Page 39 of The Hunt of Night

“I think there’s more to it than that. More that involves my father,” Cassian adds, his voice coming from over my shoulder, and the others nod in agreement.

“Addi told me everything, and I couldn’t agree more. That man is shifty as fuck, but my mother has been telling me that the vampire attacks are still causing fear among the citizens of Floodborn,” Flora chirps in, earning everyone’s attention. She blushes under the steady gaze of her audience, quickly taking a step back, and Arlo’s arm immediately goes around her, holding her in place.

“What use are we to the kingdom if we’re not being kept in the loop about everything happeningwithinthe kingdom?” Arlo asks, making a valid point.

“Maybe it is because it’s been considered that your focus should be on your studies.” Professor Tora’s voice cuts through the confusion thickening around us, turning everyone’s attention to him as he stares at us with a cocked eyebrow, waiting expectantly for a response. Or was it rhetorical?

Before I can decipher his tone, Arlo is already scoffing at him. “Please, Professor Tora, with all due respect, an heir would want to learn everything the academy has to offerwhilealso understanding the turmoil the kingdom finds itself in. That’s exactly what would be required from our leader when the position is filled. Would it not?”

My gaze pivots between the two of them, a tinge of awe and astonishment flickering in my chest at Arlo’s outburst. Whoknew he had it in him? I wholeheartedly agree with every word out of his mouth, but I’m intrigued to see Tora’s response.

I blink, and blink again, certain he’s turned to stone as he stares at Arlo, but before I can look to Kryll with concern, his brother takes a step forward, offering Arlo his hand. “You would be correct, Mr. Zeller. Let’s see to it that the lack of information is rectified going forward, shall we?”

“We should,” Arlo breathes effortlessly, taking the hand offered.

Tora then stalks away without a backward glance as I turn to Arlo. “Holy fucking shit, Arlo. Who the fuck are you, and where is the quiet guy from day one?” The words leave my mouth so fast I’m certain he doesn’t process any of it, but to my surprise, he smirks.

“I’m a fae. I know my place, but I also know my beliefs.” He shrugs matter-of-factly, leaving me to scoff.

“You’re impressive. No one ever stands tall like that to my brother. Sometimes, not even me,” Kryll states, making Arlo beam with pride as Flora’s cheeks turn pink on his behalf.

“Flora told you in the beginning, Addi. She’s here to learn how best to support the future kingdom. I’m here because she is. I think we all silently know that when we say support the kingdom, she means you. So, you’ve guessed it, that means I support you too. I need to start making myself useful, otherwise, when the time comes, and you slaughter every other fucker in the academy, you won’t see my value. And I can’t have that now, can I?”

He says it so direct and to the point he leaves no room for doubt. As much as his words catch me off guard, I completely understand what he’s trying to say; it’s just taking my brain a hot minute to realize it’s all in relation to me.

“That’s enough chit-chat; let’s begin, shall we?” Professor Tora calls out, saving me from having to come up with aresponse, but the smile Arlo offers me is enough to know that a reply wasn’t needed or expected.

Holy fuck.

An arm bands around me, pinning my own to my sides as I’m pulled against a hard chest, and I peer up to find it’s Kryll. Startled by the fact that he’s the one technically man-handling me, I fall into step with him without an ounce of argument.

“If I didn’t know he had the hots for his dear little step-sister, then I would have been worried he was into you,” he states, not looking at me as he speaks. Which means he certainly doesn’t see my jaw fall slack as I balk.

What the fuck?

“You’re insane, you know that? I don’t know why it would matter to you anyway,” I mutter, my body tensing from head to toe as the words part my lips, and he snickers.

“Of course not. That’s why your heart rate kicked up a notch as you lied. Please, Princess, carry on,” he muses, peering down at me through hooded eyes.

My lips twist. I hate being called on my bullshit. It’s irritating because there’s no denying it.

Shaking out of his hold, like the petulant child that I’m pretending not to be, I hurry my pace, falling into step with Flora and Arlo. They both look at me in amusement, but I give them the stink eye and focus dead ahead instead of acknowledging any of it.

“The water we’re walking on is the central point of Glacial Lake. In the warmer months, it draws in so much wildlife that mages use their abilities to put a sound bubble over the area. That way, the beauty and nature don’t become a distraction to their otherwise peaceful and quiet life,” Tora explains, throwing his hands out in magnificence at our surroundings.

“That’s true,” Brody hollers without prompt, making a small grin touch the corners of my mouth.

The lady walking beside Tora throws her arms out, murmuring a soft chant under her breath before the ground moves beneath us, but this time, the surroundings don’t exactly change, we just grow closer to the clifftop.

Standing beneath it, I crane my neck back, staring up dauntingly at the peak. Snow doesn’t glisten from this angle. It’s dark, with an air of danger as jagged icicles dangle in our direction. One falls at the opposite end to where we are, hitting the ground with a thud, making it rumble beneath our feet as shards of ice cascade in every direction.

Holy fuck.

“I don’t think it’s safe here,” someone in a cream cloak states, taking a nervous step back, and Professor Tora shakes his head.

“It’s not safe anywhere.”

“It’s definitely not safe when a student kills people for the fun of it.” The barked words come from Vallie, freezing me in place as I turn to find her stare already settled on me. My tongue flicks out over my bottom lip, adrenaline skimming over my skin as I anticipate whatever is going to come next from the psycho bitch.

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