Elsbeth
The dusty, dark, and too crowded library is where the children of the rich and powerful congregate between classes.
Thousands of books are streaked with the fingerprints of privilege.
Every single one of them is too engrossed in their own selfish endeavors to notice the predator stalking them.
Future doctors, lawyers, and narcissists roam these stacks daily, never knowing what truly lies beyond the ivy-covered walls of their prestigious school.
They wouldn’t know struggle if it bit them on their Stòffa-covered asses.
One of them is two tables away from me, talking to the man who pulled the strings for me to attend this school.
Playing his faithful puppet ensures that I will be the downfall of the coven that tried to erase my name from history.
Hundreds of years of ostracization and brutal murder will be avenged when I take my rightful place as the last legacy standing.
Asher Morey’s nose is so high in the virulent air surrounding him that he hasn’t noticed that I’ve joined all of his classes this semester. Not that he is particularly social outside of his coven. Why would he need to be when they’re all eating out of the palm of his hand?
Alric isn’t much different, except for being immortal due to his hubris.
What a man like Alric will do with eternity is beyond me, but as he’s proven time and time again, nothing mortal could end his life.
The mystic balance of the universe prohibits his demise—at least that’s what the gossip says.
My mother once told me that he’d tried to behead himself with a guillotine.
Not sure the trip to France was worth it, but when you believe yourself to be a god, only the instrument used to kill a king is worthy enough to take your life. Unfortunately for him—and me—he survived.
I watch as Alric bids Asher goodbye and pull the stack of books on my table closer to block Asher’s death stare. But that disdain is meant only for Alric. Asher has no idea what evil Alric is capable of, but he will soon find out what kind of monster he has set upon his house.
Upon passing my table, Alric runs his finger across the polished wood.
The small acknowledgment sends a chill down my spine, and the wake of his cologne brings bile to the back of my throat.
I hate that man. Hate that he perceives me at all.
To him, I am the means to the end of the current reign.
With Asher, Maddox, Fox, and Thorne out of his way, he could lord over the most powerful coven in the U.S.
with me and my mother by his side—or so he’s promised.
As if I would come this far just to step aside for him.
But that’s my own game. One that no one else is aware they’re playing.
Asher doesn’t linger. He rarely spends time in the university library.
The legacies’ mansion is well equipped with all the knowledge he and the other three need—knowledge they shouldn’t be hoarding.
We have one more class today, but he won’t be attending.
Even though the time of the council meeting doesn’t interfere, he is still filled to his tipping point with newly harvested magic.
All that pent-up energy has to go somewhere.
In Asher’s case, it’s a hot, leggy blonde who has an apartment right off campus.
None of the legacies have formed attachments to anyone, but his string of fuck buddies is a mile long. The only mystery is how long he’ll be able to last.
I shove my books in my bag, reach for my phone, and head to class.
The professor won’t bat an eye at Asher’s absence, especially if my legs spread open wide enough for him to look straight up my skirt.
I don’t want Asher to be dismissed without repercussions.
All four legacies deserved punishment for what their lineage did to mine, but next week, when Asher is hoping to copy notes from someone, I need to be the one he asks.
I didn’t grow up with their level of privilege.
My single mother didn’t have the constant stream of wealth or means like the coven has provided for all of their members.
Scraping by with half a dozen books that my ancestors passed down has gotten us this far.
I will be taking those lessons, the advantage of good genes, and the door Alric has opened to have all four legacies where I want them.
It’s taken months of being in the right places at the right times to gather the information I need for the next step in my plan.
My first attack? Well, that will be taken care of very soon.
Hawthorne Bishop
Still on for tonight?
Elsbeth
Can’t wait.