Page 16 of Midnight Reign
We all watch in tense silence as Zaiah closes his eyes, his brow furrowing. The air around him seems to ripple. Orby’s vibrations slow, then stop altogether.
“Well?” Ignatius prompts after a moment.
Zaiah’s eyes snap open with annoyance. “Hang on a sec. It… he is trying to communicate.”
“Communicate what?” I ask, leaning forward.
“Danger,” Zaiah says grimly. “It’s sensing some kind of threat. Something big is coming.”
“Like bigger than what already came?” I ask with more than a little sass.
Zaiah snickers but sobers quickly. “Yeah. I can’t get specifics. It’s more like feelings. Impressions. Whatever’s coming, it’s got Orby seriously spooked.”
“Great,” Corvus mutters. “As if we didn’t have enough to worry about.”
I reach for the flask of human blood, my hands shaking slightly. The events of the day are catching up with me, and the hunger is gnawing at my insides.
I moan slightly as I bring the flask to my lips. The scent of human blood hits me hard, and I have to fight to keep from gulping it all down at once. I take a small sip, and the taste... oh God, the taste. Rich, complex, intoxicating. I feel it spreading through me, filling me with warmth and strength.
“Easy,” Corvus murmurs, his hand on my arm. “Not too fast.”
I nod, forcing myself to lower the flask. It takes every ounce of willpower I possess.
“You okay?” Ignatius asks, watching me with fascination and concern.
I take a moment to assess. The hunger has receded, but not disappeared entirely. My senses feel sharper, more alive. The weakness that was hovering under the surface has dissipated.
“Stronger,” I say finally. “More in control, I think.”
“Good,” Corvus nods. “That’s a start. But we need to work on your control. The bloodlust can be dangerous for you.”
I wince at the memory of my frenzied attack on Zephyr. “Not just for me.”
“It’s not your fault,” Zaiah says gently. “You’re dealing with powers and instincts you’ve never experienced before. It’s going to take time to adjust.”
“But we don’t have time,” I argue, frustration bubbling up. “Not if there’s some big threat coming. I need to get a handle on this now.”
“And you will,” Corvus assures me. “We’ll help you. All of us.”
The bond I feel with each of them seems to pulse stronger, but there’s an ache, an emptiness where Zephyr should be.
“I wish Zephyr was here,” I murmur, voicing the thought before I can stop myself.
“He’ll be back soon,” Ignatius says, “Hopefully with some answers.”
I nod, taking another small sip of blood. “So, what do we do in the meantime?”
“Zaiah needs to keep working with the orb,” Corvus says. “See if you can get any more specific information about this threat.”
Zaiah nods, his white eyes focused intently on Orby.
“Meanwhile,” Corvus continues, “Ignatius, I need you to do some recon around campus. See which members of staff are still here. Blackthorn said all of the senior staff left before the Strix attack… so we are down a few teachers.”
“Left?” I ask in horror. “Or died?”
“I asked the same thing. He said left. Including Ellis.”
“Fuck,” Ignatius says. “That explains why the Order never arrived. They didn’t get the alert.”
