Broken Kingdom (Corium University Trilogy 3)

My father promised me she would be sheltered and well taken care of, and he has never broken a promise to me.

The silence of the living room breaks when the front lock disengages and the door swings open. Light filters in from the hallway, and Ren’s silhouette appears in the entrance.

“Quit being a weirdo and turn on the light when you sit on the couch,” Ren snaps. “Do weird stuff in your own room.”

I don’t even reply. Witty comebacks remind me of Aspen, and since I’m avoiding everything Aspen, I avoid those as well.

“Are you going to stay cooped up in here, or are you actually joining humanity sometime this year?”

“I’m fine right here.” I shrug.

I’ll never admit it out loud, but I’m depressed. I’ve only left my room once since I got back a week ago. I won’t even go to the gym since that’s also a place that reminds me of the one I’m supposed to forget.

“Well, you’re missing out because Billy brought his tattoo gun, and while normally, I would avoid anything that isn’t professionally done, he’s actually pretty good and clean.” Ren pulls up his shirt, showing me a large tattoo covering his rib cage.

“Jesus,” I mutter as I take in the intricate ink decorating part of his torso. It’s an angry-looking black and gray wolf surrounded by a forest that seems to be closing in on him. Behind the wolf is a colorful night sky with shades of dark purple and navy blue. In the center of the sky sits a large bright moon, and I know exactly why it seems like the moon is the highlight of the tattoo. Luna.

“I got this for my sister,” Ren confirms. “I’m the wolf, angry, protective, and without color. She is the light, making everything around her bright and beautiful.”

“Damn, that is good. Where is Billy now?”

“In his room, but I think he’s done tattooing today.”

“He’s done when I say he is.” I shove off the couch and strut past Ren. “I’m getting a fucking tattoo.”

“Whatever gets you off this couch and out of this apartment. I’m gonna Skype home.”

“Tell them I said hi,” I utter absentmindedly before shutting the door behind me. My thoughts are already swirling around the tattoo I’m getting as I walk down the hall to Billy’s room.

I knock but don’t wait for someone to answer before I simply waltz in.

Billy is sitting in his bed, looking like he is about to yell at me. His mouth shuts as soon as he realizes who I am.

Next to him, I spot Nash with his sleeve rolled up, and his forearm glistens with the ointment rubbed into a fresh tattoo.

“Hey, man,” Billy greets me. I’ve never really talked to him before, and he seems a little uneasy having me in his room now, but I don’t really care what he feels.

“I’m here for a tattoo,” I announce. “You done with Nash?”

“Yeah, he just touched mine up. He’s all yours.”

“I’ll have to clean everything and get a new set of needles. Give me ten minutes.”

I’m about to tell him he’s got five, but then I remember this might not be something I want to rush him about.

“What did you get?” I ask Nash, who proudly shows off the small 3x3 inch tattoo on his forearm.

“Family crest. What are you getting?”

“I want a bear on my arm to cover the scar.”

“Cool idea,” Billy chimes in. “I can definitely draw up something badass. Wait, didn’t a bear give you that scar?”

“Yeah, that’s kind of the point. I thought it would be fitting.”

“Agreed. Why did you go out there?”

“Yeah, Quinton, why did you?” Nash asks. “Not because of Aspen, right?” he taunts, and I’m two seconds away from ripping his throat out for saying her name. “Where is she anyway? Haven’t seen her around since I got back.”

“Lucas decided it’s better to keep her away from the rest of the students. I guess he finally got it through his head that she doesn’t belong with us.”

“A little too late.” Nash shakes his head.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t you think it’s suspicious that Matteo’s entire family disappeared?”

“What does that have to do with Aspen?” I ask, playing dumb.

Nash shrugs. “I’m just saying Matteo had it out for Aspen. Then his family disappears?”

I barely manage to contain my anger by simply hearing his and her name in the same sentence. “Exactly, he had it out for her, but all she did was avoid him. Nothing actually happened.”

“You don’t think Matteo did more than just try to get her?” Nash’s words rattle something deep inside me. An uneasy feeling creeps up my spine. Does he know what Matteo did to Aspen?

No, he can’t. I shake the thought away. There is no way he could have known… unless Matteo sent him one of the videos. Fuck.