10. Ivy
Chapter 10
Ivy
Several hours passed before I finally fell asleep last night, but I still woke up early. Thankfully not crack-of-dawn early, but still early enough to feel like I needed to go back to sleep.
It’s eight in the morning.
The Thetas have a meeting after breakfast so I get up.
After the last meeting, I need to be prepared. This is the week where we start our trials to get fully accepted into the sorority.
I need strong coffee and I need to take a walk to cool off.
I realize I’m in serious trouble and this thing with Thorne is only going to get worse.
For some damn reason unknown to me he has this fascination with me that I can’t control.
I thought I could do something about it, but now I know I can’t.
So what do I do?
The question rings through my mind like a church bell calling its parishioners to service on Easter morning.
I get dressed, make my coffee, and head outside with my mug for that walk.
The air outside is cold, which is strange considering how hot it was last night.
I still can’t believe what happened. I’ve only known Thorne Ivanov for a week, and look where we are now.
I walk down to the rose garden. There hasn’t been anyone down here at this time over the last few days so I’m hoping for the same sort of luck today.
When I reach the garden my spirits lift when I find myself alone, but then I look over to the river and spot Isabelle sitting on a bench by herself.
Guilt suddenly tugs at my insides when I realize I haven’t seen or checked on her since the party. The last time I saw her was just before we all went into the labyrinth.
As everyone has been busy getting ready to start classes this week, and I’ve been hiding from Thorne, I got lost in my problems.
Isabelle looks lost, too, and I get a bad feeling it has something to do with Kade.
I haven’t known her for any length of time but I feel that if things had gone well—even if she’d gathered the courage to say two words to him—I would have known about it by now.
Instead of wallowing in my own sorrows I decide to make my way over to her.
She hears my footsteps when I get closer and looks around at me.
Although she smiles I can see something’s not right.
“Hey, there.” I return the smile and even add a bounce in my step.
“Hi.”
Yup. Something is definitely wrong. Isabelle is sunshine but she looks at me as if someone has stolen her light.
“Are you okay?” I sit next to her.
“Yeah. How are you doing? I hope classes are going well.”
“Yes. They’ve been… amazing.”
“Wow. That’s brilliant.” She looks genuinely happy for me, but there’s a dullness in her aura. “I know you were worried about being here so I’m thrilled you’ve had a good start.”
“Thanks. What about you?”
She shakes her head the way people do when they don’t want to talk. “It’s been shit. Everything's completely shitty.”
I look her over, taking note of the sourness of her mood. “What happened, Isabelle? I haven’t seen you since the party. Did you see Kade?”
“Yeah. I saw him.”
“He picked you?” I give her a half smile, deciding to stay on the side of caution.
“He did.”
“And?”
She looks away, staring off into the distance, but I can see the tears glistening in her eyes. “He was the first guy. I was so excited to see him. There were a million things I wanted to say. I started out by talking to him about high school but all he did was look at me.”
I give her a narrowed stare. “He didn’t talk at all?”
“We basically stayed in that dreadful silence the whole time then seconds before the end he said to me…” She pauses for a moment and catches her breath. “He said I didn’t deserve to be at Raventhorn, and I barely deserved to have the miserable life I have. He told me to stop watching him like a dog and find someone else to obsess over.”
My mouth drops open. I’m so stunned I can scarcely breathe. “What the hell? That’s what he said?”
“Yes.” The faraway tenor of her voice displays the wealth of her hurt.
I hurt for her, too. It’s bad enough to be rejected. That would have been awful and I could have made her feel better by calling Kade an asshole, but what he said was worse than bad. It was obscene and threatening. Vile.
Isabelle is such a happy person that I can’t begin to imagine anyone being mean to her. But seriously, what can anyone expect from the guys at Erebus?
Thorne and Caspian are their leaders.
“Why the hell did he say that to you? It makes no sense. You’ve known him for what…?”
“Three years. I waited three years to have him speak to me like shit. Probably because I really don’t belong.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s true. My mother was of Knight descent and my father not. He’s hardly part of the Bratva. We’re what people call lower class, and we’re not rich.”
