Part 3 (2/2)

”... and Hunter.”

Immediately my mind snapped to attention. I fought hard to come across as indifferent. If this was what Eli was talking about earlier, when he said I shouldn't trust Hunter, then I needed to soak up every word.

”Well done. Now I'm curious.” I sighed.

A bitter expression crossed Rylan's face. He didn't like that Hunter's name made me want to listen.

”I overheard Raina telling her group of airheaded followers that she talked Hunter into filing a statement against Eli to the higher power.”

”Wait. What?”

”She said that Hunter was worried there was something going on between you and Mr De Luca, and she convinced him to get Eli out of the picture. Hunter then filed an inappropriate relations statement. That's not all. Mr Aleksandrov had taken the fall for Tay's death, but Hunter thought he'd do double the damage by reporting foul play between the two guardians.”

”Wh- why are you telling me this?”

”Because De Luca is - was your guardian ... regardless of the short period of time he served you, there would still be some kind of bond between you and he saved your life, many times. As for Hunter, I just don't like him.”

”How do I know Raina didn't put you up to this? Or maybe you're just trying to get me to back out of going to dinner with Hunter tonight.”

”I - You're going to dinner with him? Ruby, this guy is not to be trusted; he's sabotaging people you care about. He's ruining their lives because if they're around, it means he can't have you. You're falling right where he wants you.”

Rylan stood up and left me at the table with too many questions. He crossed the hall and joined Raina. She shot me a glance, but it was different than her old glances. It was guilty, like she felt sorry for me. The appet.i.te I had when I came into the dining room had diminished. In its place was disgust and disbelief.

”You excited for dinner?” Hunter sang as he slid in next to me.

My eyes met Eli's, but as quickly as they met, he turned back to the conversation he was having with a fellow guardian angel.

”Yeah ... I, uh, I'm not feeling well. I'm going to get some water.”

I slid off my seat and went over to water cooler to fill up a cup.

”I'm back! Uncle was worried, but I told him we were napping and he's fine now,” Mila cheered happily.

I guzzled my gla.s.s of water.

”Can we eat? I'm starving.”

Mila grabbed a garden salad from the serving table and we walked over to where I was sitting. Hunter was still there.

”Are you two excited for dinner?”

Hunter's toothpick went to the corner of his mouth as he smiled.

”Very,” I lied, forcing a fake smile.

”See you at six.” He winked at me and left.

Nausea radiated throughout my stomach. I wanted to find out the truth, but I couldn't be certain. What if this was all part of Raina's plan? What if she wanted me to sabotage my relations.h.i.+p with Hunter? And Rylan had his own motives, he obviously saw Hunter as a threat. Thinking it out thoroughly made it seem even more ridiculous, but I couldn't shake Eli's words from earlier out of my head: 'don't put all your trust into him.' Does Eli know? Surely he would have done something about it or at least told me?

”Are you okay?” Mila asked, breaking my line of thought.

”Yeah, yeah, I'm just thinking about what we discussed earlier,” I lied.

”Shhh,” she hushed as she glanced over her shoulder cautiously.

I rolled my eyes. I gave nothing away by using that sentence. Who would hear what I said as 'Mila loves Gabriel'?

”Chill out. I'm obviously not going to talk about it in a room full of people.”

”But still ... be cool.”

I rolled my eyes at her.

Once lunch was over I became increasingly nervous. I knew I had to confront Hunter about it and I didn't want to ruin dinner, but I had to do it when there was no one around, making dinner my only option.

Students poured from the dining hall, Mila included, but I decided to hang back to speak to Eli. I couldn't give Mila the right advice but I know Eli can.

”Is everything okay?” Eli asked as we walked out of the dining hall side by side.

”I can't tell you here. We need to find a quiet place.”

'Ruby, I don't think -”

”It's about Mila.”

Eli's fingers wrapped around my forearm and he guided me to the side of the dining hall by a pretty gardenia bush. I ignored the gooseb.u.mps his touch gave me.

”Is she okay?”

”She's fine, I think ... she's in love -”

”That's normal.” He interrupted, slightly frustrated with me.

”With a guardian angel.”

”Oh. Does he -”

”I guess so. They spend a lot of time together.”

Eli brushed his hand through his hair and I bit my lip, trying to fight back the urge to do it myself.

”Gabriel?”

I nodded.

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