Page 171 of On Wings of Blood

“A little,” I admitted. “Are you?”

Florence tilted her head. “I would probably be more nervous if I wasn’t going with Naveen.”

I smiled. “He puts you at ease. That’s a good thing. You know, he...” I was just about to say something along the lines of not underestimating Naveen’s potential when there was a knock at the door.

One of the First Year girls stood there. She was dressed in a tunic and trousers, clearly not planning to go to the ball.

“Medra, you have a guest waiting in the Common Room.”

I thanked her and glanced at Florence. “I guess I’ll see you there.”

I hurried down the winding staircase. As I reached the bottom, my breath caught. A tall figure was standing by the fireplace. For a moment, all I saw was the silver hair and slender tall frame. My heart sped up. Blake.

Then the figure turned. Kage.

He was dressed in a formal black jacket, trimmed with silver and perfectly tailored to his slim, muscular build. A silver brooch, shaped like a crescent moon, was pinned to his left lapel. He looked handsome and regal, with his high cheekbones catching the light and his dark eyes shining like black onyx.

His lips curved into an appreciative smile as his gaze swept over me.

“You look exquisite.” His dark eyes traveled up to my hair. “The dress suits you. It sets off your hair. Like fire against the night sky.”

I felt my cheeks warm at the lavish compliment. I fingered the silver embroidery of my gown, momentarily lost for words, which rarely happened. It certainly never did with Blake.

Before I could properly respond, Kage reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small black velvet bag. “I thought this might complete the look.”

He emptied the pouch into the palm of his hand, revealing a delicate silver necklace with a pendant shaped like a half-moon.

“May I?”

He stepped behind me and gently fastened the pendant around my neck. For a moment, his fingers lingered against my throat and a shiver went down my spine.

I found myself wondering whether I could ever feel anything for Kage Tanaka. Would he even want me to? What was he getting out of all of this, besides a perfect opportunity to infuriate Blake?

And besides, who was to say Blake would even care? It might have been sheer arrogance on my part to think he’d be bothered by my showing up to the ball on the arm of another man.

“Perfect,” Kage murmured, stepping back. “You’re perfect.”

He offered his arm. “Shall we?”

I hesitated for only a moment, then took it. Together, we left the Common Room to make our way to the ball.

The refectory had been completely transformed.

The long rows of tables and benches had been removed. Large circular tables draped with white linen tablecloths had been set up in their place, all decorated with dark evergreen garlandsintertwined with pale blue roses, their petals dusted with glittering frost.

Long, thin, icicle-like chandeliers made of crystal hung from the ceiling. The walls had been enchanted with some sort of a charm. They shifted as they displayed images of snowflakes, swirling from one end to another.

Beneath our feet, the floor seemed to sparkle and gleam, enchanted with a pattern of frosted blue ice.

At the far end of the room, in the center of the stage, a great silver clock had been hung up. It counted down the hours to the end of the solstice night.

As I stepped into the room with Kage at my side, I spotted Regan and Blake. They were standing with a group of students from House Drakharrow.

Blake had his back to us, but Regan was facing the entrance.

She looked stunning as always, though her dress was a little predictable. A bold red satin, short and tight, that clung to every curve, leaving little to the imagination.

Regan’s eyes widened and her jaw went slack as Kage led me inside. I watched, curious, as she grabbed Blake’s arm and whispered something urgently to him. He turned slowly, then froze.

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