Claimed

Chapter 12 - The Lamp

The two of us stared at the group, almost speechless.

"...What?"

Katelyn grumbled something under her breath, and rolled her eyes.
"The lamp. You know? Shiny, kinda small, has a fricking genie inside it?"

I could sense her impatience from where I stood as she tapped a foot againt the marble floor. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she glared a hole into the right wall of the room.
Didn't make me any more willing to cooperate, though.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my own arms in a show of mocking retaliation.
"Yeah, we know what the lamp is," I drawled heavily, "But what makes you think either of us have it-?"

I'd barely been allowed to finish before Evie made to cut me off; she jumped forward, a small hand placed on my chest as she addressed the trio directly.
"Why do you want it?"

For the first time, Katelyn's cool composure seemed to crack: she winced, and the stoniness of her eyes cleared, if only for a moment, before glazing over again.
"Doesn't matter," she said, "Just hand it over."

I had a bad feeling about this - of course I did! I've only just met this girl, she's been uncomfortably spiny the entire time, and now she's stood before us with a known creep, and Auradon knows who the other kid is, making demands.
Who the hell does she think she is?
And upon coming to the realisation that I hadn't actually seen Star since we were stuck on the Isle of Doom, of course my suspicion only grew.

I glanced over at my best friend, who looked, if possible, more uncomfortable than the rest of us - I can't really blame her, though; she's known this girl a lot longer than the rest of us. I wouldn't be surprised if they trusted each other completely - and the look in her eyes told me that this was indeed the case.
Evie had one hand wrapped around the other arm, her head tilted downwards in apparent nerves (or was it shame?).

I could see the erratic beating of her heart in the irregular breaths puffing from her throat.
Our eyes met, and our souls connected.

The connection between the two of us was special. I've known that for a long time.
Evie was there for me, and I was there for her before Ben and Doug were even in the picture. What we hold for each other is unlike anything else, even the bond between us and the boys: so it's in no way something I'm prepared to sacrifice.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I sent a suspicious glare to the three on the other side of the room.
My feet moved on their own to bring me beside E, where I made myself comfortable, shifting my weight and crossing my arms over my chest.

Only Quentin displayed what I could gage as genuine emotion. His brows were raised, eyes wide in apparent surprise, before he gave a dip of his head and turned away.
The others looked less impressed.
Katelyn had glossed over her imperfection and was now fixing us a stern look. She was silent and still for a moment, before tutting quietly, and turning to the bodies around the room.
The third, however, the second boy, seemed less eager to take his eyes off us.

Before this, the darkest eyes I had seen belonged to Quentin; it was something he had inhereted from the Queen of Hearts, I knew.
But those looked like milk chocolate compared to Arrow's.
The stare was intense, complimented by the heavy eyebrows and unblinking fixation.
I won't lie and say it doesn't make me uncomfortable - that'd make just about anyone uncomfortable - but I wasn't about to give in.
It's not in a dragon's nature to submit.
Eventually, he let out a huff breath and shoved his hands into his pockets far harder than was necessary, before turning away from my group.
I watched him move with cautious gaze. There was something weird about him.