Chapter 25
The halls of Blackthorn Academy were quieter than usual after the last bell rang, most students either heading back to their dorms or lounging in the courtyard. Andrea was just about to leave the building when Victoria Sterling appeared in front of her, stepping out from behind a column like she’d been waiting for her.
“Riley,” Victoria said sharply, glancing over her shoulder. Her tone lacked its usual venom, replaced by something that sounded dangerously close to nerves.
Andrea frowned. “What do you want?”
“Just come with me,” Victoria hissed, grabbing Andrea’s wrist.
“Excuse me?” Andrea tried to pull back, but Victoria’s grip tightened.
“I don’t have time to explain here,” Victoria snapped, her voice low and urgent. “Please.”
Andrea stared at her, stunned. Victoria Sterling didn’t say “please.”
Reluctantly, Andrea followed as Victoria dragged her into an empty classroom and shut the door behind them.
Victoria’s head whipped around, her eyes darting toward the window and door before she turned back to Andrea. “We don’t have much time,” she said, crossing her arms tightly.
Andrea leaned against the desk, folding her arms. “What’s this about?”
Victoria hesitated, her usual confidence nowhere to be found. She ran a hand through her perfectly styled hair, looking uncharacteristically frazzled.
“After the party,” she began, her voice quieter now, “some students cornered me.”
Andrea’s brow furrowed. “Cornered you? Who?”
Victoria shook her head. “Not from our class. They were older. Connected. I don’t even know half their names, but they gave me an ultimatum.”
Andrea straightened, her stomach tightening. “What kind of ultimatum?”
Victoria’s laugh was bitter, humorless. “They said I could either help them destroy your reputation or… or face consequences.”
Andrea frowned. “What kind of consequences?”
“They weren’t specific,” Victoria admitted, her voice shaky. “But it was enough to make me believe they’d follow through. They said they’d make me regret ever stepping foot in Blackthorn.”
Andrea blinked, trying to process the idea of someone threatening Victoria Sterling, of all people. “And you’re telling me this… why?”
Victoria’s gaze dropped, and for a moment, she looked almost ashamed. “Because I’m not going to help them,” she said, her tone quieter now.
Andrea stared at her, taken aback. “Why not? You’d love to see me humiliated.”
“Maybe,” Victoria muttered, her sharpness briefly returning before her voice softened again. “But…” She trailed off, rubbing her arms like she was trying to warm herself.
“But what?” Andrea pressed.
Victoria hesitated, then exhaled sharply. “Because Aiden scared me more than they ever could, okay?”
Andrea froze, her heart skipping a beat. “Aiden? What does he have to do with this?”
Victoria’s lips pressed into a thin line, her usual mask of superiority cracking. “After the party, he found out I was talking to those students. I don’t even know how he knew, but he cornered me in the hallway, and…”
She shuddered slightly, her voice trailing off.
Andrea’s stomach churned. “What did he do?”
“He didn’t touch me,” Victoria said quickly, almost defensively. “But the way he looked at me, the things he said… It was like he could see right through me, like he already knew every secret I’ve ever had. He told me—” She broke off, swallowing hard. “He told me that if I even thought about going against you, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”
Andrea’s breath caught. She didn’t know what to say.
Victoria straightened, her usual poise returning as she squared her shoulders. “So there it is, Riley. I’m staying out of it. But don’t think for a second it’s because I like you.”
Andrea nodded slowly. “Noted.”
Without another word, Victoria turned and swept out of the classroom, leaving Andrea alone with her thoughts.
That evening, Andrea found herself in the library’s restricted section, the faint hum of the fluorescent lights the only sound.
Damien sat across from her at a small wooden table, his laptop open and a stack of old files between them. He looked as calm and collected as ever, but his sharp eyes flicked to Andrea every now and then, as if gauging her reaction.
“So,” he said, turning the laptop toward her. “Here’s what I’ve found.”
Andrea leaned closer, her eyes scanning the screen. It was a web of connections, names and photos linked by lines that crisscrossed like a spider’s web.
“These are the other ‘queens,’” Damien explained, his tone flat. “Not just from Blackthorn, but from other academies tied to our family’s network.”
Andrea frowned, her chest tightening as she recognized some of the names. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Everything,” Damien said simply. “Whoever’s targeting you has done this before. These students were all discredited, some of them expelled. And in every case, the Sinclair family was involved—directly or indirectly.”
Andrea’s head spun. “Why would someone do this?”
Damien hesitated, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. “Because power makes people reckless. They want to challenge us, and you’re the easiest way to do it right now.”
Andrea’s chest tightened, the weight of it all pressing down on her. “So what am I supposed to do?”
“Stay close to us,” Damien said, his voice softening slightly. “We’ll handle it.”
Andrea looked at him, her heart pounding. “Why do you even care?”
Damien’s gaze held hers, something unspoken passing between them. “Because I do,” he said quietly.
The air between them felt charged, heavy with something Andrea couldn’t quite name. Damien leaned closer, his expression uncharacteristically open.
“Andrea—”
The sharp buzz of his phone shattered the moment.
Damien sighed, pulling it from his pocket. He glanced at the screen, his expression hardening.
“It’s Nathaniel,” he muttered, standing abruptly. “We’ll pick this up later.”