“Why does that matter?”
“It matters here, especially amongst the students who have parents who are both of Knight descent. People like Kade. His lineage traces right back to the forefathers.”
Like Thorne and the Ivanovs. Their forefather was one of the original Knights of Raventhorn during the Viking age. That’s why they have so much power.
“I didn’t know that was such an issue.”
“You wouldn’t have experienced it because you’re from L.A. and your stepfather is well known amongst the Knights. Sadly, you might get some backlash because you’re a stepchild.” Isabelle swallows hard, then looks back at me. “My story is a little different because it’s not common for women to marry outside of the Knights. My mom was only able to marry my father because she was pregnant with me. Because of that she was considered an outcast. And so am I.”
“This is unbelievable.”
“It’s their way.”
“And you think that’s why Kade was so mean?”
“I don’t know any other reason. I’ve never done anything to him. We’ve never spoken until the other night. The words he said were so hateful I can only assume he did it because of who I am.”
We stare at each other in contemplation for a few moments before she looks away, back to the fish pond.
I hate to think she’s right, but there’s so much I don’t know about the Knights. This is another thing. Another thing that’s not good.
“I’m sorry, Isabelle. That’s horrible.”
“I know.” More sadness fills her features, making her look completely unlike herself. “My mother was killed when I was twelve.”
My breathing slows. “ Killed ?” When she told me the other day that her mother died when she was young I assumed it might have been an illness.
“Killed. Murdered. It’s all the same to me.” She takes a quick breath and her chest caves. “My mother was in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw too much. I was there when she died. A man shot her.”
I clutch my chest. “Oh my God. Isabelle.”
She faces me again. “That man went to prison, but there was someone else there with them. Someone I didn’t see properly, but I know they’re linked to the Knights.”
“What?”
“The Knights refused to investigate because my mother was an outcast.”
My lips part and there’s a tremor in my soul. My heart goes out to her but hearing her story makes me think of mine. Of my father and the injustice he faced and continues to face, because it was someone in the Knights who set him up.
Isabelle has bared her soul to me. I wish with all my heart that I could do the same. It would be so freeing to speak to someone. But I can’t.
“Saying sorry doesn’t feel like it’s enough,” I mumble, reaching out to tap her hand.
“It’s okay.” She gives me a small smile of appreciation but I can still read the dullness in her expression. “I wouldn’t know what to say to me either. I’ve tried to move on and live my life.”
“How do you feel about the Knights?” Although I shouldn’t ask her such a thing, I’m interested to know.
“Like everything, some are good, some are bad. I honor my mother and my grandparents by being here at Raventhorn, but I know I have to watch my back.”
I nod slowly, heeding the advice for myself. “Don’t worry about Kade. He’s a complete ass.”
“Yeah. I know that now. I feel like such an idiot, though.”
“He’s the idiot. He doesn’t know what he missed out on.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the Kade is an asshole talk.” She nods at my coffee cup. “That must be cold now.”
“It’s okay. I think I might have consumed way too much coffee over the last few days.”
“Join the club.” She giggles then sits straighter, looking like she just remembered something. “Did you see Thorne at the party?”
“Oh… yeah.” At the mention of Thorne I remember my situation.
“Sorry, I totally forgot to ask you about him. Did something happen?”
I don’t really want to talk about Thorne but I know I have to tell her something. “Things just got more complicated.”
She’s about to say something when we hear our names called.
It’s Eilish. She’s standing on the path across from us, tapping her watch.
“The meeting starts in three minutes. Don’t be late,” she calls out, looking worried.
That damn meeting. I forgot it. “We’re on our way,” I answer.
Eilish nods and heads to the dorm.
“I’m totally not in the mood for this meeting.” Isabelle rolls her eyes.
“Me neither.”
We stand and make our way back to the dorm.
“Promise me you’ll tell me about Thorne later.”
“Sure.” I feel like I was saved by the meeting because I don’t know what to tell her about Thorne.
We make it back just as the meeting is about to start.
