Evermore Academy (Evermore Academy #3) - Audrey Grey Page 0,21

rest of the school year will be like, I’m screwed.

9

I’m lying in my queen-sized bed wondering how I’ll ever sleep when Mack peeks her head in the door. “You awake?”

I kick my sheets off and sit up. “Yep.” I shoot an annoyed glance at Ruby. She’s inside the multi-tiered cat house I bought her this summer, hanging onto the neck of Tall Goat singing “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus at the top of her lungs. “Whoever introduced her to country music deserves to get shanked in the eyeball.”

“I have some earplugs and an eye mask, if you want?” Mack crosses the floor and settles on the side of my bed.

I shake my head. The few times I tried those, I woke from one of Valerian’s nightmares in a panic, unable to orient myself.

“Well.” A mischievous grin I know well flashes her perfectly straight white teeth. “I have something that might cheer you up.”

“A photo of my fiancé gutted and dismembered?”

“Wow, this conversation took a dark turn.” Her eyes glitter. “I have something almost as good as that.”

I raise a curious brow. “Spill, beotch, or I’m locking Ruby in your room tonight.”

Grinning like a maniac, she scoots her butt over until her back’s pressed against the velvet headboard, shoulder warm against mine. Without a word, she unlocks her phone screen and twists it so I can see what appears to be a text message.

My heart stutters before somersaulting wildly against my ribs as I make out the sender: ILB.

Along with my excitement comes a whisper of trepidation. My contract states no contact with Valerian, period. I’m not an expert on Fae law—not yet anyway—but this feels dangerously close to breaking my contract.

I clench my jaw as my brain wars with my heart. It takes every ounce of my willpower to rip my gaze from Valerian’s words. “Mack, I can’t—”

“Can’t what?” Mack asks, tilting the screen toward me. “Accidentally look at my private messages, which I stupidly leave open? That’s not breaking the contract.”

“When did this start?”

“After we saw Eclipsa in the subway. I read between the lines and realized that the prince isn’t doing well, which means you aren’t doing well. I couldn’t let you continue suffering so . . . I reached out to him.” I start to shake my head and she adds, “I’m really careful, Summer. I make sure to only inform him how you’re doing, and I never promise to pass on his messages to you or set up meetings.”

That would definitely break the contract. I sigh. “We’re dancing over a very fine line.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’ve got fucking moves for days and I’m not afraid to use them. Not if it means lessening my bestie’s pain.” When I still hesitate, she brings out the big guns. “I’ve already discussed it with my dads. Technically, you’re not breaking your contract.”

My resolve crumbles. I should be embarrassed by the way I jerk her phone from her fingers, but the only thing I feel is my heart violently punching into my throat.

These are Valerian’s words. His thoughts. His voice sounds in my head as I read the convo over and over. I’d nearly forgotten how rich and powerful his voice is, the way it strums down my spine and makes me shiver.

God, I miss you, Valerian Sylverfrost.

How is she?

Is she eating?

Is her mother treating her well?

Is she keeping up her training? Her left hook drops sometimes and she telegraphs her roundhouse kick.

Does she still wear those neon pink leggings when she does yoga with E?

Wait, don’t tell me. It’s torture.

Does the right side of her lips quirk right before she laughs?

If Hellebore touches her at all, if he hurts her, I want to know.

No, I won’t kill him.

Okay, that’s a lie. But fuck him. Fuck his entire motherfucking court.

I saw her picture in the tabloids yesterday. Oberon be damned, she’s the most beautiful creature that’s ever breathed in this jacked up world.

If she were to ever accidentally read this, I would want her to know . . .

I will never forget that she gave up her freedom to save me.

I will make this right. I will fucking destroy everything in my path until she’s free.

Even if it costs me everything.

Also, Smoke Breath hung the tabloid picture of you on his wall so when he’s lying in bed—

An ache vises my chest when the last message cuts off, but I’m grinning, too, and not just because I’m imagining Asher going full dragon to stop Valerian