Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

Aria POV Lucien doesn’t kiss me. Even though I know he wants to. I can feel it. The tension between us hangs thick in the courtyard while his hands remain wrapped around mine, grounding me gently beneath silver moonlight. My magic slowly settles against his. Not disappearing. Dancing. That’s the only word for it. The darkness curling beneath Lucien’s power brushes against mine smoothly, calming the wildfire beneath my skin without smothering it. Like our magic recognizes each other instinctively. Like they fit together. And Gods..It feels perfect. Which is probably why disappointment twists unexpectedly through my chest when Lucien finally loosens his grip slightly instead of pulling me closer. For one dangerous second, I really thought he was going to kiss me. The thought heats my face instantly. What is wrong with me? Lucien studies me quietly beneath the moonlight, amber eyes still darkened with restraint. There’s something almost tense about him now. Like he’s actively fightin

Jasper POV:I’ve been avoiding Aria Veyne for four days.It’s not going well. In fact, considering I’m currently standing ten feet away from her at my own party, watching every breath she takes while pretending I’m not, I’d say it’s going fucking terribly.She shouldn’t have worn that dress. That’s the first problem. Lavender. Of course she wore fucking lavender. The soft material hugs her curves before falling loosely around her thighs, matching those impossible violet eyes so perfectly that I haven’t been able to think straight since the moment she walked through the doors of Fae House.Her black hair falls in curls down her back, the silver streak near the front catching the enchanted lights every time she moves. And her lips. Gods. Some kind of peach gloss shines across them, and I’ve spent far too much time wondering if it tastes as sweet as it looks.I need another drink. Or perhaps a personality transplant. Something drastic. Because this isn’t me. I don’t obsess over females.

Lucien isn’t here. I stand in the middle of the courtyard staring at our empty stone bench like it has personally betrayed me. Which is ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. It’s not like Lucien and I have an agreement to meet here every night. We never made plans. Never decided on a time. Somehow, it just became something we did.I came outside. He appeared. We sat together. Sometimes we talked. Sometimes I read while he stared into the darkness like the brooding vampire stereotype he absolutely was. But he was always here. Until tonight. I glance around the courtyard again. Nothing.The fountain trickles quietly at the center. Moonlight spills across empty stone pathways, and the academy towers above me, dark and silent. No Lucien. Disappointment twists unexpectedly through my chest. I should go back to my room. That’s the logical thing to do. I’ve had a long enough night already. I went to a fae party. I drank. I played truth or dare. I climbed into Jasper Ashwyck’s lap in front of ha

I should wake her. I’ve known this for the past twenty-three minutes. Aria fell asleep against my chest without warning, one arm still wrapped loosely around my waist, her breathing soft and even as her body relaxed completely into mine.I should tell her it’s late. I should walk her back to her room. I should do any number of things that don’t involve sitting perfectly still on my bed while Aria Veyne sleeps in my arms. I do none of them. Because she came looking for me.The thought has been circling my mind since the moment I opened my door and found her standing on the other side. I was looking for you. Five words. Five simple fucking words, and somehow they’ve managed to destroy a century worth of common sense.She sought me out. Not Archer. Not Jasper.Me. Perhaps the most dangerous part is that she didn’t even know where my room was. Her magic found me. I still haven’t decided what to do with that information. I’ve considered every reasonable explanation. Coincidence. Instinct.

Archers POV:I stop. He looks exactly like he always does. Calm.Controlled. Infuriatingly unaffected by everything. His black hair is slightly disheveled. His shirt is wrinkled. And he smells like her. Not faintly. Not as if they stood too close. Aria’s scent is all over him. My wolf slams against my control so violently that pain shoots through my body.I see red. No…Green. Definitely fucking green. Lucien looks at me. One dark eyebrow lifts.“Nightblade.”I take one step forward.“Where is she?”His expression doesn’t change.“Good morning to you too.”“Where the fuck is Aria?”His amber eyes sharpen. There. Finally.A reaction. Small. But I see it.“Why?”My hands curl into fists. “Answer the question.”Lucien studies me for several seconds.Then his gaze moves over me slowly, almost lazily. “You seem upset.”I want to hit him. My wolf enthusiastically agrees.“Why do you smell like her?”Lucien says nothing. Which is so much worse.I step closer. “What the fuck did you do?”His