Page 31 of The Bond That Burns

I’d also made it all the way to the city of Veilmar. Following Blake through the secret tunnels that lay beneath the Dragon Court.

A shadow moved, stepping out of the twilight.

Blake. He’d been waiting for me.

There hadn’t been a verdict, I realized. Not before I’d left. Had the Tribunal Panel arrived at a decision?

If they were going to execute me, surely they’d have sent someone other than Blake to bring me in.

Or would they get him to do it? We both knew he was stronger than me. If he wanted to simply kill me, could he?

My heart started to pound. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought you might want to know what happened after you took off,” he drawled, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets as he came towards me.

I tried not to look as scared as I felt. “I assume they figured out a way to break our bond after all and now I’m House Avari’s. Should I move my things to Kage’s tower?”

I was joking, but the look on his face made me freeze.

“Don’t,” he warned. “Don’t even joke about that.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why not? Because you hate House Avari? Or is it just Kage who bothers you so much?”

His jaw tightened. “You know why.”

I took a step closer, my voice deliberately sharp. “No, Blake, I don’t. House Avari probably wouldn’t have forced me into a bond I never wanted. They wouldn’t have treated me like some possession. At this point, I think I’d be happier there. Kage might actually show me some respect.”

It was like striking a match to dry kindling. Too easy.

In an instant, Blake was in front of me, moving with that terrifying vampire speed. Before I could even step back, his face was close to mine.

“Respect you?” he growled. “You think Kage wouldrespectyou? You think House Avari would treat you better? Grow up, Pendragon. They’d use you. Just like every other highblood house would, if they were given half a chance.”

“At least it would have been my choice,” I spat. “Don’t you dare stand there and pretend to be any better when you feed from me without my consent and claimed me without even asking.”

His jaw clenched again, but he didn’t back away. For a moment, the tension between us was unbearable. His eyes dropped tomy lips then flicked back up, and for one horrifying moment, I thought he might...

“For now, you’re alive,” he said finally. “The tribunal reached a verdict. You’re staying at Bloodwing. Under House Drakharrow’s oversight.”

I let out a shaky breath, relief and frustration warring inside me. “No one listened to Lysander. What a surprise.”

“Lysander is a fool who’s going to get himself killed,” Blake said derisively.

“No one listened to Lord Mortis either,” I pointed out.

“Garrick Mortis.” Blake shook his head. “Not quite as much a fool as Lysander.” He looked at me intently. “But maybe he was right.”

“He wasn’t right. Killing me would be signing your own death sentence,” I snapped. “You need me, remember? I’m useful.”

“Useful? Don’t flatter yourself. You’re an asset for now. Everyone wants to see how this plays out.” He smirked. “After all, you claim to be able to control a dragon.”

I lifted my chin. “Doesn’t it make you want to run screaming like a little boy? The thought of all that dragon fire right at my fingertips?”

He laughed, clearly not intimidated. “It might, if I thought that anything that dragon did was done with you in mind.”

I flushed. “Good thing I have you to protect me then,” I said bitterly.

His smirk widened and I hated how my pulse sped up at the sight of his lips, his face. “You survived your first year because I allowed it. Don’t make me prove that to you now.” He suddenly pushed his chest up against mine, shoving me backwards. His breath was hot against my ear. “Why don’t you just fall in line, like a good little girl?”

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