It's A Twin Thing | j. clarke [1]

twenty-nine

-:- House of Sting / House of Never / House of Forever -:-

"Well?" Rufus asked.

I eyed the necklace in his hand and my gut twisting with conflict. I wanted the necklace— I needed the necklace. It had answers about me that I couldn't get elsewhere, not even from Anna. That winged charm held my fate, and it was sitting in Rufus' control.

But I couldn't let him get the pieces.

"It's still a no," I said, tearing my eyes away from the silver glint and glaring into his eyes.

His eyes hardened for a moment, but the door to Anubis House creaked open to reveal my sister and Fabian heading to class. While Rufus was momentarily distracted I reached for the necklace, but when he realized what I was doing he grabbed my arm tightly.

"You stupid girl," he spat, twisting my arm.

I winced at the pain and before I could defend myself he pushed me aside, opting to run from my sister and Fabian as they approached. I spun from Rufus' force and would've faceplanted on the sidewalk had I not caught myself with my arms. The rough stone tore at my hands and I gasped at the sting.

"Lizzie?" Nina asked.

She was by my side in a matter of seconds, holding my elbow to help me stand.

"It was Rufus," I explained.

"Are you okay?" She picked up my hand.

"I'll be fine," I reassured. It was still stinging but nothing serious.

"What did he want?" Fabian questioned.

"What he always wants, the pieces," I informed them. "He offered Anna's necklace in exchange."

"That dick," Nina swore and I felt my eyes go wide with shock, Nina wasn't one to swear.

"Tell me about it," I agreed. "I didn't take the deal. He got distracted by you guys leaving the house and I tried to take it from him, but he grabbed my arm and pushed me to the ground before I could get it."

"Where did he go?" Fabian asked, glancing around campus.

"I didn't see." I shrugged. "He said that he wasn't looking for me, but he was glad he ran into me."

"So he was here for someone else," Fabian clarified.

"Jerome," we said together.

"We've got to watch him," Nina urged. "Who knows what Rufus will threaten him with and we can't trust him."

She was right, as usual, but a frown still pulled at my lips. We couldn't trust him, not when Rufus was involved, no matter how much I wanted to. Nina was so right that after classes were over for the day she caught him in our room right before dinner. She caught him with her puzzle piece that he'd taken from her bag.