Page 25 of Cruel Destinies

Niko’s remaining fireballs extinguished, and the smoke disappeared. I shut my textbook slowly as he passed. I could still feel the anger roll off him in thick, hot waves.

“Yes,” he practically spat. “I’m off to pack.” Niko turned and walked down the hall toward his room.

“Hold on.” I jumped upfrom my seat.

Niko turned and looked at me expectantly. Tendrils of black smoke began rising above his nearly bare head.

I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t used to discussing feelings with Niko or Brett. We usually just gave each other a wide berth if one of us needed some space. Issues usually righted themselves after a day or so without over-discussion, like how the girls handled their problems.

But we didn’t have a day or so. If I remembered right, Niko was leaving soon. Like anhoursoon. And it was unknown when I’d see him again. I didn’t want whatever was going on to hang over our heads.

Niko’s scowl deepened. “Look, Tobias, if you’ve got something to say, just say it.”

“It’s messed up that they’re making you leave,” I managed.

He shrugged, then ran a hand over the carved hair alongside his mostly shaved head. I noticed the design was in the shape of a phoenix, and I knew it was probably in honor of a certain girl.

“The timing just sucks.” Niko cleared his throat. “But it’s a great opportunity, so...whatever.”

“Hey, I’m sorry you have to hang out with my father,” I added. “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

“Eh...the general isn’t that bad,” was all he had to say.

The space between us thickened with sudden awkwardness. I didn’t understand how that happened, but I scrambled to remedy it. “Look—”

“Why’d you have to go and do that?” Niko interrupted.

“Go and do—?” I realized a second too late what he was referring to.

“Go and run in front of that vamp bomb-thing!” he shouted. “What thehell,Tobias? I’m not some damsel in distress. I am a very capable dragon—”

I held my hands up in defense of his verbal onslaught. “I know, I—”

“In fact, I’m a better dragon thanyouin some ways!” He turned and hit the wall with his fist hard enough to draw the notice of anyone in the avian wing, but fortunately not hard enough to leave a mark.

He shook his hand rapidly, but I could still see the angry red marks on his knuckles as he muttered a curse under his breath.

I glanced down the hall, waiting for heads to pop out of doors. Either no one was in the wing, or they were but knew who was arguing and were staying in their rooms. Cowards.

“And then you had to go and almost get yourself killed,” Niko said, still angry, but the energy of his anger was gone. “All to save me.”

I respected him enough to remain quiet.

“Do you haveanyidea what it would have done to me if you’d died?” he asked. “That my best friend not only took lead shrapnel for me but died doing it?”

“I couldn’t have lived with myself if I hadn’t stepped in,” I admitted.

“What if the situation had been reversed, huh?” Niko asked. “What if I’d been the one to throw myself in front of a bomb to save you? I would have said the exact same thing.”

“But it wouldn’t—”

“Don’t deny it, Tobias,” he interrupted again. “You would’ve been furious. You would’ve called itstupid and illogical.”

I hated to admit it, so I didn’t, but that sounded a lot like something I’d say.

“What’s in the past has passed,” I said instead. “And no permanent damage was done.” I waved a hand up and down to prove that I was fully healed.

“That’s not entirely true,” Niko said in a low tone, like he didn’t want me to hear.

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