Page 98 of Academy of the Wicked, Year One

I’ve never felt this thirsty in my life, and how drinking this thick flow of blood is the best thing I’ve had in my existence. It’s intoxicating, almost overwhelming, and I drink deeply before realization slams into me like a freight train.

This isn’t Damien.

I pull back abruptly, my vision clearing just enough to see Cassius staring at me. Scratches mark his face and chest, and his expression is unreadable.

“What the fuck happened to your face?” I blurt out, panic rising in my chest. I must look horrifying with blood dripping from my mouth, but I’m so taken aback by the scratches on Cassius’ face that I can’t think about that.

My gaze snaps to Damien, who’s leaning against the wall, scowling.

“And why the fuck were you useless? You could’ve protected his beautiful face!”

Damien’s eyes widen in disbelief before narrowing dangerously.

“His face versusmy life?! Which do you think is more important?!”

“His face, stupid!” I snap back without thinking. “You’re ugly anyway!”

Damien’s jaw drops before he snarls.

“How dare you call someone as worthy of being an incubus as me ugly?!”

“You’re ugly inmyeyes, so go fuck a tree!” I counter, baring my fangs.

“I’d rather fuck a cactus than deal with you, so fuck off!” he roars, his fangs snapping dangerously close to my face.

The exchange escalates into a flurry of claws and hisses, our movements so fast they’re almost imperceptible. The air crackles with tension as our snarls echo through the space, neither of us willing to back down.

“Should we interfere before Gabriel passes out again?” Mortimer asks, his voice calm but weary.

Nikolai crosses his arms, smirking faintly.

“Honestly, I’m kind of entertained. Maybe they’ll both exhaust themselves, and we’ll finally have some peace.”

“Gabriel,” Cassius’s voice cuts through the chaos, quiet but commanding. It stops me in my tracks, my gaze snapping at him.

He’s standing amidst the aftermath of my flames, his presence calm but resolute.

“Are you okay?”

The question disarms me, my rage dissipating as quickly as it had flared. My chest heaves as I take in the scene around me.

Fifty students stand frozen, watching in stunned silence.

And Eternalis…she’s standing off to the side, her arms crossed, observing everything with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

Reality sets in, and I can’t help but groan.

What the fuck did I just get myself into?

“Yes?” The word comes out more as a question than an answer, my voice hoarse and uncertain.

My head swims as I look around, trying to process the chaos left in the trial’s aftermath. The air is heavy with the acrid scent of smoke, blood, and something faintly metallic.

My vision clears, and I take in the scene around me: the shattered remnants of pillars, scorched patches of ground, and the quiet groans of students still standing—barely.

“Is the trial over?” I ask, my gaze shifting to the stunned crowd. No one answers immediately.

Instead, they all turn to Professor Eternalis, their eyes silently pleading for confirmation.

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