Cruel War (The Gilded Sovereign 1)

Rukaiya’s dad bought her a car for her seventeenth birthday. Even though she’s not eighteen yet, she drives better than most adults I know.

This is nothing more than a one-horse town, and it intrigues me that there’s a fancy high school and university that take up most of the Tynewood in both land and view. There are also some of the most beautiful homes that are accessible from the stunning tree-lined streets that I’ve ever seen in this forgotten corner of the country.

I pull open the passenger door and slip into the luxurious leather seat. Once I’m shut inside, I turn on the stereo, and Halsey’s voice comes through the speakers as she sings ‘Without Me.’

“Oh my god! This song.” Rukaiya squeals, turning up the volume, causing the bass to thrum through me. She weaves through the quiet street as we both sing along, and I find the tension in my muscles easing as we pass crowds of young people walking toward the large mansion that sits on the grassy hill where the party is meant to be taking place tonight. It reminds me of a castle where the owners would look over their subjects while sipping expensive drinks.

I had second thoughts about coming to this, even when Tarian asked, I wanted to refuse. But I remembered the old me sitting in my bedroom when all the parties at school were happening—the lonely girl who never really did anything fun. I promised to not be her when I got here.

Even though Tarian hasn’t told us if this is his home or not, I can’t help but be in awe of the beautiful house sitting atop the dark hill. A cold shiver runs down my spine at the shadows that dance along the garden as we near the entrance.

“Whose house is it?” I question Rukaiya as she pulls up the long driveway, which has yellow flame-shaped lamps along the path, leading up to the house.

“Don’t know, they said it’s the Lancasters or something like that, but I could be wrong. I didn’t take much notice of it.” Her words filter into my mind, but I don’t listen as she pulls to a stop.

What has my attention is the balcony on the second floor. There’s a man, or boy, I can’t tell in the dimly lit area, who is standing on a chair with a glass filled with liquid balancing on his forehead.

“Go, go, go!” I finally hear his friends chant when I exit the vehicle, my gaze pinned on the guy on the chair. He’s dressed in dark clothes, jeans, I think, and a T-shirt that’s riding up as he leans back, offering a flash of pale skin.

The chair is pulled out from under him, making me gasp and stepping forward as if I can help him from where I’m standing. But the moment the chair moves, he leaps up, the glass flying straight into the air, and I hold my breath to watch him land with ease on his feet.

He straightens as the glass tips and lands in his hand. The crowd erupts wildly, shouting and whistling. And I let out the whoosh of breath that I’d had locked in my lungs.

“He looks like a douche,” Rukaiya mutters under her breath, before tugging me along. Before he disappears from sight, his gaze meets mine, and he winks, causing my stomach to flip flop wildly.

I don’t know who he is, but all I can assume is that he’s bad news and I most definitely need to stay away from him.

7

Ares

“You’re a fucking legend,” some guy tells me, and I nod, passing him without so much as a thank you. I know I’m a legend. I’ve been one since I was born, actually, before I was born. Making my way through the house, I saunter into the living room, which is filled with pretty girls in outfits that show off more than they hide.

“Hi, Ares,” Kelli’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn around to find her and her bitch squad smiling at me as if I were the prey. Wrong, darling, I’m the fucking predator.

“What are you doing here?” I question, not bothering with pleasantries because I know who invited her, and the moment I get my hands on him, he’s going to fucking die.

“Party.” She waves her hand around her as if she belongs in my fucking house. That’s where she’s wrong. If anything, Kelli should be shining my shoes and waiting on me hand and foot. After I caught her fucking some guy from school, I kicked her out of my bed and my house.

“A party that was invitation-only,” I inform her, stalking through the clique she hangs out with. When I find my older brother, I pin him with a glare. “What the fuck is she doing here?” I glare at my brother, but his attention is caught by something behind me, and I know she followed me to the dining room where my brother is currently grinning stupidly at a girl I don’t know.