Tiffany begins with a haughty speech about herself and the pride she takes in being president of the Thetas. We get the history lesson of all the women in her family who were presidents before her and how well they did for themselves.
Then she moves on to the challenges she has planned for us and the threat that if we don’t pass, we won’t make it. As if we didn’t know.
“The first challenge will take place tonight. We’re going with a simple get-together at Erebus House.” Tiffany infuses her voice with pride and looks at each of us. My insides twist the moment I hear Erebus House . She might as well have said Thorne’s house. “My mother has kindly agreed to supply us with her delectable cakes and catering for the event. You will all be serving.”
She picks up a little cupcake costume that looks fit for a child. “Isabelle, you will wear this and you will be responsible for taking care of the guys who won the Ivanov Elite’s recent challenge.”
Everyone looks at Isabelle who has turned ghost-white pale. “Me?”
“You’re Isabelle, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I just don’t want to do it.”
Tiffany’s expression shifts from lighthearted to hellish. “Excuse me, are you actually questioning a direct order?”
“Those guys are a bunch of mean assholes.”
The moment she says that, I know Kade must be one of the bunch of mean assholes. The problem is Tiffany wouldn’t have understood that even if Isabelle told her what happened. That aside, everyone in the room is shocked to hear sweet, usually quiet Isabelle speaking with such fire.
“I don’t care what you think. You will do this, and I’m deducting points from you for your insolence.” Tiffany stamps her foot.
“I don’t want to do it. Why have I been singled out to wear that stupid costume? You know the guys are going to make fun of me.”
“Oh, I see what’s happening here.” Tiffany flashes Isabelle an evil smile and taps a finger to her temple. “Isabelle is sad because Kade shot her down at the party. He reminded her that she’s a joke. Really now, girl, did you seriously think a guy like that would go for someone like you, let alone someone who thinks it’s cool to look like a Lolita doll?”
Tiffany and her lackeys all laugh like they’re at a standup comedy show.
Watching them, I feel even sicker to my stomach that Kade must have spread the word about what happened with Isabelle. So when I spot the defeated tear sliding down Isabelle’s cheek, I snap.
“Stop it,” I speak up, cutting through the laughter which stops instantly, as if someone switched them off.
“What did you just say?” Tiffany makes her way over to me.
“I said stop it. Stop laughing at her and talking shit.” I don’t know what stroke of madness has taken over me but I’ve had enough of people like her. Because of Tiffany and her arrogance I’ve had to clean all manner of filth for reasons beyond my control all week. I can’t stand by and watch her bully Isabelle. Especially not after our conversation and the whole thing with Kade, which she’s clearly still upset about. “Isabelle is not a joke and when last I checked, the Lolita doll look actually has a huge following. It’s cool. Look it up.”
“Who the hell do you think you are speaking to me like that? You’re lucky to even be at Raventhorn. If not for your stepfather, who knows where you’d end up.”
“I actually got into Juilliard and Berklee.” I use my best matter-of-fact tone to inform this bitch that I’m worth more than she believes and have my own talent. I want to add that I have every right to be here at Raventhorn because my father is a Knight. I’m not just a stepchild with a privilege up my ass. But I know I can’t say any of that.
To my surprise, Tiffany looks me up and down and delivers that evil smile again. “Maybe you should go to Juilliard or Berklee.”
“I—”
Mackenzie, who’s standing next to me, grabs my hand and stops me from pursuing the argument with a firm shake of her head. The look of dread in her eyes warns me that if I dare speak another word, it will be my last at Raventhorn.
I think of Mom and Levgen. How they would feel if I got kicked out.
And how I’d feel.
The unsettling dread of failure shoots me down.
“A wise choice to listen to your friend.” Tiffany folds her arms across her chest, keeping her gaze trained on me. “However, it’s too late to backpedal. I’ll be sure to contact your mother and stepfather to let them know what little value you place on being here at Raventhorn. I also have something extra special for you tonight. Something that will teach you the meaning of respect.”
The vindictive look in her eyes tells me it still may be my last moments at Raventhorn.
Great .
Just fucking great.