Page 49 of Burning Heir

Malachi nudged her. “So, are you and Bridger seeing each other?”

Myla’s gaze lowered to the stone table, then onto me. “No,” she said in a whisper.

Margaret yelped, nicking her finger as she peeled the skin of an apple with her dagger.

Malachi strummed her fingers on the table. “Come on. Please give me something to gush over. I need details. Have you guys kissed? You both left together yesterday? His face when he thought you were dead was… heartbroken.”

Margaret flashed a grin. “Isitcold?” She raised a quick brow. “Summers are too warm for me. I prefer Night males.”

“Who?” Malachi asked. “Tell me it’s Alaric. Antonia stole my dagger in combat, and I’d do anything to get back at her.”

“Jace and I had a moment during combat,” said Margaret. “But… he’s in love with Antonia. I don’t blame him. The cutthroat, hot persona is one way to have men swoon you.”

I couldn’t believe we were talking about this.

I curled my fingers around the edge of the table. “I heard the Winter trails are opening today. Hopefully, those beasts won’t be escaping again.”

Myla dropped her fork with a loud clang. “Hopefully not. But I think we both know what happened.”

Malachi made a face. “I am so glad to be an Autumn. Severyn, you finally have a tan. You were nearly translucent for a few days.”

I shoved the dagger Charles gave me toward Myla. “You can have it back. You won it.” I tried to hide that anger in my eyes, but my voice betrayed me.

Myla didn’t reach for it. “It’s yours. You need it more than me.”

I grinned. “Thanks. Tell Bridger I’ll be late for the Winter trails. I have something I need to do.”

Myla’s cheeks flushed again. “We’re not seeing each other, Sev. I—I know what happened to you. I know what Callum did. Bridger tried to stop him. He’s not the bad guy here. He’s… sweet.”

I wasn’t willing to tell the truth. And perhaps I should have mentioned that his scars were concealed. I was already a failure to my family. I couldn’t afford to lose a friend. And if Myla wanted to further her relationship with him, who was I to stop it?

Malachi raised a golden brow. “Now you two are keeping secrets?”

I shook my head. “I’ll tell you tonight, Mal. Right now, I need all the daggers I can get.”

Malachi didn’t hesitate as she pulled a dagger sheathed to her ribcage and stabbed the end into the table. “Severyn’s going for blood, and I support it!”

I met Callum’s stare as he waited outside the Winter fence. Ice glazed the pit of my stomach. The frosted wind blew his golden hair in every direction. Summer’s warmth tinged my fingers as I neared the humming barrier.

He’d seen me and was probably waiting to tell Bridger I’d broken the rules and stepped into the Summer trails. I didn’t care.

Past the bend, the zip line came into view. I gripped the cold metal handles, the weight of my body pulling against the line as I glided over the crashing waves below. The wind tore at my cloak, and for a fleeting moment, I felt untethered, suspended between earth and sky.

My boots hit the moist ground with a jolt, sinking slightly into the dew-speckled earth. The air was crisp, the scent of dampleaves mingling with the faint metallic tang of my unsheathed daggers. Ahead, the wicked forest loomed, its shadows stretching long and jagged in the morning light.

A low growl rumbled from the bushes, followed by the unmistakable glint of eyes watching from within. My heart quickened, but I forced my legs to move, breaking into a run toward the lake. Vines lashed out from the underbrush, curling around my ankles and calves, their grip tightening with every step. Pain shot through me as they pulled taut, the coarse texture burning against my skin.

The forest was restless today, determined to either keep me away—or trap me within.

I slashed through the thicket, the blade of my dagger cutting cleanly into the tangled foliage. Gritting my teeth, I hauled myself forward toward where I thought the lake might be. Shadows closed in around me, disorienting and dense, until I spun in place, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

Behind me, the bark of a gnarled tree creaked and groaned, twisting unnaturally. Limbs sprouted from its trunk, snapping toward my calf with roots.

Then came the guttural growls. I turned to find three black, sinewy beasts stepping from the bushes, their yellowed eyes glowing like embers in the dim light. Their claws raked through the sand, carving jagged furrows as they crept towards me.

I couldn’t take them all at once—hell, I wasn’t sure I could handle even one.

Veined hearts pumped behind translucent, ashen flesh. Engorged canines dripped as they caught the scent of my sweat and fear.

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