Page 225 of On Wings of Blood

I ran my hands through my hair. I hadn’t brushed it in days. Taking care of myself had somehow seemed wrong. As if I didn’t deserve it. Living should have been enough, shouldn’t it?

I opened the door and there stood Blake.

For a second, I forgot to breathe. I’d forgotten how beautiful he could be.

Even now, looking disheveled and awkward and out of place.

He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. There were dark circles under his eyes. His usual cool, composed confidence was nowhere to be seen. He wore a white shirt. The top buttons wereundone, revealing a pale triangle of skin with curling gold hairs and a glimpse of the black dragon. His sleeves were rolled up, baring his well-muscled forearms. His hands were shoved into his pockets.

His gray eyes moved from me to Florence, then back to me.

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

He looked like he wanted to be anywhere other than where he was. Yet when my eyes met his, I saw something soften there.

“What is it?” I said, keeping my voice low.

Blake hesitated, glancing at Florence. Then his jaw clenched. “You need to come with me. Headmaster Kim has summoned us. We’re being called into a disciplinary hearing.”

Florence slid off the bed. “A hearing?”

She pushed past me, going straight for Blake. I’d never seen her like this. “What for? What's going to happen to Medra? Is she in trouble?”

Blake looked down at her, his gray eyes surprisingly kind. “I'm not sure,” he said patiently. “But if she is, I’ll be right there with her. I won’t leave her to face it alone. I promise you that, Miss Shen.”

Florence said nothing, just stared back at him. “All right,” she said finally. “Don't you dare leave her withhim.”

She meant Headmaster Kim. I knew she blamed him the most for Naveen.

Still, I was shocked at how she’d spoken to Blake. She seemed to be getting over her diffidence towards highbloods. Or maybe it was just him.

Blake’s eyes were still soft as he watched Florence climb back up onto the bed. “We have to go. Try not to worry. I’ll have her back soon. I promise.”

I crossed over to Florence and put my arms around her. She gripped my wrist.

“Go,” she whispered. “I’ll be fine. I might go back to my room and sleep.”

I nodded. I hoped she’d be able to rest. She needed it.

I didn’t want to leave her, but it looked as if I had no choice.

I followed Blake out the door.

CHAPTER 56 - BLAKE

Pendragon suddenly seemed so small as she walked alongside me.

Her long red curls hung around her face, frizzy and tangled. She wore a long black dress over the same pair of lace-up leather boots she’d worn in the Games. The dress hung on her frame. Even in just two days she seemed as if she’d lost weight.

I hated seeing her like this. I knew she was grieving. Her pale freckled skin was red and blotchy. I could tell she’d been crying.

Any other girl would have looked like a wreck. But not her.

It unnerved me how beautiful she still was. I’d missed the sight of her face.

I jammed my hands deeper in my pockets, resisting the urge to say that very thing out loud.

She looked frail. But I knew she wasn’t. No matter what she might believe about herself right now, I knew she was strong.

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