Vendetta's Throne
assroom with her academy teacher, Miss Varya, focused on the
moved to op
there, gripping a you
r brother," the guard said
kip a beat and gulped.
released his hold on Jove
arms, her tone sharp. "
find you instead. And look, I brought you some apples," Jove
before her eyes darted around cautiously. Sh
place is dangerous. Don't
t you?" Jovel shot back
's voice, tilted her head, sneak
freeze. They were both caught in each other's gaz
d distant, barely registering
w!" his sister repeated more fir
er the apples, and she c
ontinue," Varya said, turning
hat?" Anas
my broth
s curled into a
turned. This time, the security guard, familiar with h
he found Anastasia seated, deep in concentration, w
t be Anastasia," he gree
from her paper, her
looking for
d, a little
Igor's office," Ana
I sit here and wait
, sneaking glances at Anastasia. Each time their eyes met, they
of silence, Jovel
said, pointing to the
l, and she instincti
something wrong?" Jo
g to say. I hate scars," s
wish I had scars like those. They tell a story, your streng
sual disgust and anger that rose within her, she felt something differen
ures, suddenly noticing just how striking he was. His deep green eyes shimmered with warm
te as handsome as him before, and the th
do for fun?
w to answer. Fun wasn't somet
de my bike. It helps when I'm stre
e," she murmured,
idea. "Do you want to go f
ntarily caught off guar
, so no worries, I can ride without an
fessed, "It's not that... Igo
about this, I'll wait for you across the gate at eight PM,
ss what he'd said, the door opened, and Varya retu
ing here without asking me first," she
ng his exit. Once he was gone, Anastasia tried to focus on
wasn't sure whether she should meet him, but something deep inside urged her to go
ng-sleeve sweatshirt and jeans, something comfortable and easy to move in. She knew
n, she tossed a rope over the edge,
l of sneaking out. She landed softly on the other side, her
ss his face as she approached.
"Hop on," he said, strapping his own helme
bubbling up. Jovel glanced over his should
ted the engine and the bike shot forward, she instinct
reely in the wind. The city lights blurred as they sped through the street
a cozy ice cream spot, its neon
ke?" he asked, turning to
asia replied wi
fee, huh?" He went ahead and ordered two l
ing he wouldn't finish it. His plan was simple: he wanted her
stead, as they sat down, he started talk
It's just me and my older sister now. We
There was something comforting about his honesty, the
redicted, she reached over and took his untouched cup, h
e hum of the city for a while longer, Jovel revv
ia nimbly climbed the wall and disappeared over the edge.
She placed her hand over her chest, feeling the rapid beat beneath her fi
ed living in that mansion, she felt al
as a Saturday, which meant no academy studies. Even as she wo
astasia secretly hoped Jovel would show up again, b
int, coded message scribbled in the margin. It was subtle, b
d a beat. It had
ck, she once a
anding her a helmet. She nodded eager
oments of fun, eating at late-night diners, singing off-key in karaoke rooms, watching mo
propriate or pressured her in any way. Anastasia found comfort in the fact t
avior. She seemed distracted at times, her usual composed demeano
suspecting that she was sneaking
ped away yet again, Igor couldn't sha
he reached her door, he shoved it open