𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐘

Chapter 4: My Little Thief

Aelin grabbed a tray and stood in line with her cousin. The cafeteria buzzed lively and the smell of food was mouthwatering.

Aedion kept a close distance to her the whole time, like a hawk, but she noticed how his eyes would drift to the snacks ever so often.

Everyone in here are eating like kings and queens.

Grabbing everything that she could fit on her tray she sincerely thanked the cook with a mouth full of muffin.

"How was Calculus?" Aelin muttered, wandering through the large hall in search for a place to sit.

"Ecstatic," Her cousin said, his tongue full of sarcasm.

Guess that just runs in the family.

"Aelin!"

She looked around and spotted Dorian waving at them—her. Aedion gave her a questioning glance, "New friends?"

Aelin smirked and sauntered over to her "friends", eyes twinkling with mischief.

Seated on the table were four people.

Two Aelin knew. Dorian and Chaol were sat side by side but at a distant proximity.

The other two, she had no idea who they were.

Both were girls and both were extremely beautiful. One had creamy dark skin and black hair that was tied into multiple braids. She had brown eyes that showed no emotion and a sharp face. 

She was unlike the girl seated next to her, who was pale with onyx eyes that looked at Aelin with a kind but cautious stare.

Aelin plopped down beside Dorian and tried not to eat everything on her plate all at once.

Dorian noticed how their thighs were touching but didn't question it, instead he turned to the table and introduced the two girls, dramatically.

"May I present to you, her royal highness Princess Nehemia Ytger," He stood from his chair and bowed to the dark-skinned beauty, making Aelin snort.

"And Lady Elide Lochan," Dorian grinned at Aedion who was staring at Elide, or more so, her full breasts, "She's off limits buddy."

Elide blushed and Aelin elbowed her cousin in the ribs and sighed, "This is Aedion, my cousin, unfortunately."

Aedion put a hand over his heart and gasped, "Ouch. You know you love me."

"Riight."

The table burst up in laughter and Aelin failed to contain her own.

No attachments, she had to remind herself.

Eventually Dorian opened a conversation that got everyone interested and Aelin found herself learning a lot about them.

Dorians father was actually the founder of Rifthold Academy, meaning that he never gets in trouble and basically has a free pass anywhere at any time around school.

Elide is dyslexic, Aelin felt bad knowing she struggles to read. When to her, books were the most important thing in her life. And Chaol, he wants to become soldier in the navvy like his father.

"Any reason why you're here in the middle of the year?" Nehemia asked but Aelin simple shrugged. She wasn't about to go into a story of her past, not now or ever.

She decided to switch the conversation.

"So, what's the deal with Dorian calling you princess?" Aelin tied her hair up in a messy bun while munching on her fries.

Nehemia smiled a bit, "He thinks that just because I'm an exchanged student means that I'm a royal." Her accent was rich and showed that she was still in the process of learning their own language.

Aelin didn't know how, but she instantly knew they'd be good friends.

Hard footsteps walked towards their table and Elide cried out happily, "Lorcan!"

Aelin spun around to find a guy, tall and lean, smiling at Elide with soft eyes.

But as soon as his eyes landed on her, soft turned to cold, and Aelin found herself shrinking back a bit.

He growled in a low voice, sending shivers up her spine.

"You."