Page 97 of Unbound

"Don't get it confused, Nessa," Serena says. "I still don't trust your intentions. But I saw the elemental you tethered, even if I don't understand why an insignificant weakling like you would be granted such a beast… I'm only making you this offer because of your elemental."

"Fuck you. That's my choice." I give her a sickly sweet smile, and then bump her shoulder as I move to pass her.

"Wait," Serena says.

I pause, but don't turn to look at her.

"Remember something, Nessa. As an ally, you could be incredibly valuable to us. As an enemy? You're dangerous. And you might threaten everything we're trying to do. So choose wisely. We won't wait forever."

I look around and see it's only the two of us in the hall now.

"Typhon, show yourself so she gets the message."

"With pleasure."

Typhon, who is at least twenty feet high from paw to shoulder, stands to his full height, wings spread and teeth bared as he leans into Serena's face. To my eyes, nothing changes, but Serena suddenly flinches back, screams, and tries to push herself away until her back bumps hard into the wall.

Her snake appears, but it looks insignificant next to Typhon.

"Just in case you forgot," I say. "So keep that in mind if you get ideas about fucking with me or my friends. That includes Raith."

Typhon transforms suddenly into his flying fish form and gives her a small slap on the cheek with his tail.

The little pop sound is almost comical.

Serena flinches back like she has been stabbed and her elemental snake hisses, fires flaring across its coiled body.

Apparently satisfied, Typhon drifts toward me and hovers over my shoulder.

"What was that?" I ask him, barely holding back a smile from the look on Serena's face as we leave her behind.

"You never let me eat people, so I improvised. If I can't eat them, I will settle for humiliation."

Even if it feels good to put Serena in her place, I know the victory is only temporary. Malakai and his people aren't the type to be scared off so easily. They'll still come for us, maybe even harder, now. We'll be lucky if there aren't several groups hunting us during the Crucible.

But my thoughts return to everything Serena said as I cross the courtyard, giving a group of third-year fires a wide berth as they sit comfortably in a cocoon of warmth that melts the falling snow and keeps them warm despite the winter chill.

Raith not being who he claims to be. Malakai and Serena with what could be considered a noble cause, even if their methods are monstrous. And somewhere on campus, a siphon hunts, perhaps for me specifically.

The Crucible suddenly feels like the least of my worries.

As I round the corner, I nearly collide with a tall figure in a black robe.

"Nessa," Bastian says, surprise clear in his voice. He looks left and right, then jerks his head for me to follow him to a small, more private alcove off the main hall.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I shouldn't be telling you this… but my father and some of the council are coming to watch this year's Crucible."

A cold fist of fear reaches for my insides and squeezes. Empire officials watching the Crucible means…

Bastian nods, as if seeing I've already figured it out. "Your powers. You need to be discreet. Even there. If any of them suspect what you are, I don't think even the academy could protect you."

"Why do you keep helping me?" I blurt suddenly. “Does your father know about me?”

Bastian's regal features show no sign of emotion or surprise at the questions. "No. He doesn’t. But I read enough to suspect one of your kind would appear again. So far, I believe you're worthy of the power you hold."

So far?

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