Page 190 of On Wings of Blood

The ball had ended hours ago and so I had expected the Common Room to be deserted. Instead it was filled with people, most of them looking frightened and panicked.

“Medra!” Florence's voice sliced through the noise as she ran towards me. “Where have you been?” She grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me into a hug. “I was so worried about you.”

She barely glanced at Blake, her attention locked on me. Before I could answer, she continued, “It’s one of the housekeeper’s children! A little girl. Poppy. She’s gone missing. Professor Rodriguez is organizing search parties.”

Sure enough, I caught sight of the dark-haired faculty member in the center of the crowd, his face haggard as he pointed at students and barked orders.

I blinked, suddenly feeling exhausted and disoriented. “What do you mean she’s gone? She’s a child. Maybe she just wandered off.”

I thought of all the times I had gone sneaking around the castle in Camelot, without a word to my poor nurse.

“No, you don’t understand.” Florence’s gentle voice shook. “There was blood. On her pillow.”

Blood. My stomach churned, the memories of the rite surging through me like a flood wave.

The servants at Bloodwing were all blightborn, of course. They mostly worked at night, while we students were asleep. They lived in the lower reaches of the castle. We hardly ever saw them. Their children mostly lived away from them, attending blightborn schools in Veilmar. But I knew many had come home for the Frostfire Festival, to celebrate with their families.

These were humble people, just doing their jobs while we–the privileged students, and yes, I included myself in that category for once–attended our classes at the academy.

Their children should have been safe. They were innocent.

I thought of the soft patter of blood filling the silver bowl and shivered.

It was happening again. Now. Here. Tonight. This time to an innocent child.

Panic swelled in my throat.

I turned slowly to Blake.

His face had gone even paler than usual. His expression was grim. “I have to go.”

“Where?” I demanded, stepping in front of him. I glimpsed the look of surprise on Florence’s face. “You can't just leave. Not now.”

His jaw clenched, his eyes darting towards the entrance. “I have to find out what’s going on.”

“You know something, don't you?” I said accusingly, lowering my voice. “You’re not leaving me behind. If you know something, tell me. I’m coming with you.”

“This isn’t a fucking game,” he growled. I sensed his frustration. And beneath it, fear. “Stay here. Where it’s safe.”

I tilted my face up towards him stubbornly. “You want me to stay quiet about tonight? Then I’m coming with you. If you know where that girl is, I’m coming.”

Florence was watching us, her brown eyes wide. I tried to give her a reassuring smile.

Blake glanced at her. I knew he was wondering if she’d overheard.

“Pendragon is coming with me,” Blake said, his voice gentler than usual as he looked at my friend. “I’ll bring her back to you soon.”

Florence pushed her spectacles up the bridge of her nose, then nodded slowly.

I touched her arm briefly, before I followed Blake out of the tower and back into the hall.

There was no doubt in my mind that he knew exactly where he was going.

He led us to the Dragon Court again, his pace much quicker than before. As we slipped down into the passageway, he strode ahead with purpose.

When we reached the vast chamber with the massive dragon skull at its center, the imposing stone doorways marked with the four house names loomed ahead.

Blake paused, nostrils flaring, as if he were tracking something elusive in the air. He tilted his head slightly, sniffing like an animal.

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