Page 154 of Wings of Destruction

She rolls her eyes, and I resist the urge to strangle her.

“When are you going to get it through your head? Blood ties mean nothing unless you want them to. The point of life is to protect the weak and find your tribe, whether they’re your family or something else. I’m giving you the opportunity to fight the people who wronged you.”

Her jaw tenses. “And choose to fight for the man who killed my family, my village? Never.”

“You think I’m here by choice?” The words tear out of me before I can stop them.

“You think any of this—” I gesture around at the opulent room, at the privileges that mark me as Roman Ryson’s heir “—means I agree with what he’s doing?”

Her mouth opens slightly in surprise, but I can’t stop now. The dam has burst, and years of rage come flooding out.

“My father destroyed everything I loved. Burned it down while I watched, too weak to stop him.” The memory singes like acid. “You want to know what the plan is? The only way to stop a monster is to get close enough to drive the blade home.”

The silence that follows is deafening. I’ve said too much, revealed too much, but something in her expression has shifted. The hostility wavers.

“You’re lying,” she whispers, but there’s uncertainty in her voice now.

“Go on,” I push through gritted teeth. “I’m enjoying this. Tell me more about myself. I love a work of fiction.”

I can see her mind whirling, the argument reaching a dead end with neither one of us willing to bend.

I huff in frustration. “Think, Morgan. Learn. Train. Fight.”

Heat blossoms on her cheeks at my derision.

“This place can take you where you want to go, Fury. It can make those dark and depraved dreams in your head come true. And don’t try to lie to me and tell me you fall asleep at night to rainbows and unicorns. I’m not buying it. You dream for blood, and I’m offering you a way to get it.”

My gaze dances over the bruises on her face and the angry split on her lip.

“Paint your claws crimson. Wet your teeth in your enemy’s throat. Just say yes.”

She shakes her head. “You love to listen to the sound of your voice, don’t you?”

I say nothing for the longest time. Only watching her, cataloguing the sharpness in her tone. When I finally laugh, fury and shame war across her features.

“You dream about violence and an outlet for your anger. I’m giving it to you. So why in the Void are you fighting me so hard?”

I can see how the shame of that anger affects her. I recognize the signs—that mighty, suffocating weight that makes it difficult to breathe. I know it well.

Now we’re at an impasse.

“If you can pretend long enough to graduate, then you won’t be as alone as you think,” I add. “I promise you.”

I can see her ego bristling. My gaze stays latched on her face, and I lean forward.

“If you’re not going to listen, then I’m done trying to convince you.” I pause, let my meaning sink in. “You either find your tribe here, find people who feel the way you do, or you die. Only this time? You’ll take me with you. And it’s the price I’ll have to pay.”

I snap off the last word and shove her away from me.

She’s got the blade. She slipped it off me. But she’s stunned, rooted to the floor, watching me stalk toward the door.

I’ve given her just enough truth to poison everything she thought she knew. Now she has to decide what to do with it.

The question is: will she finally understand that we’re on the same side?

Thirty-Two

Morgan