Page 107 of Unbound

"Noted."

"I was wondering if either of you know where I could find Raith."

They share a knowing look. One folds her arms and eyes me up and down again. This time, it's more of a feminine appraisal and has nothing to do with my affinity. "So the rumors about you two are true?"

"No," I sigh. I've already had my fill of talk about rumors and silliness for one day. It's taking effort to keep my temper from flaring now. "I just need to talk to him."

The girls share another look, as if deciding whether they want to tell me.

"Okay," one says. "We're actually on our way to meet him right now. You can tag along. Just promise to keep your little flying fish away from us."

I force a smile as they laugh at my expense and start walking.

"I am not asking to eat them, but I am sending you awareness of my hunger through the tether. Do you feel it, angry human?"

I grin."Quit trying to circumvent the no eating people rule, Typhon. I get it. You want to eat them."

"If I were permitted to speak about my desires to eat humans, I would start with the one on the left. And I would do it in my prestigious kuratokken form. The 'flying fish' as she so dismissively puts it.”

I continue following the girls as we leave the fire tower and pass through the courtyard."I think your kuratokken form might be too small for eating people."

"I am Typhon. I would find a way."

We enter the eastern wing of campus, pass through halls that are mostly empty at this hour on a weekend, and stop outside a pair of doors. "This is it," one of the girls says.

I hear muffled voices inside and nod.

The girls push open the doors and I follow them inside.

And then they slide in behind me, closing the doors tightly and throwing the latch over the lock.

I frown, then squint against the brightness of torches in the empty classroom. There are nearly a dozen figures approaching me.

"Raith?" I ask, my voice coming out as little more than a whisper.

"Oh... what did you bring us?" asks a familiar voice.

And then Malakai steps in front of the torches, flanked by Serena and several very large and angry looking students.

Fuck.

23

"Careful," Serena says, hips swaying as she walks into view, her figure outlined against torchlight like a predator stalking prey. "Her water dragon will be here, too. Nobody try anything stupid."

"At least someone recognizes my power,"Typhon mutters in my mind.

A sharp pulse hits through our tether—hunger, raw and demanding. He's asking, again, if he can eat them.

"Let's be smart, Typhon. Even you probably couldn't fight off fifteen students and elementals."

"It would be a glorious death."

"Right. Death. So we're going to be smart. I have no interest in dying tonight, no matter how gloriously."

"Shall I alert the fire touched about your situation?"

I go rigid, eyes darting between the students slowly circling me like wolves. My heart hammers so hard I wonder if they can hear it.

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