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Days turned to weeks in a blurred series of classes, fights, meals, and restless nights. I got no better at magic, but I managed to keep my physical damage during class to a minimum, which was a relief.
The gashes on my back eventually healed into rough, raised scars, and day after day, I felt my body recovering. Rebuilding.
Preparing.
Wolf managed to keep to himself, mostly. Aside from staring at me across the courtyard or the dining hall, he kept his distance. I caught him slipping out of my–our–room every once in a while, but I didn’t ask him any more questions.
Which is why I was absolutelynotlooking for him in the woods, but as I walked out of the castle and into the tree-filled night, I couldn’t help but glance up with every snapped twig or crunched leaf I heard.
No, I wasnotlooking for Wolf.
I had absolutelynotstooped to that level of humiliation.
But when someone approached from behind me, every sense of mine electrified, anticipating him.
Only, it wasn’t him.
Not even fucking close.
“I can’t say I’m surprised.” Ryder’s voice crept through the air. “You are so weak, you cannot even summon an ounce of blood magic.”
I spun to face him.
“Did you follow me out here?”
He stepped forward. “Maybe I did. I’ve been following you for the last few days, actually.” Another step forward.
Fear ignited my senses, telling me to run. Ryder was a predator, and here? Like this? He stalked me like I was prey.
“See anything interesting?” I pulled Venom from my thigh.
Ryder stifled a laugh, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s more about what I don’t see. No blood magic, no natural magic. Hells, can you summon at all? Or are you so weak that you’ll never be able to use magic in The Golden City?”
“You’re awfully concerned about how other people wield magic. Why don’t you focus on yourself for once?”
“Like I said,”—he took another step—“I won’t allow weaklings to make it into The Golden City.”
“The Transcendent will get rid of the weak ones, anyway. It’s not your personal job to sift through the students, Ryder.”
“It is when some of them have angels pulling them through this academy.”
I froze, my grip on Venom tight and ready.
Ryder was only a few feet away now, much too close for comfort. I couldn’t run; he was taller and faster.
I could only fight.
Ryder did not know how much of a killer I really was, how much I had trained for this.
He’d underestimated me for the last time.
“Don’t,” I hissed, tightening my grip on Venom. “You don’t want to do this, Ryder.”
A few more steps and Ryder backed me up against a tree. I was out of options. It was time tofight.
“Why not?” he taunted. “Because your scary little angel will come after me? Well, guess what, rat? He’s nowhere to be seen. He won’t be able to stop me as I squeeze your last breath from your lungs, just like I did to the weak little boy in the dining hall.”
“I don’t need Wolf to protect me,” I seethed.Damn,I hated Ryder. I hated him so much, I wasn’t sure I could control myself anymore.
