Page 95 of Dragon Unleashed

“Professor Allegra had an unhealthy obsession with you, and Zephyr Engill. I would like to extend the offer of an academy counselor to you both, if you feel the need to talk through the traumatic events.” He pauses briefly. “Lorelei, there are two options open to you regarding your exams. You may choose to resit the scenarios now, or simply sit end-of-year exams with your peers.”

“End of year.” My words are out before I’ve even really thought about it. There’s no way I can enter another scenario right now.

“You would have no appeal material should you fail in the finals.”

“I can’t resit now. Not so soon.”

“Very well. Remember the option of the counselor—”

The doors burst open and two P.I.G. officers march in, with Lady Tenebrae teetering behind them, her face one big malicious grin.

“What is the meaning of this?” Dean Emrick blusters.

The officers ignore the dean and storm toward me.

“Lorelei Bal, you are charged with the murder of Alice Allegra—”

My ears buzz so loudly I don’t hear the rest of his words.

The Virrey.

He was never going to let me win.

Chapter Forty-three: Lorelei

Cold metal rubs against my wrists, the skin chafed and raw already. My magic sits heavily in my chest, a ball of bound energy. These damn cuffs. Wriggling on the hard plastic chair, I glare at the officer on the other side of the windowpane. She’s taking her sweet-ass time. Although maybe I shouldn’t be so keen to get this clerking business over with. After this I’ll walk into the main prison and who knows when I’ll walk out again.

Eventually she’s done tippy-tapping on her damn keyboard and flicks her braids over her shoulder and glances up.

“Next.”

She sounds bored, and her gaze skips past me to the clock ticking down the minutes until 5 p.m. A male officer yanks impatiently on my arm and I stumble upright, my hands pinned together. He scans his badge on the security panel and marches me through into the “processing hall.” What are we? Tinned goods?

“Strip and wait in your cubicle for a pat-down,” the officer instructs.

I swallow bile, square my shoulders, and walk into the cubicle. The flimsy curtain barely shuts behind me. Shivering, I strip Naeve’s clothes off. Surely they don’t expect the underwear to go too? After a few minutes the bored officer from the front desk sticks her head around the curtain. Thank the goddesses it’s her and not the guy.

“Hands on the wall, legs apart. Before I begin, tell me, any concealed weapons?”

I glance toward my cleavage, and she sighs, holding her hand out.

“Pass it over now. Trust me, you do not want Mcgregor in here for a cavity search. He’s not gentle. Anything else on you?”

Shaking my head, I reluctantly pass my knife over. They better give it back; it was my first ever real present.

I know how this goes. I’ve been in juvie; I just never thought I’d graduate to the big girl’s prison. This wasnotin my plans. The officer pats me down then shoves a slightly damp prison jumpsuit into my hands before scooping up my pitiful pile of belongings.

“You’ll get these back, if you make bail.”

I hadn’t thought of that. Never had anyone to pay bail before.

“How…” I swallow down the whine in my voice. “How much is bail?”

“Too much,” she says.

I cock my head and wait her out. She purses her lips. There’s an internal war going on, I can tell. She was half asleep ten minutes ago, now she’s bouncing on her toes. Finally, she caves.

“Never seen a bail so big, girl. Not for psychopathic serial killers, never mind some little bit of a girl onlyaccusedof one little murder, with no evidence.” She pauses, assessing my reaction while pretending to examine her nails.

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