Page 126 of On Wings of Blood

I kept my voice steady. “I didn’t ask for her. Give her to someone else if she’s so valuable,” I bluffed.

Now that I’d caught a glimpse of Viktor’s own lust for Pendragon, I knew what would happen if I seemed too eager to keep the prize I’d been given.

“No,” Viktor said, his lip curling. “She’s yours now. But you will keep her in line using more subtlety in the future, or I’ll be forced to handle her myself.”

Just the idea of my unclehandlingPendragon made me want to vomit.

I clenched my jaw, anger simmering just below the surface, threatening to boil over.

Viktor abruptly shifted topics, saving me from myself. “There's unrest in the cities. The masses have been stirring. There are whispers of rebellion. Faint, but at times, I worry our control over them is weakening slightly.”

I stayed silent, but my stomach twisted. I knew what Viktor meant by ‘control.’ A subtle, insidious magic, a lower form of thrallweave, kept the mortals compliant and worshipful.

Most blightborn lived their entire lives never knowing they were being manipulated. Never realizing we highbloods were gently pulling their strings.

At Bloodwing, this magic was less powerful. Different wards were set up over the school to protect the students within. These wards conflicted with the magic used over the city of Veilmar, among others. But the houses justified this by telling themselves that the blightborn students who attended Bloodwing didn’t need to be manipulated–or not by much. They wanted to be here. They already adored us.

For the most part, I’d found that was correct.

Viktor’s eyes flickered over me, sharp and calculating. “We can't afford weakness. Not now, Blake. Not with the city on edge. If word gets out in Veilmar that we have a dragon rider. Well... I’ve been preparing for that eventuality but I want her under our full control when it does happen.”

My heart sped up. I wondered if my uncle was talking about speeding up our bonding. There was no real way to do that though. Not without Pendragon’s cooperation.

Viktor started pacing back and forth across the room. “You don't understand the danger she poses. Keeping her alive... We had no choice that day in the Keep. But if word gets out that a dragon rider has returned, she could become a dangerous symbol. A spark for rebellion.” He stopped in front of me, glaring down. “Which is why you need to keep her under control. Keep her at the school. Safe and under our power. Her entire life, she’ll be watched and guided.” His lips twisted into a cruel smile. “She’ll never be anything more than what we allow her to be.”

I stared up at him, trying to hide the shock I was feeling.

Viktor didn’t know. He didn’t have a fucking clue.

Rodriguez had told me he was teaching Pendragon thrallguard. Hell, it had been approved by Headmaster Kim himself.

And yet Viktor didn’t know. He obviously didn’t know.

I wasn’t going to tell him.

My mind raced. How far had Pendragon come with her training? Probably not far enough to resist Viktor if he did have to use thrallweave on her.

“Is that all we want with her?” I risked asking. “To keep her as a pawn? She’s a pretty useless pawn if you ask me. What kind of a symbol would she be for the blightborn when there are no dragons? Her blood carries power, nothing more.”

“She’s already a symbol,” Viktor said. “A symbol ofDrakharrowpower. A symbol of our power over all the other houses. Do younot see that? Every man and woman in the Keep that day was hungering after her blood. We might have drained her in the Sanctum and shared her. A communal feast. But I gave her to one man. You.”

A chill went up my spine.

“A very generous gift,” I said slowly. “You truly honored me, Uncle. I see that now.”

“I could have given her to Marcus,” he said, studying me closely. “But Marcus has proven too reckless with his toys. She is too valuable for that. Not to mention...” He hesitated. I waited, all ears now. “Not to mention we still have no idea where she came from.”

“You think she could be some sort of a spy?”

“The girl’s ignorance seemed genuine in many ways,” Viktor said consideringly. “Even if she were a spy, where would she have possibly come from? Who could have been keeping a girl with an appearance like that concealed? It seems impossible. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know more than she’s letting on. She has no reason to trust us. And every reason to try to escape.” His eyes met mine. “She cannot be permitted to leave, Blake. Ever.”

I nodded. “I understand. I’ll watch her. I’ll keep her safe.” I hesitated, then asked, “You say there’s been unrest in Veilmar. I understand the killings have increased.”

Viktor waved a hand. “Blightborns deaths. Easily dealt with.”

Easily ignored, he meant.

“Blightborns clearly killed by highbloods,” I said, trying to keep my patience. “If we want to maintain control...”

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