am a Theosbane. I stood in front of demons and fought a god! I’m not… scared of a stupid girl!”
“You are,” Revisa agreed, ignoring my boast that she must’ve thought was an exaggeration, her anger evaporating to be replaced by a cynically worldly sigh. She crossed her arms, leaning back against the cushions and looking at me like I was some textbook clichè. “From what I gather, you’re letting a girl run circles around your head because you’re terrified of what happens if you actually step into the ring. You’re hiding so you don’t have to risk anything real. Did I hit the bullseye?”
“Excuse the fuck outta me?! You don’t know anything! That girl is trying to manipulate me!” I argued, the venom in my voice tasting incredibly defensive. “She’s looking for a way to make me subservient!”
“So what?” the blonde chimed in, giving a one-shoulder shrug. “If you really want her, does it actually matter if it’s a trap?”
I blinked, and whatever I was about to say got caught in my throat.
“Think about it, dude,” the blonde continued like we were some old friends, her voice carrying the easy wisdom of a second-year who had seen her fair share of Academy love drama. “You’re saying she’s trying to manipulate you. But the thing about manipulators is that the only power they hold over you is what you give them yourself. You know she’s playing with you, but you’re the one who is playing along. So you definitely want her. Stop trying to out-think. If you want the prize, dive headfirst and see if you drown. Stop being so afraid of intimacy just because you can’t predict it.”
I was at a loss, something that seemed to be happening a lot these days. “That’s… stupid. What if I get hurt? And I’m bound to get hurt. Not to mention, this whole situation is so toxic.”
She threw her head back and laughed.
I scowled, not seeing what was so funny, when she leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek.
Now I was speechless for a whole other reason.
“Weren’t you just complaining you found us boring? Sounds to me like you could use some toxicity. It would be exciting,” she said, standing and picking up her drink from the low table, swirling the remaining liquid before giving me a playful wink. “Besides, getting hurt in love is inevitable. You hand over your heart to someone else, after all. But that’s also the fun part, in my opinion. The risk is what makes the payout worth it. If you aren’t willing to bleed a little for it, then you don’t really want it. Stop being scared.”
Revisa hummed in agreement, slithering off the cushions to stand beside her friend.
She smoothed down her dark top. Her ember eyes had long since lost their predatory hunger, returning to the cool focus I vaguely remembered from Ishtara.
“She’s right,” Revisa said, reaching down to give my unbuttoned collar a teasing, parting tug. “Also, if you’re going to use some poor girls to make yourself feel untouchable next time, at least make sure you aren’t thinking of someone else while doing it. It’s bad for our ego.”
I kept sitting there in the plush leather of the sofa, my shirt still half-open and my zipper precariously undone, looking as disheveled as I was feeling.
“Come on, Lana,” Revisa called out to the blonde, turning on her heel toward the exit of the VIP lounge. “Let’s give him space to deal with his existential crisis. I think I saw some third-years by the bar playing beer pong.”
Lana — the blonde — gave me a mock-salute with her glass. “Good luck. And seriously, stop overthinking the trap. Sometimes the only way out is to just bite the bait.”
With a chorus of soft giggles, the two of them strode out of the private lounge, their silhouettes disappearing past the heavy velvet curtains and leaving me alone in my corner.
I let out a long breath, slumping sideways until my head rested against the cool leather armrest, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Stop trying to out-think it.
If you want the prize, dive headfirst and see if you drown.
“Stupid,” I muttered, addressing no one in particular. “Incredibly stupid advice.”
If I dived headfirst into Juliana’s game, I wasn’t just risking a broken heart. She wasn’t just some random girl.
If I let her slip past my guard, what would stop her from completely unraveling me?
But then again… Lana’s words echoed in my ears with an annoying level of clarity. The only power they hold over you is what you give them yourself.
Except in love, you do give someone else the power over you. You do it by choice.
Could you really be called a puppet if you choose to wrap the strings around yourself?
I clicked my tongue.
Right.
If she wanted to use non-malicious subversion to test my boundaries, why was I running away?
A huff left my lips. “Yeah, fuck her and fuck her stupid games.”
If she wanted to play, then I’d play.
She was right about everything she said to me.
Maybe she was even right to underestimate me.
Maybe I wouldn’t win. But I didn’t need to. I would just make sure we both lose.
And if I fail… then I guess I’ll learn my lesson in romance and drink myself to death like a heartbroken Romeo.
My eyebrows shot up.
Oh, talking about heartbroken Romeo…
I looked over and saw Michael desperately trying to push off the Southerner girl who was hell-bent on making out with him.
He was trying his best to ward off the temptress but his defenses were crumbling, his face red like a tomato.
I stood up, took some more photos, and decided to save his chastity.