Wicked Games Academy

CHAPTER 27

Back at the Rottings House Jonathan and Daniel greeted us, as well as Richie.

Jonathan was a good looking and enviable knight. He was tall, graced by our mother's good looks, strong features, black hair reaching his nape, and chiseled from his abs to his calves.

He smiled as he introduced himself and shook Clive's hand.

"This is a great occasion," Jonathan said to me as Daniel spoke to Clive. "Did you know father invited two other knight families for dinner next week?"

"Next week? Why?" I asked, suspicions creeping up.

"Why? Of course it's to marry us off." Jonathan sighed. "I guess it's time to settle down myself. You and your friend should start searching, too."

"What families?" I asked.

"I'll tell you soon." Jonathan and I stood before one another before he smiled. "You've grown."

We had probably not seen each other for a year or more.

"Yes, I'm Daniel's height now," I teased. "Almost 180 centimeters."

"You are in puberty," he murmured. "Anyways, make sure your friend and you get along with the families. Goodnight."

He turned to Clive and hid his a goodnight too before turning and leaving.

"Jonathan is leaving already?"

"We ate dinner already, just a while ago. Richie, heat up the food for Nathan and Clive, would you?" Daniel asked. "Tell us about how life at Graycotts Academy is tomorrow, I'll have to also retire to bed."

Neither of my brothers seemed strange from what I could tell, and we talked normally. Dinner was somewhat silent, although I thought of Clive's touch when I saw him. It was irksome that he was so handsome, and the idea of girls from the knight families possibly flirting with him annoyed me.

"Don't—"

I stopped my sentence after that one word. I couldn't tell him to not talk to girls.

"Don't sneak into my room, both my brothers are here from now on," I said instead. I internally cursed at how awful my words were. Why did I always have to look for a fight?

Yet Clive smiled, somewhat so obediently that my blood felt cold. It wasn't a real smile, but a mask.

"Tonight I'll sleep well, don't worry."

I wanted to shake him, to even slap him and tell him to snap out of it, but then I realized maybe this was what I wanted. A normal and sweet Clive. I was afraid of who he really was, how he felt when he killed his brother, how he felt during the hunt, and now, how he felt with me.

Yet I didn't want to hear the truth.

I nodded and when we finished our dinner, we retired, separating in the hallway. I went to my room, as monotonous and neat as always. It was cold, though, and Richie gave me enough coal to toss in the fireplace and I threw a match down.

It was warm and I looked at those flickering flames. They danced and jolted around as though in a seizure, limbs bending in impossible ways.

I sobbed, and I didn't know why.

The fire seemed so ephemeral, like Clive.

***

I slowly settled in and when I met Jonathan he gathered Daniel and I. We went into the familiar library where we gathered at the table. Jonathan was composed as always, and told us about about the families who joined.
There were the Wordsworth sisters, the Foster brother and sister, and lastly, the Leon daughter.