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Asher was assigned to shadow me for the day, but he didn’t follow me to class. He had other errands to run. And a fight had never broken out in the study hall of Clockwork before.
Pain burned in me from the poison in my bloodstream, and Sy gasped as she took it into her, absorbing the venom as much as she could. I didn’t even have the strength to thank her, as nausea filled my head.
You have my strength! Sy hissed in pain. Take the bitch down!
I growled, my hands turning to claws, partially shifting. But I wouldn’t dare to go for a full transformation. I lashed out, lightning fast, and my blade claws beheaded several snakes at once. Their severed heads rained down around me.
Medea widened her eyes, fury and hatred burning in them. Shocked gasps spread across the hall, and the shouting increased. The crowd hadn’t been so stunned when I was bitten, but they appeared uneasy at seeing my hands turn into blade claws.
Medea shouted, raising her hands to summon more snakes, as if she had an endless supply of them. I stood my ground for the coming snake attack.
“Stop!” a harsh voice boomed from the far entrance of the study hall.
Clockwork rumbled, and the students shrank from the raw power of that voice.
Killian had come.
Then I sensed more powers rippling in the air behind him. The other princes had also arrived. A heartbeat, and they all zoomed to our desk where I still faced off with Medea.
Shit!
They’d seen me get bitten by a mystical snake. And they’d seen my claws as well. But I couldn’t dwell on it while facing a vicious foe who was hellbent on putting me down.
“Medea, cease!” Killian ordered her as he concealed his fear for me, but his pale face betrayed his emotion.
“Stop it, Princess Medea! Barbie needs treatment as soon as possible after your snake bite!” Silas shouted, his amber eyes glowing with rage and worry.
Ever since my kidnapping, the heir of the House of Shifters had made sure my wellbeing was also his business.
Medea tilted her head to the side, a cruel smile tugging up a corner of her lips. She ignored Silas and focused on Killian. “You want me to spare your pet, brother? Will you say please? She has already been bitten by my snake, but she still has one more minute to sink into a coma, a suitable punishment for this low commoner who doesn’t know her place.”
“A weaker supernatural would’ve perished by now at such a bite from Princess Medea’s snake,” Cade said. “Barbie is strong, but she still needs immediate care!”
The other princes had called for the healers, and they were coming. I was touched, even though I knew their former plan of taming me.
“Thank you for your concerns, high sirs, but I’m fine,” I said, trying not to sit down at the dizziness. “I can handle it. I have experience. I got lots of bites from snakes when I was a kid.”
“Medea’s snakes aren’t the ordinary kind,” Louis said, worry in his pale blue eyes.
“Even if Medusa had come herself, her power wouldn’t work on me,” I said, letting the fact that I knew about Medea’s heritage sink in while trying not to wince at the leftover pain. Sy had taken most of the burning agony from the venom into herself. My heart was full of love and gratitude for her. Without Sy, I wouldn’t be standing here today.
“I’m good, sirs!” I had to calm Killian as I watched him fight back his panic at seeing me bitten. I couldn’t let anyone know the depths of how much he truly cared about me. I could tell from the cold, murderous rage in his storm-blue eyes that he was set to kill Medea. One more push and he’d lose it and do it, and the consequences would be dire, even for the heir of the House of Chaos.
I needed to do all I could to protect him back.
“I’m good.” I repeated my lie. “But I need to sit down for a minute, since it’s been a long day.”
Before I could sit down, I spotted Headmistress Ethel pushing to the front of the crowd, her eyes widening in surprise at my resilience before she quickly schooled her expression to her usual stern and haughty look.
“I knew it would be you who made headlines again!” she snapped, carrying the rigid winter wind in her voice.
“Uh?” I darted a nervous look at the headmistress and the sentinels who flanked her. “What headlines, Madam Headmistress Ethel?”
I smiled at her when I didn’t spot that awful druid and his crystal ball.
She didn’t care for my smile and speared me with a disdainful look before turning to Killian. “You can’t interfere, Prince Killian. This is a duel between two bride candidates, though one is lowborn.”
Lowborn? Pucker sneered. He’d returned with Killian. That old crone isn’t worthy to lick the bottom of your butt. If only she knew you’re a goddess!
