Page 98 of The Reign of Blood

“Why do you always have to show off, Kryll?”

“I’m not.”

“Just because you’re able to?—”

“Don’t say it.”

“Don’t say what?”

“What I am,” he grumbles, making my eyes pop open. It takes all of two seconds to find him among the small gathered group, and unfortunately, he’s no different from when I last saw him.

Two ears, two eyes, a nose, and the most delicious ink covering his skin. Not a single hint of what else he is. He winks at me with a smirk, and I stick my tongue out at him, feeling childish and giddy.

We’re back at the academy, by the water fountain that leads to the origin buildings instead of the usual space we go to for combat class.

Tora peers between us both, eyebrows knitted in confusion before he shakes his head and lets the matter go. “Well done, you’re the second team back. I can’t award you second place until the other two from your group make an appearance as well, though.”

“That’s bullshit,” Raiden grunts, taking a step back from me to wager a look of disdain at the professor. “And who the fuck was first?” Professor Tora points behind us, and I turn to seeBrody, Flora, Arlo, Falon, and Grant. “How?” Raiden grinds out in disbelief, hands on his hips as anger burns through him.

“It’s okay, Raiden. Maybe next time you’ll be on my team and it will all work out,” Brody says with a smirk, making Flora giggle.

I’m relieved to see that her and Arlo are okay, and the gleam in Brody’s eyes tells me he’s taking full credit for it.

“What do we do now?” Kryll asks, and I glance at Professor Tora, awaiting the answer myself.

“You made it back. You get the rest of the day to do as you please.”

My eyebrows rise in surprise. “Why was it easy?” I blurt, earning a curious look from Tora. “I mean, I didn’t do much, but I feel like… I don’t know,” I breathe, cheeks heating with embarrassment.

Tora smirks. “Despite your differences, your team worked together. You used the strength of someone in your group. In this case, it was Raiden, with his vampire speed and familiarity with the area I dropped you in. Brody, however, guided his team by simply connecting to the remaining tendrils of mage magic that lingered in the air in the forest and using them to revert the spell, transporting the five of them back.”

Holy shit. That sounds insane. I don’t even know how he would have thought of that, but I’m not a mage, so I have no clue how it all would have worked anyway.

I nod in understanding as Brody clears his throat. “So we can go?”

“Oh, not your team. The winners have to stay here to greet the return of everyone.”

“What? How is that even a bonus for winning? That feels like punishment,” he grumbles in response as Kryll snickers at his friend.

Waving, I earn a pouty glare from Brody before I turn on my heels and get the hell out of there. Desperate to avoid any more confrontation with Raiden, which I know will come eventually, I keep my pace quick without running. I don’t dare turn to glance over my shoulder as I hurry down the pathway, practically stumbling through the front door before shutting it behind me.

I take the stairs two at a time, tumbling to a halt when I reach the top to find Raiden standing beside my bedroom door. “I told you, Adrianna, I’m not a stalker. That would imply I follow you. That’s pointless when I know exactly where you’re going and I can get there before you.”

“That definitely sounds like something a stalker would say,” I retort, muscles bunched tight as I approach him, unable to predict his next move.

He rolls his eyes, and as I step up beside him, I waste no time opening my bedroom door and stepping over the threshold.

“I’m not done talking to you,” he states, cocking a brow at me.

“Well,I’mdone talking toyou.” I offer him my worst smile before swinging the door toward him. I’m ready to relish in the thunder of the frame rattling from the slam, but it doesn’t come.

I watch in slow motion as he launches his hand out, crossing over the barrier of magic that seals my room, to stop the door from reaching its destination. “What the fuck? How are you doing that?” Panic trembles down my spine as I gape at him.

He takes a step forward, moving into my room effortlessly, and I instinctively take a step back.

“How the fuck are you in here right now? Brody’s spell?—”

He moves around me like this is his space and not mine, coming to a stop by my desk where the roses take up most of the space.

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