Page 59 of Darkbirch Academy

His lips thin into a sharp line, and I can see the gears turning behind his eyes as he tries to find a way to counter my argument without revealing too much.

“There are risks,” he says grudgingly after a long pause.

“And yet you wantmeto take risks,” I counter swiftly,crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him. “You said at the start that this whole ritual is risky.”

He exhales sharply through his nose before turning away from me altogether—though only briefly before spinning back around to face me.

“Esme.” His tone is clipped now—all pretense dropped leaving nothing but raw irritation behind instead. “Don’t be difficult.”

I laugh, a high-pitched thing that pierces through the chamber. “Difficult? You want to talk about being difficult?” I begin to pace before him, leopard-like. “Alright. Let’s review, shall we? You’ve marked me with magical runes without my consent, dragged me across this academy on a scavenger hunt for mystical ingredients, nearly gotten me killed multiple times, and now you want to drink my blood from my neck like some supernatural parasite. But I’m the difficult one for asking for equal treatment?”

I take a step toward him, my finger jabbing in his direction. “You know what’s difficult? Trying to decipher your cryptic dragon riddles. Difficult is being expected to trust someone who’s been a threat to my life more times than I’ve had hot meals this week. Difficult is standing in this creepy underground chamber with a man who apparently finds the concept of reciprocity completely foreign.”

Dayn’s expression remains impassive, but I catch the slight twitch at the corner of his eye.

“If I were being difficult,” I continue, warming to my theme, “I would have left you to deal with everything on your own. I would have refused to help collect your little ritual ingredients. I would have smashed your precious convergence water, scattered your darkblood ash to the winds, and dancedon the shattered remains of your Relic of Severance.” I gesture wildly toward the collection of ritual components. “But instead, I’ve been remarkably accommodating, considering the circumstances. I’ve followed your instructions, played your games, and now I’m simply asking for basic fairness. But oh no, that makes me difficult.”

I pace a small circle, my boots echoing against the stone floor. “And let’s not forget that I’m still here despite your constant condescension. Do you know how many times you’ve looked at me like I’m something you found stuck to the bottom of your pretentious dragon shoe? I’ve counted. It’s a lot.”

Dayn watches me with an expression caught between annoyance and something that might almost be amusement.

“You want difficult?” I continue, my voice rising slightly. “I could show you difficult. I could start asking detailed questions about your mysterious past, your convenient position at Heathborne, your apparent ability to mind-control guards. I could demand explanations for every cryptic comment and shadowy glance. I could insist on a detailed breakdown of exactly what these runes—” I thrust my wrist toward him, “—are doing to me every minute of every day.”

I stop directly in front of him, close enough to feel the unnatural heat radiating from his body. “But I haven’t. I’ve been a model of cooperation and restraint. So don’t you dare call me difficult when all I’m asking for is a simple blood exchange that you were planning to initiate anyway.”

Dayn remains silent for a long moment, his amber eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that would make most people shrivel. I hold his gaze, refusing to back down.

Finally, he speaks, his voice unnervingly calm. “Are you quite finished?”

“Not even close,” I snap. “But I’ll pause for your rebuttal. This should be entertaining.”

He sighs, a sound so human it almost throws me. “Your grandmother told you to drink my blood, didn’t she?”

The question catches me off guard, and I feel my face betray me before I can school my expression.

“That’s what I thought,” he continues, satisfaction coloring his tone. “What you don’t understand—what she couldn’t possibly have explained in her weak state—is what my blood would do to you. But if you want to do it anyway… You know what?Fine. I’ll let you drink my blood. And you can live with whatever the consequences are.”

His agreement catches me mid-breath. I expected him to continue arguing, pushing back. Is this another game play by him? I don’t know. But what I do know is that I trust my grandmother more than him. And, for now, it seems I’ve gotten what I wanted.

“Fine,” I say, defiant.

“Fine,” he replies.

32

The silence stretches between us like a rubber band pulled taut, ready to snap.Dayn’s amber eyes burn into mine, his jaw clenched tight enough to crack walnuts.

“So... how exactly do we do this?” I ask, glancing around the chamber.

“I’ll go first,” Dayn says, stepping toward me.

I hold up a hand, stopping him. “Absolutely not.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. If you go first, what guarantee do I have that you’ll follow through with your end of the bargain?” I cross my arms. “For all I know, you’ll get what you need and then conveniently decide I’m not ‘ready’ for dragon blood or whatever excuse you concoct.”

His eyes narrow dangerously. “You doubt my word?”

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