Page 4 of The Bond That Burns

Viktor was thrilled a dragon now flew over Sangratha, yes. But like Lord Sylvain, I realized he was afraid, too. Terrified that House Avari would wind up with the upper hand.

“I agree with Lord Sylvain,” Natsumi Avari spoke up. “The rider should be confined until the tribunal.”

I bristled. “I’m not sure my dragon would appreciate hearing that you all wish to place me under lock and key.”

“Then summon him here, rider,” Natsumi said softly, meeting my eyes. “Bring Nyxaris back. Let us discuss this matter with you both.”

“He has more important things to do than listen to highbloods argue,” I said as haughtily as I could.

“Then he has left your fate to us,” she pointed out.

There was nothing I could say to argue.

“We will have answers for you all very soon. I promise you that,” Viktor Drakharrow said, stepping in front of me and blocking me off from the others. “She is our rider. But you deserve answers as to what has happened. We will find out what she did and how.”

“Shehas a fucking name, Uncle,” Blake said. He reached for my arm, as if to pull me out of Viktor’s circle of proximity, but I quickly took a step back.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand on me,” I snarled.

There was quiet. Everyone had heard me.

Blake’s face flushed red.

Viktor slowly turned to look back and forth between his nephew and I. What he saw clearly did not please him, but he said nothing to either of us. Simply turned back to the other highbloods.

“May we confine her to a room in the Drakharrow Tower or would you rather she be placed in the dungeon, Lord Sylvain?” Viktor asked with deceptive courteousness. “Perhaps with only stale crusts of bread to eat. Shall we keep her in a weakened state, lest you feel more threatened?”

Headmaster Kim cleared his throat. “That’s enough, Viktor. I believe what you’ve proposed should be to everyone’s satisfaction. Keep her in Drakharrow Tower.”

Viktor nodded, then turned to look at me. His red eyes seemed suddenly colder. “Still, there may be no need for any of this. You’ll tell us exactly what happened. And you’ll do it now, girl.”

His thrallweave slammed into my mind and I cried out, sinking to my knees on the stones.

“I said you will tell us exactly what happened.” Viktor Drakharrow’s voice was like a whip, slicing through the air and cutting me to pieces. I had never felt this kind of pain before. Invisible but brutal, he hit my mind with a force unlike anything I’d ever felt.

I gasped, clutching my head, my vision blurring as pain pulsed behind my eyes.

But he wasn’t inside. He was an attacker at the gates. My walls were still up. I had not caved.

Something fierce inside me fought back. I closed my eyes, clenched my teeth, my sweaty hands digging into the cold stone as I threw up barrier after barrier with every ounce of strength I had.

Still, Viktor’s power crashed into me again and again. Suffocating, insistent, digging his claws of pain inside.

“Stop,” I heard Blake shouting. “Uncle, stop this. Look at her. You’re hurting her.”

Dimly I realized I was bleeding. Drops of blood trickled down my face.

I heard some of the highbloods hiss and take a step back. The scent of my blood drew them in but also alarmed them.

Then, just when I thought I might break, a voice boomed across the courtyard.

“What the hell is going on here?”

Professor Rodriguez stormed into the circle, his eyes blazing with fury. “Get away from her. This instant.”

I forced my eyes open in time to see Viktor’s face twist with irritation. He looked away from me, more surprised than angered. “Rodriguez.”

His thrallweave attack faltered.

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