Page 20 of We Hunt the Night

“That bitch hurt you?” he asks. He asks it like he is going to set the world on fire depending on my answer. His eyes are fully silver.

I pat his cheek. “Yes, and I think it was character building. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t live through that. It’s okay, I’m free now and I still laugh. I still make jokes sometimes.”

He leans down, looking into my eyes. “You’re mine now.” I shiver. “And it’s not character building, it’s abuse. She will never lay a finger on you again. No one will.”

“Why can’t Black touch people, and did you really kill your family? Why is Vale mean? Why is Maz always joking?” I blurt out. “Also, why are all dragon shifters built like gods or Greek statues? You have muscles on muscles, a pretty face, and dimples! It’s not fair.”

He sighs. “You’re clearly not feeling well.”

“Oh my god!” I hear Rue running over. “What happened to her?”

“Aster beat her up and I’m taking her to the healers,” Kane answers. “She isn’t speaking sense.”

“A dominance thing?” Rue asks, and I feel her touch my arm. “Shithead.”

Kane’s voice is deep, dark, and scary. “He touched what’s mine and will be dealt with.”

“I’ll teach him a lesson too,” Rue snaps. “And if we are being frank, you all need to care for your bonded more than this. If she knew how to defend herself, she might not be in this situation. Do you honestly want her to die, painfully?”

“No one asked your opinion, witch,” Kane grumbles.

“You don’t have to be mean to me, you know.” I yawn. “I just wanted to be friends with my bonded, to have someone who wanted me. No one really cares about me and I’m alone.”

“That’s a lie,” Kane whispers low, and I swear his lips brush my forehead before I pass out. When I wake up, which feels like a second later, I’m in a healer’s ward, and Rue’s with me. None of my bonded are here, and I feel fine.

“Yeah, you took one hell of a beating.” Rue looks up from the book she was reading. “You definitely had a concussion. I won’t tell you about some of the things you said, because I don’t know if you’ll take it very well.” There is a man in here by the door, someone that looks a little like Aster. Rue looks behind her. “Oster, my bonded.”

I nod in greeting. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m sorry about what happened. Aster has been punished by your bonded, and I’d appreciate if you told them enough now,” he asks.

“They don’t listen to me,” I admit and look at Rue. “Wait, did Kane come with me?”

She winces. “Yes, and it was a little embarrassing. Don’t worry about it. There is a party in a few hours. Do you want to come?”

“I’ve never been to a party,” I tell her, even though she knows this. I can feel one of my bonded coming closer.

“Neither had I until here.” She hands me a note. “Say the words, and the academy is spelled to open a door for you.”

I just finish tucking it into my pocket when Black walks in, followed by a tutor. I think he teaches the higher years. His hair is peppered gray and his skin is dark, matching his suit. “Juniper Daygan, the Umbral Authority are with the headmaster and wish to speak to you.”

“And I’m coming with you,” Black cuts in as fear coils in my stomach. I have to meet the leaders of the witch world and explain the big fucking mess I’ve gotten myself into.

Chapter 13

I’m glad Black is with me, but the rapid drumbeat in my chest goes on and on. Black is silent; the only noise is him flexing his gloved hand occasionally. Whatever the healers did, it worked. I feel completely fine. Black pulls a small book out of his cloak and begins to read it. I peek over his shoulder, seeing a painting of the enchantress on one side and writing on the other. The enchantress is drawn as a monster of a woman, her hair like snakes and a face covered in cracks, yet she is still pretty under it all. Fire dances around her feet in obsidian flames. I’m feeling way too dizzy and slightly terrified to be sitting here, outside the headmaster’s room while we wait, so reading over Black’s shoulder is actually refreshing. He looks at me—like I’m odd.

“What? I don’t have a book with me,” I tell him.

“It’s not that,” he mutters. “You’re close to me. People don’t get close…just in case.”

My heart hurts for him. “I’m not scared.” I am, but he is my bonded and I get what it is like to be the outcast. I grew up like that and hated it. I was never hugged by Melody and rarely by Rue or our maid or my bestie. I wasn’t touched by anyone until Lock came along. Kind of makes sense to me why I fell for his tricks.

“You should be.” He moves away a bit, but he lowers the book to his knee so I can easily read it. The book only describes what most people already know, how the enchantress began her attack in Europe one random night and didn’t stop. America, or what was left of it, was protected by the witches. It’s all we have left now. The enchantress has the rest of the world now. The countries’ names have been forgotten, and the Mindless roam free.

Eventually the headmaster comes out, leaving the door wide open, and he pauses when he sees Black. “This invite is only for witches.” So much disdain leaks from his tone. Not an inch of respect to be found.

“I’m not going in without him. I feel like I need support in there.” I lift my chin. “Black is my bonded. We are taught to stay together.”

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