Page 79 of Dragon Unleashed

Now.

I grip the broom handle, bringing it up full force into his crotch. He screams like a kid and doubles over. Swiveling, I rise, keeping both the others in my sights.

I have to escape, now, before Dexter recovers. I swing and land a punch to the guy on my right. Spinning away, my elbow finds the other guy’s gut. For half a second, I think I might get away, but Dexter staggers to his feet. He curses his goons, and they close in on me again, boxing me against the wall with nowhere to go. I’ve lost.

The hopelessness of my situation hits me.

IknowDexter. He’ll rape me and leave me for dead. Or worse, for his thugs.

That’s not happening. I won’t let it.

I take a deep, centering breath and set myself ablaze. I let my flames lick up and down my skin then add my aether to them. Normally they don’t hurt me. But today, today I’ll burn.

“I’d rather die than let you touch me again,” I spit into Dexter’s face as he flinches away from the bright white flames. “I belong to Chano, to Farrell, to my allegiance.”

Agony streaks up my spine.

“Fuck you, Dexter.”

My world shrinks down until it’s just me and my flames and the pain. I curl up in a ball, letting them consume me.

My wrist jerks, my bond sparking to life. Cool water trickles over me, the element pushing down my bond. It’s a relief from the burning, but the cold against my charred skin is excruciatingin its own way. It almost feels like there are other people here. Between me and Dexter. Protecting me.

The klaxon sounds.

Scenario terminated, cheating detected.

I land on the floor of the classroom in a heap. Flakes of my charred clothes fall after me, and I watch them spiraling down, floating to the floor. Beautiful.

Pain, worse than anything I’ve ever felt, rips through me. I can’t do anything but curl back into a ball. My throat is raw. My skin is raw. I blink sleepily. I’m on fire. Still.

I hear alarmed voices in the background and try to look up. My head lolls back. Shadowy figures group around me and my muscles tense. Not again. I can’t get away.

But then their energy rolls over me, familiar, soothing. My allegiance. Reassurance pushes at me from all sides and cooling water trickles over my body.

Slowly, my flames sputter and die. I’m bone-deep tired. I could sleep here. Surrounded by them. Safe. Everything is numb, from the tips of my toes to the hair Dexter nearly pulled out.

I’m only vaguely aware of being rolled onto a stretcher. My eyes shut and I can’t seem to fight them back open.

“You hang in there, Lorelei. I’m not done being angry with you yet.”

Chano.

I peel one eyelid open to stare at his scowling face, inches from mine. The stretcher rocks, and my world goes black.

Chapter Thirty-eight: Lorelei

Naeve’s alarm clock is beeping incessantly. I can’t quite wake up enough to make her turn the damn thing off. With a snarl, I finally roll over. The stark whiteness is dazzling. Not our room.

The hospital, again.

“You’re awake?” a voice asks from really far away. “Doctor wants you medicated at least overnight. This should do it.”

Someone fusses with the back of my hand and a cool liquid runs into my vein. Nothingness tugs at the edges of my mind and I drift off…

“The teaching panel is holding a meeting. Professor Allegra and Professor Tenebrae are both arguing you should be expelled for cheating, no matter the circumstances. You have to tell them, Lorelei.”

I groan and roll over. The cot sides on the hospital bed are still up. As if I’m in any state to be climbing anywhere. I take a moment to focus my bleary eyes on Naeve as she sits bolt upright next to my bed, knitting frantically.

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