Page 114 of On Wings of Blood

But I didn’t think it had to come to that.

Professor Rodriguez had promised to give me extra lessons in thrallguard. Surely during one of those sessions I’d arrive early and the door would be open again.

Next time I’d go straight for the book, grab it, stash it in my satchel, then wait outside. He’d never even have to know. I could return the book as soon as the ritual was complete.

CHAPTER 23 - MEDRA

Vaughn showed up at class the next day. Not Basic Combat for Blightborn, where he hadn’t been all week. No, this was the History of Sangratha which we all had in the mornings.

He entered the lecture hall quietly, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

But Naveen stood up immediately. “Vaughn,” he shouted, waving his arms. “Over here. Come sit with us.”

The tall, skinny boy was hunched over. He kept his head down as he walked slowly over to us.

As he approached, I could see why. My heart sank.

Vaughn’s appearance was shocking. His left eye was bruised, fading into shades of purple and yellow. His right arm was in a sling. Obviously it had been broken.

“Vaughn,” Florence whispered, her face horrified as he slid into our row next to her. “What happened to you?”

Vaughn stared down at the desk, his normally cheerful face drained. He fiddled with the edge of his sleeve with his left hand. “It’s nothing. I had an accident.”

“An accident?” Naveen's eyes were wide as he took in Vaughn's battered appearance. “An accident?” he repeated, his voice a mix of worry and disbelief. “That doesn't explain the black eye or the broken arm. What kind of an accident exactly?”

My heart was hammering. I thought back to the last night I’d seen Vaughn, on the beach near the bonfire party. Theo hadinvited him, he’d said. I’d never told Florence about that. There had seemed to be no need to.

Vaughn shifted uncomfortably, still not meeting our eyes. “I fell down. It’s worse than it looks,” he said quietly. “The healers... They were able to fix most of it.” I knew better than most just how much the healers could fix and how rapidly. If this was how Vaughn still looked even after seeing a healer then it must have been ten times worse before.

“But there’s some permanent damage.” His face constricted. I saw how hard he was working to keep it together. “They’re not sure...” He cleared his throat. “They’re not sure if I’ll still be able to be a scout. I might be expelled from Bloodwing if they won’t let me switch to a strategist training path instead.”

A wave of anger rushed through me. I’d seen this before. How highbloods treated blightborns who dared to step out of line. This was just like what had happened to me, what had happened to Florence.

Vaughn hadn’t fallen. He’d been attacked. It was written all over his face. It was in the way he was refusing to meet our eyes.

I tried to keep my voice low and steady, but my anger was barely restrained. “This wasn’t an accident, was it, Vaughn? Who did this to you?”

Vaughn winced, his face tightening as if in shame. He opened his mouth, then shut it again.

But his silence was answer enough.

“Who was it?” I pressed. I caught Florence giving me a dissuading look but I didn’t care. “Was it highbloods? Which one?”

“Highbloods?” Florence gasped. She looked back and forth between us, her shock seeming to deepen. “Vaughn, if they–if they did this, you have to tell someone. You should go to the headmaster. We’re supposed to be safe here.”

I ignored her. Anything I’d said at this point would have offended her.No onewas going to do anything about this. No one cared. No one but us.

My stomach twisted. There was only one person I could think of who would have had the influence and the cruelty to attack the boy who liked Theo Drakharrow.

“Was it Blake?” I asked, my voice cold. “Did Blake Drakharrow do this to you? Because of Theo?”

Vaughn’s face crumpled, and though he didn’t say the words, the guilt in his expression was all the confirmation I needed.

Before I could say anything else, the door at the front of the room swung open and Professor Hassan strode in, her cane tapping sharply against the stones.

Her severe expression immediately ended all conversations.

I clenched my fists beneath the desk, my mind still racing.

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