Page 72 of The Ordeals
‘You don’t need to … help me …’
‘Shut up,’ he says fiercely. ‘Just for once,let mebloody help you. You’ve just been strangled and fucking bitten. I get a pass. Even if you weren’t my partner,I still get a damn pass.’
I laugh and wince, curling inwards as my throat begins to burn. ‘Is she … dead?’
‘As a doornail,’ Knox says and I open my eyes, searching for proof. The monster is decomposing, skin turning to dust, skeleton shrinking—
And yet she opens her eyes, those watery blue eyes and fixes them on me. ‘This isn’t over, my dear.’
Then she shrivels into nothing.
I blink, her final words ringing in my ears, and become aware of the chamber around us. Screaming. A bottleneck of people, rushing past us for the doors to the courtyard, splintered glass glittering everywhere and the blood … pooling around that vicious monster, on Knox, onme—
‘I’m going to—’ I manage before I turn to the side and heave. That smell, the blood, the feel of its teeth clamped around my throat, everything …
Cool hands brace my forehead as I retch, tears stinging my eyes. I heave again then when the nausea finally subsides, sit back and find the chamber strangely quiet. The string quartet in Keeper’s Hall has gone, the hopefuls and scholars scattered. Leaving only me, Knox, Alden … and a pile of dust that was once the flesh and blood of the cold one. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, staring blearily at Alden and realise I’m shaking. The rush of near death, the freezing winter air crawling over us from outside … I can’t stop. ‘Did you pass the Ordeal?’ I croak.
He looks at me, then at Knox. ‘You’ve just been attacked by a vampire that wanted to kill you and drain you, and you want to know if I passed the Ordeal?’
‘They both passed,’ Professor Grant says, flanked by Professor Silver, Lewellyn and Hess. ‘You all passed and the Ordeal is over.’
Lewellyn’s fingers flutter to her mouth as she stares at me with unbridled fear. ‘Thank goodness. You’re alive.’
Then Hess puts an arm around her, and is about to lead her gently away, when Grant says, ‘Wait.’ Clearing her throat, she continues, ‘I hope I don’t need to explain how important it is that the truth of this incident remains between us. The hopefuls believe it was merely part of the Ordeal. A masquier, some enthusiastic theatrics …’
Alden frowns down at me but nods slowly. ‘Of course, professor.’
‘Good. Because if a creature such as this were to destabilise the integrity of Killmarth again …’
Again?
‘It was part of the Ordeal,’ Knox says quietly. ‘We understand, professor.’
‘Excellent,’ she says, perfectly composed. ‘We cannot allow mass panic to destroy our efforts here. Wemustprevail.’
Alden takes me back to my room at Hope, Knox supplying bandages, which Alden carefully applies, using his magic to help me heal. I just have enough energy left to make sure Tessa and Greg passed as well, that everyone is safe, before I lock my door and darkness claims me. I sleep for the whole of the following day, only waking when the pounding at my bedroom door doesn’t stop. It calls to me from the siren lull of slumber, ripping me awake andlanding me very firmly in reality. A cold bedroom, a slash of scarlet silk draped across the floor and my throat, aching and sore from where that vile monster gripped it and squeezed …
Before sinking its teeth into me.
‘Sophia, so help me if you don’t open up, I’ll break this door down.’
‘Coming,’ I croak, dragging my tired body from the warmth of my bed. ‘Stop banging.’
I unlock the door and Tessa instantly bustles in with Greg on her heels. She places her hands on either side of my face, concern marking her features as she turns my head left and right. ‘Already bruising. That’s a good sign.’
‘You—’
‘Don’t try and talk!’ she says, moving her fingers to my lips as concern gives way to worry. ‘You’ll damage your voice. Alden’s created a brew for you. Grant and Caroline Ivey said we couldn’t risk taking you to medical and you being seen like this. And yes, before you ask, Alden and Knox told me about the monster last night after I basically threatened to set werewolf Greg on them on the next full moon. Theonlyreason I didn’t break your door down last night was because he told me he’d bandaged you up.’
‘She can be quite persuasive,’ Greg says with a shrug. ‘Apparently with fangs, I’m decently threatening. I swear Knox blanched.’
I laugh then grimace as the pressure on my throat feels like tiny stabbing needles.
‘Ah, yes it’s going to be pretty painful,’ she says, motioning Greg forward. ‘But we have tea and beef broth. You can take the brew on a full stomach.’
Greg carries a tray to my desk as Tessa ushers me back into bed. ‘Don’t bother going to Gantry today; we’ll bring you food. And before you ask, no, the professors are being very tight-lipped andclaiming the attack was all part of the Ordeal, and yes, the number of hopefuls has been whittled down.’
‘We’re down to twenty-nine of us,’ Greg says, bringing me a cup of tea. ‘I’ve put honey in it. Sorry if it’s a bit sweet.’
