13. The Game Begins

Lila laughed nervously, glancing toward the heirs. "Wait, are they seriously inviting us?"

"I think so," I breathed, wishing I had Freya with me.

Lila's fingers tightened around her cup as if it might save her from this mess. "Uh, yeah… this looks… fun," she said, but her voice cracked.

"Actually, I just remembered I promised my friends I'd meet them." She stood so fast her drink sloshed over the rim. "Good luck with… whatever this is. Bye, Maeve"

Before I could say a word, she bolted, vanishing into the crowd, and I was left holding the crumpled paper like it was a bomb ticking in my hands.

Aiden raised an eyebrow, frowning. "What is this? Are they seriously calling you over? For a game of truth or dare?"

I shrugged, but my chest felt tight. Rowan's smirk was like a dare, and Elias's gaze, sharp and brooding, was just waiting for me to flinch. Lucian sat back in silence, his violet eyes steady and cold, like he was the judge waiting to deliver a sentence.

"Maeve, listen to me," Aiden said carefully, his shoulder brushing mine, "you don't have to go over there. You really don't. They're probably just messing with you, seeing if you'll flinch. Let it go."

I tore my gaze from the heirs to look at him. "If I back down, they'll think I'm scared."

"Because you are scared!" he hissed under his breath. "Anyone with common sense would be. They can make your life crumble with a single word. "

I gave him a tight smile. "Lucky for me, common sense isn't really my thing."

Before he could stop me, I crumpled the note tighter in my fist and stood abruptly, leaving my drink behind.

"Maeve—" Aiden's voice chased after me, low and warning. "Come on, don't do this! They're not worth it!"

But I was already walking toward the bonfire.

The chatter of students dimmed as I approached, like even the fire crackled quieter for them.

Every step I took toward the log where the heirs sat felt like stepping into a lion's den. I kept my eyes steady, refusing to look away from their table of predators.

Elias noticed me first, his hazel eyes dark and unreadable. Rowan leaned forward with a grin, his elbows on his knees like he was waiting for the show to start. And Lucian, Lucian didn't move.

He sat there, one arm draped casually over his knee, gaze locked on me like I'd just walked into his carefully laid trap.

I didn't hesitate. I slid onto the empty spot beside Elias, my posture stiff but deliberate, daring them to make me feel small.

Elias tilted his head slightly, studying me like I was an unsolved puzzle, holding a bottle of what I presumed to be beer. Suddenly, his bottle slipped from his hand, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

"Careful," I said coolly, arching a brow at him. "If you're clumsy, maybe you shouldn't be here."

Rowan's grin exploded into laughter, loud and delighted. "Oh, hell, that's good. Did you hear that, Elias? She's calling you out already."

Elias's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he slowly picked up his bottle. "You've got a sharp tongue," he murmured, his voice low and edged.

I tilted my head, refusing to look away. "Better than having no spine at all."

His gaze darkened. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

"Yeah," I said, my tone flat and unbothered. "You're the guy who told me I don't belong in the basketball court if I'm so clumsy. And you're the same guy who can't even hold onto his drink. Also correct me if I'm wrong, but you're the ones who dragged me into this little game, aren't you?"

Rowan choked on a laugh, clapping his hands once like he was at a show. "Oh, this is gold."

Elias's nostrils flared. "Careful, scholarship girl. I don't take disrespect lightly."

"Funny," I shot back, leaning in just enough for our shoulders to almost brush. "Neither do I."

For a second, the tension snapped so tight I thought he might actually explode. Rowan was practically wheezing with amusement, and even Lucian's head tilted slightly, his eyes glinting like he was… impressed?

Lucian finally moved, leaning forward just enough for the firelight to sharpen every angle of his face. "Enough," he said quietly, and the air instantly stilled. His eyes pinned me in place. "Truth or dare?"

The crowd around us murmured in anticipation. My pulse hammered, but I kept my gaze steady.

"Dare," I said, even though my mind thundered with a million reasons it was a terrible choice.

"Dare," Lucian repeated, voice low, like the word was dangerous in his mouth.

"Very ballsy pick."

He reached for the glass in his hand, swirling the dark liquid inside as if considering what to do with it.

"I dare you…" He paused, tilting his head ever so slightly, his violet eyes burning into mine. "…to take my drink."

I raised a brow. "That's it? What, do you think I can't handle a sip?"

Rowan snorted, leaning back with an amused grin. "Careful, sweetheart. Lucian's drinks aren't for the faint of heart. I've seen guys puke after one shot."

"Really?" I shot back. My voice was steady, but my pulse was slamming against my ribs.

Lucian didn't smile. He didn't smirk. He just extended the glass, his fingers brushing mine when I took it. The touch sent a spark straight through me, and I hated how my breath hitched.

"Drink," he said softly, and it wasn't a suggestion.

I tilted the glass to my lips and swallowed. The liquid burned, sharp and smoky, trailing fire down my throat. I refused to cough, even though it felt like my lungs were about to catch fire.

When I lowered the glass, Lucian was still watching me, eyes hooded, gaze so intense it felt like he was reading the defiance in every cell of my body.

"Well?" Rowan asked, grinning like a devil. "Still alive, scholarship girl?"

I set the glass down deliberately. "Barely. But you'll have to try harder than that to make me fold."

Elias tilted his head, his jaw tightening. "Cocky."

I met his gaze with a sharp smile. "Confident. You should try it sometime."

A ripple of laughter passed through the circle, and Rowan grinned like I'd just made his night. "She still bites! I am loving this."

That was when one of the girls lounging with them, her hair a vivid green that shimmered like sea glass under the firelight, leaned forward.

Her emerald eyes glittered with mischief as she propped her chin on her palm.

"Well then, scholarship girl," she drawled, lips curling into a sly smile. "If you're so unshakable…" She paused just long enough for the silence to tighten like a wire. "…I dare you to kiss Elias."