Page 45 of The Reign of Blood

“She’s harsh as fuck, but what does that have to do with anything?” Brody questions, lacing his fingers behind the back of his head as he gets comfortable.

Raiden glances over the three of us like we’ve grown a second head or something. “You didn’t think something might happen to Adrianna when she was called. You know, after the news of her heritage was spread around the academy like a scandal.”

“I mean, itisa scandal,” Cassian snaps, and Raiden is in front of him in a split second.

“You’rea fucking scandal.”

This isn’t heading in the best direction. Before I can try to simmer them both down, Brody beats me to it.

“Did something happen to her?”

Raiden spins to face him, completely forgetting about Cassian behind him. “Did something happen to her? Of course it did!” he bites, making my spine stiffen as Brody quickly stands from the sofa. His calm demeanor quickly shifts to one etched with concern.

“What?”

“Thanks, Brody.Thisis the level of concern we’re supposed to be at,” Raiden remarks, glaring at Cassian and me.

“Get to the point,” Cassian grunts, stepping up to my side as he waits for the details. He’s trying to play it off, but I can sense the undertone of worry. Even if it’s only a smidge. “And can youmake it quick? I’m starving. I’m only here because Kryll said your absence yesterday was a concern.”

“So is the state of him and the text he sent,” I add. I would be concerned about anyone under the circumstances.

His message was about as cryptic as he’s being now. It’s exhausting.

“Have you heard of the kiss of amethyst?” he asks, and I shake my head along with Cassian. “Uneducated fucks,” he grumbles, and I raise my hands in surrender. I don’t need him to start over with the lack of knowledge we have. That’s only going to stir up Cassian, too, and I can’t handle them both like this.

“I have,” Brody interjects, pulling Raiden’s attention toward him. “It’s a purple gem, shines like it’s the prettiest damn thing in the world, but it has the ability to weaken anyone’s magic. I thought it was banished years ago?”

“They were. Guess who now has one embedded into her back?”

My spine stiffens as I watch the horror dance over Brody’s face.

“No,” he mutters with a gasp as Raiden nods, a sneer on his lips.

“Yes.”

“It’s a torture device,” Brody insists, raking his fingers through his hair, and Raiden nods eagerly.

“That’s exactly what I said.”

“Can’t we just get it out?” I blurt, and Brody shakes his head slowly.

“It’s not as simple as that. Not without an impossible magic and what I can only imagine is a lot of pain. Definitely more pain than the feeling of it being attached,” he explains, making my chest tighten and my spine ache from how stiff it is.

“What do we do then?” I ask, feeling the need to come up with a solution to this situation. I can’t believe I hadn’tconsidered Bozzelli would do something like this. But more than that, I can’t believe Raiden did.

“We decide,” the vampire declares, slapping his hands against his thighs as he looks at each of us.

“On what?” I ask, despite secretly knowing I don’twantto know where this is going.

“On claiming her or not.” He says it with such a finality that it leaves me frozen in place.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cassian grunts, the cords in his neck tightening with every breath he takes.

“I haven’t slept,” Raiden states, starting to list off his points on his fingertips.

“Okay,” Cassian bites back, and I’m intrigued to understand how this guy got from A to Z by somehow passing every other letter in the alphabet, too.

“I haven’t stopped worrying.”

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