Page 38 of Taste of Thorns
The dragon snorts then spreads his wings and flaps away into the darkness.
“Blaze, you come back here right now! I haven’t finished talking to you,” she calls after him. “Blaze!”
But the dragon is long gone and obviously has no intentions of returning.
“I don’t know why he did that,” she says in frustration.
I brush more ash from my shoulders and my legs. “My kind aren’t exactly popular with animals. I gather they can sense there is something unnatural about us.”
“He still shouldn’t have done that.”
“But you stopped him.”
She shakes her head. “He doesn’t listen to me anymore.”
“That flash of light. That was you?”
Her mouth falls open at the realization and she stares down at her hands. “Shit, you’re right. I did it again! But I don’t … I don’t …”
“When you’re in danger–”
“Iwasn’t in danger.”
“Then, maybe when,” I swallow hard, a lump suddenly forming in my throat, “when someone you care about is in danger.” I don’t know if she hears me, she’s too busy staring down at her hands. “This is good,” I say, nodding, “now we understand what triggers it, we can work on you learning to summon it whenever you please.”
And that’s crucial. If someone is trying to hurt Briony – whoever that may be – she needs to be able to defend herself.
Chapter Eleven
Briony
I wake up the next morning to a loud fist hammering on my door.
I roll over, pull the one pillow over my head and groan. I didn’t climb back into my own bed until the early hours of the morning and after everything that’s happened over the last few days, I’m utterly exhausted.
“Briony, are you in there?” Fly calls out, hammering all over again.
I groan in way of answer and the door flies open. He takes a look at me from the doorway, then comes marching over and yanks back my cover. Immediately, I’m assaulted by freezing cold air.
“Urgh,” I moan, “you are so mean.”
“Cruel to be kind, Cupcake. Didn’t you hear the morning bell?”
I lift my pillow and peek at him. “No.”
“Hmmm,” he says and wags his finger at me. “This is what happens when you get too much of a good thing. You get sloppy.Now you have approximately five minutes to get ready if you want to grab some breakfast before class starts. And you know who is up first?”
“Professor Cornelius?” I ask hopefully.
“Nope, the Madame.”
I let the pillow flop back down onto my face and groan even more loudly. I wasn’t expecting to face her again so soon.
Fly tuts. “I’d feel sorry for you, but knowing you’ve probably spent the entirety of your evening being ravished by several hot men, my sympathy is limited.”
This time, I throw my pillow directly at his head.
“I did not spend my entire night … you know.”
