Page 95 of The Reign of Blood

I sense somebody shifting up to my left side, and I’m not surprised in the slightest when I see it’s Raiden. Rolling my eyes, I turn away from him, focusing on Professor Tora as he continues to explain the lesson for the day.

“Now that the ball is out of the way, I can focus more on the trials. Which means we’re going to experience one today.”

Holy shit.

My fingers flex at my sides as I refrain from bouncing on the balls of my feet. Gasps echo around me, worried murmurs ringing in my ears, but all I feel is adrenaline coursing through my veins with a glint of excitement.

“Practice trial number one is all about resources, coordination, and working with others to return safely,” Tora explains, circling his gaze around the gathered students, making sure everyone understands the objective.

“Return from where?” Vallie asks, a level of exasperation parting her lips that only she can produce.

“Evermore.”

36

ADRIANNA

The word Evermore is barely past his lips before we’re all moving. The ground shakes beneath us, disappearing into a bright abyss, before everything settles again. Only now, we’re not on campus anymore.

It’s bleak. The sun is barely visible through the tall, slim trees that surround us. They seem to go on for miles. There is nothing else in sight except the other students and Professor Tora, who is wearing a pleased smile.

“How did we move?” A human guy steps forward, arms folded over his chest as he bites back the anger thrumming from him.

“Mage magic. Problem?” Tora questions, eyebrow raised as he stares the student down. The guy takes a step back, mouth pressed into a thin line to hold back what was sure to be a snarky comment. “Now that we’re here, let’s get straight to the rules, shall we?” he asks, not waiting for an answer as he peers down at the device in his hands.

“Ready for a challenge, Dagger?” I glance at Brody, who peers down at me with a knowing look in his eyes.

“You know it,” I quip, running my tongue over my bottom lip as I eagerly await Professor Tora’s next words.

“I’m going to separate you into groups of five. Origins will be mixed and selected at random. You cannot and will not change from the groups you are in. It’s a team effort. You must use your combined skills to find your way back to the academy before sundown. Any questions?”

“What if we don’t make it back in time?” Arlo asks, arms folded over his chest as he cocks a brow at the professor.

“Then, hopefully, you make it home before the dining hall shuts.”

“So if we don’t make it back, we’re stuck out here?” he confirms, and Tora shrugs.

“I mean, if you’re still not home in forty-eight hours, I might send a search party, but I’m also going to be under the assumption that you might also be dead then,” he retorts.

Well, fuck.

The murmurs of concern pick up again, but Professor Tora doesn’t pay attention to them as he starts to read out names.

“Brody, Flora, Grant, Arlo, and Falon.”

Flora heaves a sigh of relief at the mention of Arlo’s name in the same group as hers, while Brody nudges me with his elbow. “Don’t worry, Dagger, I’ll protect your friends,” he promises, pressing the softest kiss to my temple before sauntering off without a backward glance.

“Cassian, Edith, Otis, Danaka, and Poppy.”

Cassian stomps off with a grunt, making me grin. At least he doesn’t save his sunshine attitude just for me. He seems to shower everyone with the same level of harshness, which is almost comforting.

“Adrianna, Raiden, Vallie, George, and Kryll.”

My eyebrows rise, disappointment consuming me as Kryll moves in a step.

“It looks like all your prayers have been answered,” he muses, nodding toward the snarly vampire approaching with her lips pursed and her hands clenched at her sides.

“All of them. What a life,” I mutter back, making him snicker as I sense someone at my side. I know by his scent that it’s Raiden, but I refuse to turn and look at him.

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