Page 77 of A Court of Bones & Sorrow

Magic flooded the room as the prince rose several feet into the air, his claws tearing into my ribbons, but I just coiled more length around his neck.

“Roth!” Kieran screamed. “Let him down!”

“Still think my ribbons are useless as weapons?” I snarled and flung my good hand out to the side. The prince crashed into an empty bookcase before collapsing to the floor. Then I called both ribbons back to me, and they swiftly wrapped around my forearms, looking a little worse for wear.

Draven slowly got to his feet, rubbing his neck with one hand while reaching the other for his whip, which instantly leapt to his hand. Kieran slid between me and him, a worried look on his face. The rangers raised their swords a little higher, and to my surprise, Alaric moved to stand in front of me too.

“Relax,” Draven said smoothly, tucking his whip back to his side. “I’m not going to kill them. Samara would be pissed. She clearly likes the Devereuxoutcast.”

My ribbons rustled on my forearms, and Alaric gave me a censuring look over his shoulder. I gave him a cool one in return, and his lips twitched in response.

I stepped around Alaric and moved towards Draven. “Tell us why we should tell you,” I demanded. “We know you’re hiding things from us, and while Samara and Kieran believe there’s something redeemable in you, I remain unconvinced.”

“Same,” Alaric said as all three rangers muttered their agreement.

Draven regarded me for a long moment before stretching a hand to me, palm up. “May I?” His eyes lowered to my injured arm that was still pressed against my body. Slowly, I extended it until my wrist rested in his palm.

He held my gaze as he raised his other hand to his mouth and sliced open the tip of his finger. I watched as he drew the glyph for healing on my skin, surprised by how light his touch was. Then a sharp exhale rushed out of my lips when I felt the magic from his blood sink into my flesh.

“What are you?” I breathed out.

“Something that shouldn’t exist,” he said tightly. “My secrets are my own, but trust me when I say I am uniquely suited to fight against wraiths.”

I pulled my arm away from him and tentatively flexed my wrist. It was a little stiff, but other than that, it was completely healed. There was something off about his magic though. I’d felt the magic of other Moroi before. Draven’s was different. It was . . . more.

Powerful. Chaotic. Wicked.

“Swear it,” I said. “Swear on your soul that you will protect Samara from whatever is coming.”

Alaric started to object, but I held my hand up, cutting him off. I wouldn’t shed any tears if Draven met an untimely end, but I suspected Samara would, and I didn’t want her to be sad, because I felt . . . things about her. I scowled at Draven, and he smiled at me in understanding.

Ugh.

“I’m not a good person,” he said evenly. “There are reasons I am the way I am and I’ve done the things I’ve done, but none of them truly excuse anything.” His eyes, which were still more red than blue, held my own without wavering. “But I promise you with every piece of my broken soul that I onlywant to protect Samara from what is to come. I will do whatever I have to, to protect those I love.”

I glanced at Kieran, who was staring at Draven like he wanted to wrap the dark prince in his arms and whisk him away from everyone. Adrienne had been right earlier. We were a complicated bunch.

“Lake Malov,” I said. Alaric swore behind me, but I ignored him. “There is something important there, and if you care about Samara as much as I think you do, you’ll let her and Vail find it. Keep the wraiths off their backs until then.”

Draven’s lips pursed together but he nodded. “I can do that.”

“I’ll come with you,” Kieran said.

“No.” The prince shook his head sharply. Hurt spread across Kieran’s face, and Draven’s expression softened slightly. “If you’re there, my attention will be split between protecting you and protecting Samara.”

Kieran’s mouth flattened into a hard line, but he didn’t argue.

“This is insane,” Alaric cut in. “We can’t trust him to protect Samara.”

“Is it any crazier than trusting Vail to keep her safe?” Nyx asked softly. “He’s almost killed her twice.”

My head snapped around so quickly, it hurt. “What the fuck are you talking about?”’

They blinked. “You didn’t know? Vail left Samara to be monster food for the kúsu, and things got a little out of hand at the temple.”

“He attacked her,” Alaric growled.

“But he also saved her,” Kieran said. “Both times.”

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