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There was confused chatter.

“I think it came from the beach,” one student claimed.

I frowned. That didn’t make sense. I watched the small figure on Nyxaris’s back. Florence looked so tiny from this distance. It was hard to tell what was happening to her.

Then more screams.

“Another bolt!”

“She’s hit! The rider is hit.”

Behind me, the girl who had asked if the dragons had left began to sob.

Another flash of metal soared through the sky. This time I saw where it landed. Nyxaris’s body jerked.

Florence fell.

Screams tore through the corridor as we helplessly watched her plummet. Nyxaris was distracted. The black dragon wheeled, searching wildly for the source of the attack. My body was poised for motion, ready to head for the stairs, my blood already flooding with the familiar feeling that came before a shift. If I could reach Florence in the water fast enough, maybe, just maybe …

Another wave of screams from the students by the window. I glanced out to see a red shape surge across the sky. The red dragon swooped downward, plucking Florence’s body from the sea. My heart slammed against my ribs. Who the fuck was that, Blake or Viktor?

A hand touched my upper arm. I spun, fist already cocked.

“Don’t. It’s me.” Lysander grabbed my arm. “Follow me. We need to go.”

I trailed him down the corridor, weaving through the gathered crowd of students. Every student in Bloodwing seemed to have filtered into the window-lined corridor overlooking the sea. Teachers were there, too. I saw a group of librarians standing together, looking pale and frightened. I scanned their faces, but Jia wasn’t among them. I was sure she’d find out what had happened to her daughter soon enough.

“Did you see what happened just now?” I demanded. Lysander ignored me as he moved into the stairwell. “Lysander! Did you hear me? We have to go and help.”

His feet pounded up the stairs. I followed, taking them two at a time. He yanked the door at the top open, and only then did I realize where he was headed—toward the Drakharrow Tower.

“Where are you going? Why there?”

But he wouldn’t stop to explain. Lysander marched down the hall, his long gold coat flaring behind him. Students ran past us, voices raised in fear as they discussed the dragons. Lysander stopped just outside the entrance to the Drakharrow Tower, and that’s when I saw him. Theo Drakharrow stood alone in the hall, hands braced on his knees, breathing hard. Lysander strode up to him. “Tell me where you just came from and what exactly happened down there on the beach.”

Theo blinked. “What? I just came from the infirmary. I brought Visha there.”

“Why?” Lysander’s voice was dangerously low.

“I … She …” Theo cleared his throat. “Dragon fire. She was hit by dragon fire.”

“Which dragon attacked her?” I demanded.

“Blake. I mean, Vorago. That’s why we did all of this. To try to help Blake. To get him back.”

“What exactly did you do?” Lysander asked.

Theo blanched. “We set up on the beach like we’d planned. Nyxaris drew Vorago in. Florence was the lure. We fired at Vorago.” He took a deep breath. “The Inferni was wounded. He took off. Medra went after him, and I came back to the castle with Visha. She’s in rough shape.”

Lysander was studying him closely. “Florence Shen fell to the sea and was taken by a red dragon. Who was that dragon—Blake?”

“What? No, there’s no way that was Blake,” Theo whispered, his face full of terror. “It must have been Viktor.”

Lysander nodded as if Theo had just confirmed something he already knew. “The House Orphos healers have a remarkable salve for dragon fire. I recommend you send for some of it. You may tell them I authorized it.”

“Thank you,” Theo mumbled. “But …”

Lysander was already marching away. I caught up with him. “Stop, Lysander. Tell me what’s going on. Where are we going?”