Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DB Chapter 5 - Fire Starter

Chapter 5

ALLISON COULDN'T believe her ears. Was she dreaming? How in the world did she become friends with Melody Balan?

Despite the clear and present danger of the Winthers, she could barely contain her joy. Of course, there were other aristocratic girls she met in passing. Still, Alisandra and Eden were Maglania's favorites, and the old crone would never allow them to become friends with a Handmaiden.

Not that they would ever want to. Allison was more than familiar with how begrudgingly any of the aristocrats spoke to her, even if it was only to communicate with Maglania. They smiled in her face but called her a dreg behind her back.

Melody, on the other hand, was a rebel. She wandered Manna City on her own, dating who she wanted, without a care in the world. Only a Balan girl could have done as much. Melody wasn't her father's legitimate daughter, and perhaps that was why she always took a particular joy in breaking the rules. Her mother was dead, and Gabriel's first family never fully welcomed her. All the same, Melody belonged to perhaps the most powerful family in Manna City.

Never in her wildest dreams could Allison have imagined being friends with Melody.

"Devon," Melody stated with authority. "You stay outside. I'll take care of Lysander."

"N-no!" Allison exclaimed. "I could never. I'm going inside."

"You have more courage than good sense," Melody snapped. Then she glanced back at Blake and rolled her eyes. "Come Oslen. Let's head inside. I'll be the only one speaking tonight."

Allison hurried along beside Melody, trying not to appear too eager. For once, she was more excited than she was afraid. If she survived the night, she would have a new best friend. A new female best friend, at least. Melody grabbed Allison's arm playfully as she glided up the stairs in her luminous silk dress that shimmered like midnight rain.

"Lysander, is he sweet on the eyes?" Melody whispered. "Perhaps, he and I could go a couple of rounds in bed before I slit his throat."

Allison giggled. "I didn't think to look."

"Come on, you're a girl. We always look."

Allison laughed along, praying that Melody didn't find her boring. Truth be told, the idea of sleeping with a boy belonging to one of the Great Families had never crossed her mind. They were almost a different species.

"I've gotten bored with the boys of Manna City," Melody lamented. "I've sampled them all, all except you, Blake."

Yes, Allison was well aware that, as gorgeous and wealthy as William Oslen was, none of the aristocratic girls of Manna City would ever pay him half a glance. The same went for Julian Namura. But Blake Thorne, who, as far as Allison knew, had never been seen by any of the girls she brushed shoulders with at parties, was certainly high on their suitable suitors list.

Allison wasn't sure how Melody found out about Blake's identity. It was likely because Gabriel Balan knew just about everything. This was also likely why Blake resented having to deal with the Balans.

"Yes, out of respect for your friend Eden," Blake snapped. Blake despised any mention of River Way, but he hated inhabiting the identity of Blake Thorne even more.

Allison recalled Maglania mentioning that Blake had an engagement to Eden, arranged by his mother. Eden's was a name he never brought up, unlike Vivienne Weisse, who was constantly on his lips whenever they were together.

"No, not Eden." Melody's smile did not reach her eyes. Allison felt as though the tension between the two of them was thick enough to cut with a knife. So much so that Allison began to suspect the member of the Great Families Blake would most like to kill that night was, in fact, Melody Balan.