Page 86 of On Wings of Blood

Florence pushed me, catching me off guard, then darted to one side.

“Shit!”

I moved to grab her but she was fast. She darted towards the bonfire and I caught her at the last moment, my hands wrapping around her wrist just as she’d nearly reached the flames.

I didn’t want to hurt her, but I held her as hard as I could, terrified she’d manage to break away again.

Then, as quickly as it had started, Florence collapsed to the sand.

She looked up at me, her eyes unclouded, her expression dazed. “What happened?”

I looked over at Kiernan. Theo stood in front of him, a furious expression on his face. He was clearly telling the other boyoff. Kiernan didn’t look repentant whatsoever. But at least he’d stopped.

“We need to get you out of here,” I said shortly. I didn’t want to tell her what she’d almost done. Not until we were away from these people. “Now.”

I linked my arm through hers tightly and started marching across the sand.

“Was that... Was it real?” Florence whispered.

I glanced at her. Tears were streaming down her face and she was biting her lip.

I was going to fucking kill Kiernan, I decided.

“Hey, don’t leave so soon!”

It was Kiernan again. The spiky-haired boy was blocking our path.

“The fun’s just getting started. House Avari wants you to come party with us.” He gestured back at his group of friends and I saw Kage Tanaka had joined them. The tall boy stood at the back, his arms folded over his chest, watching us silently.

Kiernan leaned in towards me. “I have a very special invitation from Kage himself. We hear Blake’s not making you feel very welcome in House Drakharrow. Well, we’d like to change that. Bloodwing can be averywelcoming place. If you know the right people.”

I’d just opened my mouth to speak when Florence broke free from my grasp. With a choked sob, she flew across the sand back towards the castle.

“You fucking bastard.” I shoved Kiernan, hard.

I was shaking with anger.

I didn’t know what I was going to do. Only that I had to do something.

Kiernan looked surprised. Then he grinned. “Oh, so you like it rough, do you? So do I.” He reached for my wrist but I was quicker than him. I raised my hand and slapped him, hard across the face.

Instantly I realized it had been the wrong move. My wrists were bleeding from where Florence had scratched me. My hand left a trail of blood across Kiernan’s face.

Kiernan’s eyes lit up strangely. He sniffed, then reached a hand up and touched his cheek. When his finger came away wet, he lifted it towards his mouth.

A gleam formed in his eyes. My breath caught in my throat as I watched him pause, his nostrils flaring slightly as he scented my blood.

“Don’t,” I started to say, my hand already lifting again to grab at his wrist and stop him.

A shadow darted between me and Kiernan, knocking me backwards.

“I thought I told you to keep your fucking hands off her,” Blake snarled. I hadn’t even seen him arrive. He’d come out of nowhere. “You are not to taste her. She is mine.”

I flinched as the words hit me with a power I’d never felt before. Thrallweave. He was using it on Kiernan.

“Wipe it in the sand,” Blake growled, his voice dripping with fury. “Now.”

Kiernan hesitated, his hand halfway to his lips. There was a flicker of fear in his eyes.

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