Sweet Deceit (Privilege 4)

“Okay. We’ll stop by your room later,” Kaitlynn said.

Then she pulled Ariana away, following after the guys, who were already out the door.

“Why did you do that?” she whispered to Ariana as they hurried out.

“I want us both to get into Stone and Grave, Kaitlynn,” Ariana replied.

Kaitlynn paused and narrowed her eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Ariana said, keeping her expression as frank as possible. “We’re in this together now.”

With a ponderous frown, Kaitlynn started walking again. Ariana fell into step with her and was surprised when Kaitlynn knocked elbows with her in a tentative but friendly way.

“Thanks, A,” she said simply.

Ariana slipped her arm around Kaitlynn’s, her heart thrumming over a job well done. “What are friends for?”

DARK SIDE

Ariana couldn’t stop grinning as she sat against the cool wall in the grand hall, watching her plan come to fruition. She, Kaitlynn, Rob, Landon, and Jasper were all seated in a circle on the floor of the cavernous room, munching on gum and defiling the Fellows’ royal blue velvet robes. Palmer was certain the Fellows would have a ritual tonight, though he wouldn’t say why in all the secretiveness. But all they had to do was get the two dozen packs of gum chewed up before lights out. Ironically, all the chewing made them sound like a family of cows—which was kind of disgusting, but in a satisfying way.

“This is so gross,” Kaitlynn said, tugging a wad of gum from her mouth between her thumb and forefinger. She placed it inside the royal blue hood on the velvet robe in her lap and grimaced.

“Yeah. I guess it wasn’t so bad when it was just one piece of gum,” Palmer replied, leaning past Ariana to better see her.

“Right,” Kaitlynn said, her cheeks pink with pleasure. “At least with one piece you don’t start to get lockjaw.”

Palmer laughed as he tugged another of the robes toward him from the pile. “I can’t believe this was your idea, Lily. Who knew you had a dark side?”

Ariana snorted a laugh and glanced at Kaitlynn. Her eyes clouded over for a moment, but then quickly cleared and she laughed as well. “Well, Ana was the one who realized it would work on the Fellows, so I guess we all have a dark side,” Kaitlynn said.

Palmer looked at Ariana, his expression mischievous, and popped another piece of gum into his mouth. “I guess so.”

Ariana felt warm all over, both from Palmer’s leading tone and over the fact that Kaitlynn was throwing credit back at her.

“So, why do the Fellows use the grand hall for their rituals?” Ariana asked, glancing around at the expensive artwork that decorated the richly papered walls. “Isn’t it kind of . . . out in the open?”

“Well, from what I’ve heard, the Fellows are dedicated to the memories of our founders, Atherton and Pryce,” Palmer explained, using his thumbs to press his freshly chewed gum into the hood of a robe. “Because of that they have kind of a big ego as a group and feel like the two big guys are constantly looking over them or something.”

Ariana wondered how he knew so much about the other society. Was it because he was president of Stone and Grave? Did people in power get to be privy to information like this somehow?

“That’s lame,” Kaitlynn said.

The guys laughed. “Seriously,” Landon replied.

“Well, they’re about to get their comeuppance,” Jasper said, folding up the robe he’d just gummed.

“Comeuppance?” Ariana said with a smirk. “Who talks like that?”

“Seriously, dude. Join us in the twenty-first century,” Rob joked, earning a hand slap from Landon.

“Thanks, dude. But I prefer to sound like an educated man, rather than an imbecile,” Jasper shot back.

Rob’s eyes flashed and everyone fell silent. Ariana exchanged a wary look with Kaitlynn. What was Jasper doing? Just the fact that Rob was there with them meant that he was probably a member of Stone and Grave. Was it wise for a plebe to cut him down that way?

“Whatever,” Rob said finally, backing off.

Ariana let out a breath, but Jasper just went right on with what he was doing as if he hadn’t noticed the moment of tension at all.