Page 60 of Phixmery

“Wow, I thought you were ugly before, but the fates must hate you. No one is going to want you looking like that,” Evera sneers as her eyes rake over my naked form trembling on the floor.

Cresida giggles. “I told you, she enjoyed being chained up and whipped. Father said it was the sign of a good whore. He had plans for her before Ashbluff came and whisked her off to Phixmery. Such a shame.”

“W-what t-the fuck d-do you w-want?” I chatter through my clenched jaw, trying to cover myself with my arms, which is pointless but makes me feel slightly more protected. I don’t have my fire starter on me and I can’t touch my other elements without them getting suspicious and possibly telling Wing One who already knows something they shouldn’t. We’ve all been so careful.

I’ve been through worse. I’ll get through this.

“W-what t-the fuck—” She mocks. “We couldn’t help but stop in and say hello. We just got back from visiting with Talyn and Jesper and figured we would remind you that no matter how hard you try, pretending to be pathetic so you can have one-on-one time with them in training isn’t going to work. You will never have them.”

I scoff. “So am I weak and pathetic or only pretending? Please make up your mind, you’re giving me whiplash. Let me remind you, I’m not interested in them. Also if you don’t mind, I would like to finish my shower and go to bed.” I rise to my feet, pretending that them seeing my body littered in scars doesn’t bother me, and I reach for my towels, wanting something to protect me from their scheming gazes.

As my hand grazes the soft linen, a flame torches them, setting them ablaze and turning them to ash which settles into dark gray goop as it mixes with the water on the floor. My heart thunders, and I blink back the tears that threaten to fall, not because of sadness but because of unrefined rage.

I turn on them, too angry to bother to cover myself, nothing but my necklace and scars to cover my naked flesh. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you honestly so insecure that you lower yourself to petty bullying to someone who has literally donenothingto you?” Panic and rage fight for dominance as my chest heaves with emotion.

They ignore me. “Hey Cres, don’t you think we should take her ear tips as payback?” her sickly sweet voice asks as she pulls out a small iron blade.

Bile builds in the back of my throat. Like hell am I letting them touch me with that.

Cresida charges me, grabbing me by my long, deep mahogany locks and slamming me into the wall. I kick back, clipping her in the knee, hearing her call out in pain before I throw my head back, hearing a sickening crunch as her nose shatters under the weight of my head.

“Hold her still,” I hear Evera snap as Cresida and I grapple.

Not a moment later, water is pouring down my throat. I let go, clawing my throat, my vision starting to blur with the lack of oxygen. Something cold and sharp touches my ear, and it instantly begins to burn. I fight with everything I have, kicking and gurgling as water flows in and out, barely letting me gasp a breath, when the bathroom door slams open and everything comes to a halt.

I roll onto my side, gasping and sputtering, ignoring the burning and warmth dipping down my face.

“What in fates’ name is going on in here?” a deep masculine voice growls.

“Jesper, nothing, just some female bonding time. You can leave, we have everything handled,” Evera says smoothly, her voice measured and calm like she wasn’t just watching me get waterboarded while she tried to slice the tip of my ears off.

“Out,” he snaps

“But—”

“Get the fuck out of here, Evera, before I make you and your squad clean out the gryphon stalls until The Choosing. Or would you rather spend a night in the Keep?” Silence. “Now!”

The scuffling of their boots get further away until I hear a door shut, and I cautiously glance up, hoping he left with them.

His evergreen, mismatched eyes are heated with rage as they run along my naked back. I lay flat on my stomach, refusing to move even though some of my worst scarring is visible. His long auburn hair is wild, like he spent the day flying with the wind raking through it, matching the wildness in his gaze.

“Who the fuck did that to you?” he snaps, his voice becoming so guttural it almost reminds me of Sergeant Driscol’s.

I don’t reply.

“Answer me,” he growls.

“Why? It doesn’t matter who did it. But if you’re going to stick around, can you find me something to cover myself? I’d prefer not to strut around Phixmery in all my glory,” I say dryly, my voice wavering only slightly.

He comes closer, leaning down and picking me off the floor and placing me on my feet. I squeal, pushing him off of me, when his gaze darkens even more as he takes in my frame. I use my arms to cover myself the best I can. At this rate, the entire academy is going to see me. His eyes linger on the massive scars across my stomach, wrists, thighs and ankles before dragging back up to my face. His jaw is clenching so hard that I’m shocked I don’t hear his teeth shattering.

After a moment of intense staring, he pulls off his white tunic and offers it to me, my gaze instantly dropping to the dark tone of his skin and the expansive muscles that cover him, not an inch of soft flesh to be seen. All long hard planes of male.

“Are you done staring?”

“Why? You definitely got to look your fill,” I snap, snatching the shirt out of his hand and holding it to my chest.

He takes a step closer, and I take one back until he has me pressed against the wall. He leans down and his fingers come up to the side of my head. I hiss when he touches the iron cut along my ear. “What are you doing to me, Little Mouse?” he whispers, so low I almost miss it.

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