Page 237 of On Wings of Blood

She walked slowly up to the orb looking extremely nervous.

She touched her hand to the stone.

Blake’s hand slipped into mine. “Don't worry,” he whispered.

My heart sped up. I hoped that meant what I thought it did.

Florence’s palm met the stone.

The orb glowed silver.

House Avari.

My heart sank.

“What the fuck,” Blake muttered.

I glanced at where Kage Tanaka stood by the black stone dragon. He didn’t look our way.

Florence’s face had fallen the moment she saw the silver glow. I could tell she was trying hard to keep it together as she walked slowly to join the First Years standing around Kage.

“I swear, I didn’t know,” Blake said in a low voice. “She was on our list. I’ll find out how this happened.”

“It’s all right,” I assured him half-heartedly. “There’s nothing you can do now.”

I was happy to hear he’d tried to select Florence for House Drakharrow for my sake. It would have been nice to be together.

I glanced at Visha standing a little ways away. Then Vaughn.

At least I knew people in House Drakharrow. But Florence was going to be all alone. I knew she was familiar with all of the other First Years. She’d helped most of them over this past year in her role as a warden. But Naveen and Vaughn and I had been her closest friends. In some ways, she’d be starting from scratch.

“There’s nothing to say you can’t be friends with students in other houses,” Blake whispered in my ear.

“There isn’t?” I was kind of surprised. “Glad to hear it.”

Because my friendship with Florence wasn’t going anywhere.

Blake shook his head. “It’s just... not common.” He was quiet for a moment, then, “We need to meet. Just you and I. Tonight. Find me here, at the Dragon Court, at midnight.”

“A clandestine meeting with my new House Leader?” I murmured. “Now that has to be against the rules.”

He shot me a boyish grin. “Not as far as I’m aware. The strangest things should be, but aren’t.”

I looked up at his profile, at the lines of his lips, and felt myself blushing slightly as I remembered our interrupted kiss from the day before.

I knew I’d be there to meet him that night. Rules or no rules.

CHAPTER 60 - MEDRA

The Dragon Court was quiet under the silver glow of the moon. Long shadows stretched from the towering statues of the four dragons, their stone scales gleaming in the faint light.

I walked across the courtyard.

A figure moved in the shadows.

Blake stepped out of the darkness. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

He looked as if he belonged to the world of shadows and moonlight more than to the realm of flesh and blood. His white linen shirt clung to his lean chest and broad shoulders, fitted enough that I was reminded of his strength. He had a black jacket slung casually over one shoulder. As he walked towards me, he tossed the jacket onto a bench, and my heart fluttered wildly in my chest.

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