Page 189 of On Wings of Blood

My heart twisted. “You think I could have stopped that, even if I’d known? Gone up against that many older highbloods? They would have killed me just like they did her.”

“No way. You’re a Drakharrow,” she spat. “A fucking prince of the Blessed Blood. Your uncle is the most powerful vampire lord in Sangratha.”

“None of that would have mattered to them,” I said, trying to control my frustration. “You think my uncle would try to save me? He was down there with them. Wearing one of those masks. Fuck, he might have been the man on the throne for all I know.”

For a second she froze. Then a look of complete revulsion came over her face.

“I think I'm going to be sick,” she muttered, turning away.

I grabbed her arm, then quickly released it as I saw the look on her face. “Look, I know all you want to do is run away but you need to listen to me.”

“I don’t have to listen to a single damn thing you say,” she snapped.

“Yes,” I snarled. “You do. If you want to live, you do. And if you try to run, I will stop you. So you will stay and you will listen. Don’t make me touch you again.”

I could practically see her gnashing her teeth. If she’d had fangs of her own, she’d have ripped my throat out.

“Fine,” she finally spat. “Speak.”

I took a deep breath. “You can’t tell anyone about this. None of it. Not what you saw, not what you’ve learned. If you say anything, youwillbe killed. Do you understand? They’ll kill you. And not only you.”

Her face was pale but her eyes were full of fire. “Really, Blake? You’re trying to scare me into silence?”

“I’m trying to make you understand how serious this is,” I growled, hoping the desperation would be evident in my voice. “You think I want to threaten you? You think I enjoy all of this? What I’m telling you is true. You can’t say anything. Not a word. Not to your friend Florence. Not to that dwarf you hang around with. No one. If you do, they’ll be killed–right along with you.”

Her lips parted slightly. “Florence...”

I nodded, my voice softening slightly. “Yes, Florence. If you care about her. About any of your friends, you’ll keep quiet.”

I felt like a complete and utter asshole. But what else could I do?

For a long moment, neither of us spoke.

I watched her mind race as she clenched and unclenched her fists at her side. I understood. Her world had just unraveled at the seams. And now there I was, trying to sew things back together with lies and guilt.

“Fine,” she finally whispered. “I won’t say anything.”

I exhaled. “Thank you.” I could feel the tension in my shoulders loosen a little.

I gestured ahead of us in the direction of Bloodwing. “Let me go first. My night vision is better.”

I stepped carefully around her and started walking.

A few moments later, I could hear her begin to follow. She kept her distance. I held the lantern high enough that she’d be able to see the path.

The night hadn’t turned out quite the way I’d hoped it would.

Now Pendragon hated me even more than she had before.

But not as much as I hated myself.

CHAPTER 45 - MEDRA

The night’s horrors weren’t over. Not even close.

I followed Blake through the darkened tunnels, my mind racing. I kept my eyes on his back, unable to shake the memory of the girl’s lifeless body hanging over the silver bowl.

I had so many more questions I wanted answers to. But before I could confront him again, we’d somehow reached the First Year tower and a new kind of chaos descended upon us.

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