The Elite Novel By Kiera Cass 소설 & 이야기

Not without Cassian making his way into my thoughts once or twice. The thought of him being in the same building as me, after so long. His presence made the huge house feel so small, memories of the night I’d ended things burning in my thoughts, the pain stung fresh, the wound peppered anew. The night I tried so hard to forget. ____ “ What do you mean by we're done? You can't just do that Eli, it's wrong!” Cassian yelled, his fists banging hard against the metal gates. The rain poured over— wetting the earth and him as he spoke.

My mother paled even further as a small, pathetic squeak left her lips, her body still numb with the sheer force of the astonishing news. Cassius turned on his heel to leave the room, and suddenly my tongue was loosened by the rising tide of panic. “Why are you on her side?” I demanded. “Why will you prepare divorce papers for her? Do you like her, Cass?” “Who wouldn’t like Elara once they got to know her?” Cassius asked, turning aside just enough to fix a cold, pitying gaze on me. “You are the one that didn’t know you had a diamond, and rather traded it for a mere, ugly stone...”

They'd underestimated her. Cassandra had spent her entire life in New York's elite circles. She had connections they couldn't imagine. Resources they didn't know about. And most importantly, she had nothing left to lose. If she was going down, she was taking Elara Moore with her. Not through tabloids or leaked audio or threatening messages. Something permanent. Something that would destroy Sebastian Vale in a way he would never recover from. She just needed to get out of this cell first. And then. Then she'd show them what real revenge looked like.

“That sounds so good, baby.” “And maybe we stop by the mall,” Cassian added. “I need to buy a gift.” A gift. My chest ached. It was for Elara. It had to be. My sweet girl had been pestering Cassian for weeks about her graduation. Begging him to get her a dress, maybe some jewelry. She said it would be their “grown-up siblings moment.” And now she’d never get it. Cassian… he didn’t even know she was dead. That the woman he was sweet-talking was the same woman who had killed his sister and tortured his mother in the basement of his own empire.

The suite smelled like cedar, leather, and the faint trace of yesterday’s adrenaline. Cassian had left the blinds drawn, but the city’s glow seeped in around the edges. Elara sat on the edge of the couch, the flash drive heavy in her palm, heart still hammering from the rush of control, choice, and the intimacy of last night.

He never tired of reminding her with his body that she was his, and he was hers. On the final night before reaching the capital, they made camp beside a crystal-clear river. The moon hung full and bright overhead. After the scouts confirmed the perimeter was secure, Kael led Elara away from the main camp to a secluded stretch of bank. He undressed her slowly under the moonlight, kissing every inch of skin he revealed. “You were magnificent on that battlefield,” he murmured against her collarbone. “My powerful, beautiful queen.” Elara shivered as his mouth moved lower, sucking one nipple into his mouth while his fingers teased the other. “Kael...”

Fear flickered across her face for the first time. “What is she, Kael?” Before he could answer A slow clap echoed through the ravine. Every warrior spun toward the sound. Cassian stepped from the shadows above them. Alone. Smiling. “Thank you for retrieving her,” he called down smoothly. “I dislike carrying fragile things too far.” Rage exploded through Kael. “You used her as bait.” “No,” Cassian corrected. “I used you.” Elara’s voice dropped into something lethal. “You touched my child. There is nowhere you will hide from me.”

She had gone very quiet, standing still with her wine glass halfway to her mouth, eyes moving slowly between me and Claire like she was replaying something she had just heard. "Did you just say," she said slowly, "that Elena dates an NFL star?" The room went still. I looked at Claire. Claire looked back at me. It was then I remembered that I hadn’t told Jenna yet. Claire took a casual sip of her wine and casually said, “Yes.” "WHAT?!" Jenna squealed. "Jenna…" I started. "As in you and Caleb," she said, pointing at me with the wooden spoon, "like date date, that is a real thing that is actually happening right now?"

My heart slammed, through the open doo⁠rway⁠, at the far end of the hall, Kiera‍n Drake s‍tood. He was s⁠till and watching. His gaze locked onto mine and t‌hi‌s‍ time,‌ there was no mis‍taking it. His pupils fla‌red unnatu⁠rally wide, the scent hit⁠ me like a wave. Alpha, claiming and Miles went pale. “Eli… why do I s⁠uddenly feel l⁠ike prey?” Kieran smiled predatory and inside me, something ancient st‌irred in response someth‍ing th‍at rec⁠ognized the hunt.