Deviant Descendants (Descendants Academy #2) - Belle Malory Page 0,21

locked-up on Winter Island.”

The Mythonian prison would be an ideal place for Riley. I wouldn’t mind seeing her behind bars, but I would rather find a way to trap her in the Underworld for six months. Then, I could truly be done with her.

“To be this cruel…” I sighed, lost for explanations. “She isn’t the person I remember. Then again, it wasn’t like me to try to kill her either. The curse is poisoning us both.”

“At least one of you is self-aware.”

“Oh, Riley knows exactly what’s happening. She just doesn’t care.”

“And what about my brother?” Ione tapped her foot against the rug. “How could he stand by and allow this to happen?”

“To be fair, I didn’t give him much choice.” Xander’s pained face filled my mind again, and the guilt flooded back. “He didn’t want me to take that bet in the first place.”

“He should have carried you out of that house and never looked back. On Zeus’s grave, Sheridan. Why you feel the need to be part of House Ares is beyond me.”

“It’s in my blood, Ione.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but a knock came at our door, and an envelope flew out of the mail slot. Ione bent down, arching a brow. “It’s for you.” She handed it to me. “From Professor Thorne.”

I hadn’t heard from Grandpa since Riley first arrived at Arcadia. If there was news from him, it meant there was news about Dad! I tore it open straight away.

* * *

Sheridan,

As I suspected, your father’s disappearance involved foul play. I found him in your Davidson home, locked under an entrapment spell set by your sister. The spell prevented him from leaving the house or contacting anyone for help. Don’t worry though, I reversed it and freed him. He’s doing okay, for the most part. His pride is suffering. Being tricked and outmatched by his teenage daughter will have that effect.

In any case, we are on our way back to Arcadia. However, the journey will take several days longer than usual. Your father can’t travel by portal as the residual effects of the entrapment spell prevent him from using magic until he is fully healed. Again, don’t worry. We’ll be there soon enough.

In the meantime, stay away from your sister. Far away! I can safely ascertain she is plotting something. What that something is, I can’t say, but don’t underestimate her abilities. Your father did, and you see where that got him. When I arrive, we will sort this mess out together, as a family. Until then, stay safe, Sheridan.

Love,

Grandpa

* * *

The letter crumpled between my fingers. How dare she. Imprisoning our own father! My god, the lengths Riley would go to see me killed were endless. And here I was, blaming Dad for sending me here with no communication, and the whole time, he was trapped inside of our house.

I needed to sit down.

“Everything okay?” Ione eyed me cautiously as I lowered onto my bed.

“It will be.”

Blood boiled in my veins. The Fates were wrong about my future. House Ares wouldn’t be the catalyst that pushed me over the edge.

Riley was.

By breakfast, my rose gold locks were already touching my shoulders. As far as my appearance went, it was almost as if last night never happened. Almost. But just like Dad, my pride was suffering. I would’ve preferred lazing the day away in bed, moping. Then I thought of Riley gloating, and I thought better of it. I needed to go to class, keep my head held high, and put one foot in front of the other. I needed her to believe I was stronger than she thought.

In Basic Magic Principles, Jett sat in the seat next to me before class started. I hadn’t spoken to her since my abduction, nor did I care to do so.

“What are you doing?” I looked around. Plenty of empty chairs were vacant. Gah, this was what I got for being prideful.

Jett slung her velvet tote along the back of her chair. She looked different. Bags colored the underside of her eyes, like she hadn’t slept in weeks. Her short black hair stuck up in odd places. Even her magic felt different. Less invasive, and more invaded. “Er, I was hoping…well, I’d like to be friends again.”

This had to be a joke. “Seriously?”

She traded me for magic. For her to suggest we be friends again after that could only mean one thing. She had clearly lost her mind.

“I miss you, Thorny.” She said it so quietly and sincerely