Page 136 of On Wings of Blood

I bit my tongue to keep from laughing hysterically.

But we used the right words,I reminded her.We used the spell that would free you. Not the incantation for the anchor. So why didn’t it work?

She sighed.That’s magic for you, darling. Magic is a fucking mess.

Oh, we’re allowed to curse now...I meant to tease her, but the words caught in my throat as the ground beneath my feet suddenly trembled.

A shudder ran through the Dragon Court as all around us the castle walls began to shake.

I fell backwards, hitting the rough bark of a tree, my hand still clutching the dagger.

The trees swayed slightly, leaves rustling in the unnatural wind.

Then the wind fell silent. The ground stopped shaking.

I breathed a sigh of relief.What the hell was that?

Some sort of minor earthquake, I suspect,Orcades said thoughtfully.Perhaps this place is built over some sort of a plate in the earth. Like the ones in the arena. They shift from time to time, you know.

I frowned. I was about to say that sounded as preposterous as a theory I had once read in a book that claimed the entire world of Aercanum was being carried on the backs of four prancing unicorns when suddenly, I saw movement across the courtyard. I slunk down closer to the ground, my head leaning against the tree trunk.

Blake Drakharrow strode into the Dragon Court. He scanned the area, clearly checking to make sure no one had followed him.

I knew he had heightened senses as a vampire. I wondered if those extended to being able to see in the dark.

Nervously, I crouched even lower into the shadows.

Blake walked swiftly towards the grove and my heart sped up. If he came much closer, he’d see me.

But to my relief he stepped behind the sculpture of the red dragon. Bending down, he touched something on the ground. One of the flagstones.

I heard the rasping sound of stone on stone and risked raising my head a little.

There. On the ground amongst the flagstones, I could see a small area of pitch black. An opening of some kind had appeared.

Blake glanced around one more time. Then, he stepped down into the opening. A hidden staircase.

Follow him,my mother suggested.You know you want to. We’ll deal with this situation later.

I nodded, quickly wiping the dagger off on the grass, then sliding it into my boot.

Slipping out of my hiding place, I moved towards the secret stairs.

CHAPTER 30 - MEDRA

The opening was pitch black. I could see the first two steps, then nothing but darkness.

My heart was hammering. What was I doing? I had no idea where Blake had gone. What I did know was that he wouldn’t take kindly to being followed. Especially if he caught me.

He was obviously up to something. Something he didn’t want to be caught doing.

My pride was still burning from our encounter in Professor Rodriguez’s office. He’d used me. Pried inside my mind as if he had a right to.

It didn’t matter that I’d, eventually, managed to do the same thing to him. He’d started it!

I needed leverage over him and something told me now was the time to get it.

I heard a grating sound. There was no time to lose. The opening was starting to close.

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