Deviant Descendants (Descendants Academy #2) - Belle Malory Page 0,45

it mean?”

She looked up at me and frowned. “I…I’m not sure.”

But I didn’t believe her. She suspected something.

She stood and dusted the skirt of her gown. “No matter. We have other things that demand our attention.”

“Ione…I don’t think I can go to the ball.” My stomach twisted painfully. Every cell in my body felt as if it were collapsing.

“Look, I’m just as upset as you are, Sher. But tonight is too important. Let’s get through it and worry about this later, okay?” She looked at me expectantly, and I could see that she was counting on me.

I nodded. “Okay.”

20

Two hours later, we arrived at Arcadia’s ballroom. Ione had gone all out on my gown; and she’d chosen my favorite color—silver. It looked like something out of a fairytale with its tiered skirt made of a soft, wispy material. If I didn’t feel so awful, I would have felt like a princess floating on a cloud.

The ballroom was dripping with crystals and sparkle lights. Thousands of roses linked together as a backdrop on the stage where the graduates collected their awards. The ceiling glittered with giant chandeliers and intricate murals. Everything was so pretty and vibrant, a stark contrast to my own mood.

Every few minutes, they announced an award. As house leader, Peter did most of the presenting. I carefully studied the way Ione watched him. She kept a dead expression, but I saw a glimpse of emotion flash in her eyes. It only took a split second, but it was there. Pain. I knew that feeling all too well—heartbreak was an old friend of mine. I still wondered what happened between the two of them, but I didn’t bring it up again. Whatever was going on, Ione was determined to keep it private and I tried to respect that.

Several of Ione’s friends bombarded us right away. We didn’t mention Xander’s disappearance, and they never suspected anything. The fake smiles, fake laughter—Ione was good at pretending nothing was wrong. Me, not so much.

“Your aura has darkened,” Peter said, startling me just I stepped away from the crowd. He handed me a glass of bubbly champagne. “This is no night for a grim mood.”

I took the flute from him, putting effort into another smile. “I forgot you can do that.”

“Is everything okay?” he said, sounding genuinely concerned. “Ione’s aura looks just as bleak.”

That’s how he got to her, I realized. Peter was the one person who could see through all Ione’s pretenses.

“It will be.” With that said, I downed the entire flute. “It’s a beautiful party, Peter.”

He beamed. “Thank you, Sheridan.”

Throughout the night, I tried to socialize, interact, and to put on my best face, but it was difficult. After several mindless conversations, I couldn’t take it anymore. I scanned the room, looking for the verandah. Then, I fled there to get some fresh air and a few moments alone.

Wandering into the rose garden, I found a bench hidden within a cocoon of topiary bushes and sat down. Music and laughter floated from inside, but I didn’t hear any of it. I just sat there, numb, still trying to work my mind around that note Ione received.

Heels clicked against the cement behind me, pushing me away from my thoughts. On the other side of the bushes, mages spoke in hushed voices. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I wasn’t ready to abandon the privacy I’d found either.

A squeaky, feminine voice tried to keep quiet, but her whispers could be heard a mile away. “Hollows,” she said, hooking my attention. “Here, at Arcadia.”

I peeked through the leaves, trying to see who was whispering. All I saw were two glittery ball gowns, one in emerald green and the other a bright tangerine. I couldn’t see their faces.

“How do you know?” the other girl said—a tall brunette.

“Glyph magic was found on the wall in the girl’s bathroom.”

“In Aphrodite?”

The other one nodded in response.

“Great gods.” The brunette shook her head. “The hollow could be one of our own.” The two of them moved on, heading back indoors.

I couldn’t believe it. I’d read about glyphs in a book from Twilight Island; they were mostly associated with dark magic, drawn with a mixture of blood and quartz, usually to cast hexes. It violated the Mythonian laws of magic, and if they caught the perpetrator, it meant prison time. Knowing all that, I wondered why a hollow would risk coming to Arcadia.

First, the hollowed guard. Now this. All of it, suspicious.

Just as I was about to head back inside,