Page 20

Fur receded. Bones bent and twisted. There should have been gruesome sounds to accompany the horrific sight—sounds of bones snapping, flesh tearing. Because this wasn’t natural. Wasn’t right. It went against everything I knew.

Instead, the animal form simply … unraveled. Became something new. The sleek form of a man. He stood with his back to me, but even from that vantage point, a hot ripple went down my spine. Broad shoulders. Strong arms. A narrow waist. Moonlight shone upon the contours and curves of the man’s body, illuminating it like warm golden marble.

I watched, spellbound, as he moved, silent and sure, towards a snow-covered bush and drew out a small bundle of clothing. He dressed with quick efficiency. Dark trousers, a high-collared shirt. A long cloak that fluttered in the whipping winter wind. All black. I stared, fascinated, unable to look away, my heart pounding.

Finally, he turned. For the first time, I glimpsed his face.

I gasped. Hands flew to my mouth, but it was too late. He’d heard me.

Dark eyes locked onto mine, and in an instant, the expression of peace and calm was gone, replaced by something … not angry but animal. He moved. Launching towards me with a speed beyond any highblood.

I was all alone. Cold, numb. But the door was behind me, just a few steps away. I had less ground to cover, so I might have made it. But I didn’t run. I didn’t scream. I stood exactly where I was, closed my eyes, and waited.

“You’re supposed to run.”

I opened my eyes. Dark eyes stared down at me with an expression I couldn’t pinpoint. Half-thoughtful, half-bored. I knew who he was: Kage Tanaka. Avari House Leader. Blake’s biggest rival. Not that that last one meant anything to me anymore. Kage was also the eldest son of the second-most powerful house in Sangratha. I knew all of this, had always thought I knew him. But as I stared into those dark eyes, I realized I knew nothing. I’d never actually seen Kage Tanaka before in my life.

“It’s kind of a tradition. People run.”

I licked my lips. “Sorry for spoiling the game, but I’m not most people.”

“No, I guess not.” He tilted his head in a way that was still rather wolflike. “You were watching me.”

“I was watching the wolf.”

“You weren’t supposed to see what you saw.” There was anger there, below the surface, a great deal of it. But Kage’s anger was nothing like Viktor’s. It was tightly controlled, and it wasn’t directed at me. If anything, I thought he was angry at himself.

“You weren’t supposed to exist,” I pointed out. “And you picked a stupid place for your little run.” I glanced behind me, but for the first time noticed no windows were on the side of this side of the tower. He must have been used to coming here. He’d taken a risk, but this was the first time he’d paid the price.

“Well.” Kage gave a dry shrug. “Shit happens, I guess.”

He was playing it cool. But I knew the truth. “You should kill me,” I said bluntly. “That would be the smartest move. You have no choice.”

He studied me for a long moment—too long.

“You’re right, I suppose,” he murmured. “It would be the simplest solution.”

“The cleanest,” I agreed. “We’ve had students go missing before. I won’t be the first or the last.” Of course, those had been blight-born. Also, I wasn’t a student anymore. I was a highblood girl, not to mention Viktor’s consort. But I had no doubt Kage could dispose of my body in a way that led suspicion away from him. Throw me in the sea, make it look like an accident.

I still could have run. Could have planned how to fight.

Kage shook his head slowly. “I don’t think so.” I could feel my face fall. It would have been a swift ending. Probably far kinder than the one we’d given that blightborn woman that morning. I should have run then, as fast as my feet would carry me, straight back to the castle door. Back to Viktor to tell him the Avari’s little secret—but I didn’t. I kept standing there, out in the snow with the fucking Avari House Leader, of all people. Pendragon’s House Leader.

If Viktor knew …

Maybe that was why I stayed. Wedged my feet firmly into the snow and didn’t bother turning and trying to make a run for it. A tiny little rebellion.

Kage could have changed his mind at any moment, but he just watched me. The way I’d watched the wolf. He looked different. I couldn’t get past it. Not just because of what I’d seen him do—though, Bloodmaiden, that should have been enough. He radiated a calm confidence. He stood like a man who knew who he was and had no doubts.

This, this was the sort of man who should have been my consort. The sort of man who was everything Viktor wasn’t. The kind of man who didn’t need to use cruelty to get what he wanted, because he was enough without it. Not like most of the highbloods I knew—myself included.

The wind tore past, sending snow flying around us, but I barely felt it anymore. Bloodmaiden, what was happening to me? I was the headmistress. I was Viktor Drakharrow’s consort. I had been claimed by the most powerful highblood in the land. Yet here I stood, trembling in the cold. Making small talk with the enemy. I looked out at the sea. I was the fool standing on the cliff’s edge. And Kage clearly wasn’t going to do me the favor of pushing me off.

“Why are you really out here, Regan?” he asked abruptly. No titles. No formalities. No bullshit.

Maybe I should have chided him, demanded the proper respect. Instead, I took a deep breath, my eyes still on the dark sea. “I needed some air.” I glanced at him. “So are you going to do it?”

“Kill you?” He shook his head. “It’s not my style. Sorry to disappoint you.”