Page 53 of On Wings of Blood

Florence frowned. It was the first time I’d really seen her do it and it made her look surprisingly fierce.

“Medra, I’m not going anywhere. And neither is Naveen. I don’t like bullies.”

I shook my head wearily. “And yet, you live in Sangratha.”

She was quiet for a minute. “That’s true.”

I eyed her curiously. “So you don’t think everything here is perfect here after all?”

“Perfect?” She shook her head. “Nothing is ever perfect. Do you know what I had to do to get here?”

I shook my head. “Tell me.”

“It was a fight. A struggle. My family and I grew up in a town near where Naveen lived, but when my father died, we moved to Veilmar. My mother was a librarian for a noble highblood family there. She couldn’t afford to pay for a private tutor and the family refused to allow me to study with their own children. My mother taught me herself on her own time, even though she was usually exhausted. I studied the books she snuck out of the highbloods’ library, knowing at any time she could face punishment for bringing them to me. When she applied for theposition at Bloodwing and got it, the family didn’t want her to leave. They insisted on keeping me as collateral so she’d be forced to come back to see me. Then they decided that I could eventually take her place. They could see that I had, well, potential...” Florence blushed. “And they knew it would be cheaper than hiring a new librarian, someone with formal training. They didn’t want me to apply here, but I snuck out and I did it anyway. Once you’ve applied, you can’t be kept from your examination. So there was nothing they could do once I’d made the preliminary cut.”

She lifted her chin. “So I know a little bit about bullies–privileged ones at that.”

“But I thought you revered the highbloods, Florence,” I said, as gently as I could. “Including Regan.”

She shook her head stubbornly. “They’re not all like that. Most use their power for good. It’s different, serving people who are superior when they really are.”

I bit my tongue and said nothing. I wasn’t ready to argue that point.

“But it’s wrong for them to take advantage like Regan did, using thrallweave on you,” Florence went on.

“Thrallweave? Is that what it’s called?”

She nodded. “It’s a powerful coercion ability. Only vampires have it, of course. It’s a skill like any other. Some are naturally more powerful with it, but most need to train themselves before they can really use it well. Regan must have some natural ability. Her control over you seemed fairly tight.”

“It certainly felt tight,” I said bitterly. “So they all have this thrallweave. And they can use it on you–on any blightborn–at any time? And you think that’s fair?”

“They can also use it on one another–and sometimes they do. Sure, some use it to bully, just like Regan did. But sometimes it can be used for good.”

I couldn’t imagine a scenario where that was possible but decided not to ask.

“Anyhow,” Florence concluded. “Lord Drakharrow himself instructed that you were to attend this school. What Regan is doing goes against protocols. She’s your fellow consort. You’re supposed to work together.”

I’d temporarily forgotten and wasn’t thrilled at the reminder. Work together? Yeah, right.

“You’ll need allies to get through Bloodwing and I’d be honored to be one of them,” Florence said. “I’m sure Naveen will feel the same.”

“It’s too dangerous, Florence,” I said, trying to shake my head. “You and Naveen could wind up being bullied by Regan or someone like her, or worse just for being friends with me. Maybe it’s better if I fly solo. You don’t want targets on your back.”

“Blake Drakharrow wasn’t in the Dragon Court today,” Florence said thoughtfully. “I wonder what he’ll do when he learns what Regan did.”

“If he finds out,” I pointed out. “Even if he does, I really don’t think he’ll care, Florence.” I decided to be blunt. “Look, Blake has made it very clear that he didn’t choose me and he doesn’t want to be stuck with me. I’m pretty sure he’d have been just fineif I’d died jumping off that dragon statue today. Besides, he and Regan have been betrothed since they were children. Obviously his loyalty is going to be to her.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Florence said, shaking her head slightly. “I’ve heard some things.”

“He was there when Visha challenged me,” I reminded her. “He didn’t do anything to stop her.”

“Yet Professor Sankara did show up eventually,” she said. “Maybe Blake went and got him.”

I groaned. She had a point but I didn’t want to acknowledge it. Blake had vanished for at least a little while during my fight with Visha but who knows where he’d really gone. Maybe to drink from a thrall.

“Fine,” I conceded. “Maybe. And maybe dragons are real. But oh, wait, they aren’t.”

Florence smiled gently. “You should rest. But from the sound of it, I think you’ll be okay for your meeting with the headmaster in the morning.” She moved over to the little nightstand next to the bed and began to pour out a draught of tea into a small porcelain cup. I smelled lavender and honey along with herbs I didn’t recognize.

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