Page 54 of The Bound Blood
Her gaze flicks over Nolan, Raiden, Kael, and Tamsin, and I know they will all stand beside me.
“Well,” Tamsin says, clapping once. “That was the most civil this room’s ever been. Are we done, or is there a ceremonial sword to kiss or something?”
A few council members cough into their sleeves.
I stare at the headmaster for a long beat. “I’ll stay. But I’m not playing nice. And I’m not forgetting.”
“Nor should you,” he replies. “But perhaps, in time, you’ll find something worth staying for.”
My eyes flick sideways. To the boy who flirts like it’s breathing. To the one who paces with worry in his veins. To the one made of shadows and sharp edges who still wrapped his wings around me like I was breakable. To the girl who makes me laugh with her quirkiness.
I already have.
TWENTY-THREE
LINDSAY
Once we leavethe council chambers, we don’t make it far before we start peeling off in different directions.
Kael’s voice is low beside me, pitched just for me to hear. “There’s something I need to handle,” he says, already turning toward the opposite corridor.
My stomach tugs a little, stupidly, at the idea of him walking away. Again. But then he pauses.
“I’ll find you when I’m done.” His eyes meet mine. Steady and intent.
I nod, and maybe it shouldn’t mean so much—but it does. He’s not retreating into the shadows this time. He’s coming back to me.
I’m still trying to process that when we step into the main hall and see a man waiting who looks like an older version of Raiden.
Raiden tenses beside me, jaw locking.
“Son,” his father says with all the warmth of a sword drawn in greeting. “A word.”
Raiden doesn’t argue, but the muscle in his cheek ticks as he glances down at me—like he doesn’t want to leave, like he isn’t sure he should. I give him the tiniest nod, letting him go.
One by one, the group thins.
“I’ll be right back,” Tamsin chirps, already backing away with suspicious brightness in her tone. “Important mischief to check on.”
I narrow my eyes. “Uh-huh.”
She winks and disappears around the corner like a cartoon villain who’s proud of herself.
Which leaves me with Nolan, standing a little stiffly a few feet away. His hand lifts halfway, like he’s going to run it through his hair or maybe offer it to me, before he drops it again and adjusts his glasses instead.
“I, um… I’m glad you’re okay.”
I smile softly. “Thanks.”
His shoulders dip with relief, but he’s not done. “And I mean, Iknowthat’s a loaded statement, because you’ve probably got emotional whiplash and a headache and maybe magical whiplash even, and I don’t even know if that’s a thing, but if it is, you probably have it—and I didn’t get a chance to say it back then but I’m sorry.”
I blink. “For what?”
He rubs the back of his neck, eyes flicking away. “The student protest. The Council. The binding thing. If I hadn’t brought attention to what was happening… maybe they wouldn’t have tried to force it so soon. I didn’t mean to—I was just trying to?—”
“Nolan.”
He freezes.
