Carl told us to hold back. Three other guards approached, talking urgently amongst themselves, and Carl went to join them. Before I could follow, Aric moved to block my path.
“I can’t believe you had the nerve to show your face here,” he said. “You nearly destroyed the place.”
“Want to see what else I can do?” I folded my arms with my hand resting over my dagger. Judging by the way Carl had spoken to him, he was clearly on shaky ground already.
“Keep your empty threats to yourself, magic-wielder,” he said. “You’re almost as bad as Walker. Trouble-making arrogant bastard.”
“You’re kidding me. Pot calling the kettle black, much?”
“Very funny.” He took a step towards me, like he was trying to intimidate me. Okay, so he was three times my size and basically a wall of muscle, but size and strength didn’t mean anything when you knew what you were doing. And I’d learned from the best–a five-foot-two woman with a killer right hook.
His fist flew, and I caught his arm before it reached my throat, twisting. Hard. As his other hand curled into a fist, I brought my knee up, and slammed it into his groin. He let out a yell, doubling over. Even through the protective uniform, that had to hurt like a bitch.
“Fuck you,” he spat through clenched teeth. “You really are a psycho. Just like Walker.”
Despite myself, my grip faltered, and he wrenched his arm free.
“You’re off your head,” I said. “You’re the one who threatened me. And Kay isn’t a psycho.”
“You think you know him, do you?” said Aric, breathing heavily. “You know what happened at the Academy? That bastard tried to kill me.” He straightened up, face still twisted in pain.
“I–what?” Don’t listen to him. I glanced at Carl, but he wasn’t looking in our direction.
“It’s true. He used magic, and almost killed me. All because I found out he’s a criminal and a raging psychopath. And he got away with it because of the Walker family’s reputation.”
I took a step back, then another. No way. Kay might have killed people, but he wasn’t a psychopath. There had to be more to this story.
“A criminal?” I repeated, clenching my fists so he couldn’t see my hands shaking.
“Hell, yeah. He’s like a serial arsonist or something. He’d have been in jail if the Academy hadn’t found out and wiped his record clean because he’s a Walker. Moment he stepped in the door I knew there was something off about him. He was too perfect. Top of the class in everything, and everyone worshiped the ground he walked on. It made me sick.”
Some of the tension eased out of me. “Jealousy is an ugly thing,” I said. “I reckon you’re lying.”
“Believe whatever you want. He’s a criminal and he tried to kill me. He’ll tell you himself, if you ask. Everyone in our class knew. Only reason they still talked to him was ’cause the asshole ran into a wyvern right after.”
I took another step back from him, wobbling like I stood on the edge of a bottomless pit.
He must be lying. Or mistaken. But Kay had almost been killed by a wyvern. I knew that already…
The clamour of voices rose, like someone had turned off the mute button on the world. And Carl beckoned us over, urgency etched on his face.
“There’s been an incident in the Passages,” he said. “We had to intercept several dreyverns trying to get through a door–some trouble on Valeria again. We think it’s taken care of, but some of the guards are still back there making sure there aren’t any more of them.”
“I can deal with goblins.” Aric straightened upright, glaring daggers at me. “Why the hell aren’t we going, then?”
“There’s a complication,” said Carl. “Seems some got hold of a dangerous magical substance and turned themselves invisible.”
Hell. Bloodrock. It had to be. A shiver went through my whole body.
“We should head for the Passages anyway. The more of us, the better. We need to make sure they
“I can’t believe you had the nerve to show your face here,” he said. “You nearly destroyed the place.”
“Want to see what else I can do?” I folded my arms with my hand resting over my dagger. Judging by the way Carl had spoken to him, he was clearly on shaky ground already.
“Keep your empty threats to yourself, magic-wielder,” he said. “You’re almost as bad as Walker. Trouble-making arrogant bastard.”
“You’re kidding me. Pot calling the kettle black, much?”
“Very funny.” He took a step towards me, like he was trying to intimidate me. Okay, so he was three times my size and basically a wall of muscle, but size and strength didn’t mean anything when you knew what you were doing. And I’d learned from the best–a five-foot-two woman with a killer right hook.
His fist flew, and I caught his arm before it reached my throat, twisting. Hard. As his other hand curled into a fist, I brought my knee up, and slammed it into his groin. He let out a yell, doubling over. Even through the protective uniform, that had to hurt like a bitch.
“Fuck you,” he spat through clenched teeth. “You really are a psycho. Just like Walker.”
Despite myself, my grip faltered, and he wrenched his arm free.
“You’re off your head,” I said. “You’re the one who threatened me. And Kay isn’t a psycho.”
“You think you know him, do you?” said Aric, breathing heavily. “You know what happened at the Academy? That bastard tried to kill me.” He straightened up, face still twisted in pain.
“I–what?” Don’t listen to him. I glanced at Carl, but he wasn’t looking in our direction.
“It’s true. He used magic, and almost killed me. All because I found out he’s a criminal and a raging psychopath. And he got away with it because of the Walker family’s reputation.”
I took a step back, then another. No way. Kay might have killed people, but he wasn’t a psychopath. There had to be more to this story.
“A criminal?” I repeated, clenching my fists so he couldn’t see my hands shaking.
“Hell, yeah. He’s like a serial arsonist or something. He’d have been in jail if the Academy hadn’t found out and wiped his record clean because he’s a Walker. Moment he stepped in the door I knew there was something off about him. He was too perfect. Top of the class in everything, and everyone worshiped the ground he walked on. It made me sick.”
Some of the tension eased out of me. “Jealousy is an ugly thing,” I said. “I reckon you’re lying.”
“Believe whatever you want. He’s a criminal and he tried to kill me. He’ll tell you himself, if you ask. Everyone in our class knew. Only reason they still talked to him was ’cause the asshole ran into a wyvern right after.”
I took another step back from him, wobbling like I stood on the edge of a bottomless pit.
He must be lying. Or mistaken. But Kay had almost been killed by a wyvern. I knew that already…
The clamour of voices rose, like someone had turned off the mute button on the world. And Carl beckoned us over, urgency etched on his face.
“There’s been an incident in the Passages,” he said. “We had to intercept several dreyverns trying to get through a door–some trouble on Valeria again. We think it’s taken care of, but some of the guards are still back there making sure there aren’t any more of them.”
“I can deal with goblins.” Aric straightened upright, glaring daggers at me. “Why the hell aren’t we going, then?”
“There’s a complication,” said Carl. “Seems some got hold of a dangerous magical substance and turned themselves invisible.”
Hell. Bloodrock. It had to be. A shiver went through my whole body.
“We should head for the Passages anyway. The more of us, the better. We need to make sure they
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