Page 70 of The Hunt of Night

He’s right.

The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stand, making me freeze as my magic shoots to the surface. Closing my eyes, I try to focus on the air as it whips around us. Something has shifted. But what?

“But, Professor?—”

“Quiet,” I rasp, and Vallie’s shrill voice surprisingly pauses. Turning, I let my body guide me, but I’ve barely taken two steps before she makes her presence known again.

“Excuse me. Don’t you?—”

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl, my irritation clear this time as I turn to her with a pointed look. She gapes in disgust, a scoff parting her lips, and that’s when I hear it.Trulyhear it.

My heart lurches before kicking into overdrive, and I rush to the north-facing point of the tower.

“You can’t speak to me like that,” Vallie persists, and I bare my teeth at her as I turn on a snarl.

“Be quiet, or I’ll offer you as bait.”

She frowns, along with many others, which is ridiculous. Especially since she’s a vampire. Her hearing should be alerting her to this.

“They’re coming,” Kryll states, appearing at my side a moment later. His fingers flex on my shoulder as he plants his hand on my cloak, squeezing in comfort.

Not two seconds later does the visual match the sounds I could hear.

A stampede.

A fucking stampede of frenzied vampires.

I watch in horror as at least forty of them flood the streets below us. Their eyes are wild, and their movements are off, but I can practically smell their need from here.

Lifting my foot up onto the wall that shields us, Kryll’s hand tightens, halting me in place.

“Let go,” I murmur, trying to keep my voice low, but it still manages to garner Professor Tora’s attention.

“We’re not taking action. We’re observing,” he states, his tone almost bored, a complete contrast to the man giving Vallie a mouthful moments earlier.

“What?” I turn to him, noting his expressionless face in the moon’s glow, and I frown.

“That’s the order,” he offers with a shrug, and my stomach twists in panic.

“They’re going to kill people.” A woman’s cry echoes from below, sharpening my point, but he still makes no move to take action.

“That’s what the soldiers are for.”

“And they’renothere,” I push back, shaking my head in disbelief. I thought we were here to fight, to protect our kingdom.

“Not my problem. I have my orders,” Professor Tora offers, offering me a dismissive wave as he turns away, but I can’t calm the burning rage inside of me.

“Your orders are bullshit,” I growl, shaking out of Kryll’s hold as I push up onto the wall.

“Where are you going?” Tora asks as gasps ring out from the other students, who seem to be more than happy to just sit back and watch.

I glance back over my shoulder, determination fueling every breath I take.

“To protect my kingdom,” I declare before I fall into the night.

30

ADRIANNA

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