Page 78 of A Kingdom of Wild and Power
‘It can be,’ Mareena replied calmly, ‘if done properly.’
Alina opened her mouth to intervene, then closed it again as Kai hurried over, placing himself squarely beside Dawn. Alina could not stop the snort that escaped her at the sight of it.
‘What’s wrong?’ Kai demanded, his attention fixed solely on Dawn, his stance instinctively protective.
‘We need more blood,’ Alina said.
‘Like hell you do.’
‘Kai, don’t be difficult.’
‘No,’ he snapped. ‘You are not taking any more blood from her.’
Alina folded her arms across her chest, unimpressed. ‘I believe the witch is perfectly capable of speaking for herself.’
‘My name is Dawn,’ the witch replied, her voice sharp enough to draw blood all on its own.
Alina stiffened at the warning threaded through it. Of course Dawn would wield their shared secret like a blade, using blood magic as leverage. Why wouldn’t she? That was what witchesdid. They twisted truths, bent trust, and turned intimacy into power.
‘We are about to enter King Siroc’s domain, where they believe I murdered their princess,’ Alina spat, her eyes blazing with unrestrained fury. ‘Our weapons are useless without her, withoutDawn’sblood.’
‘I said no.’ Kai stepped forward, deliberately placing himself between them and Dawn, his body a shield.
Alina mirrored his movement, closing the distance, one brow arching in cool defiance. ‘We need her blood.’
‘And when will it be enough?’ Kai demanded, his dark eyes burning. ‘When you’ve drained her dry?’
Alina scoffed, rolling her eyes. ‘Don’t be childish, Kai. We are not going to bleed her to death.’
‘Alina—’
‘I think you’re confused,’ she cut in sharply. ‘This isn’t a request. It’s a command.’
‘You do not command us,’ Kai said, his voice hard as stone.
‘Perhaps not,’ Alina replied softly. Then her attention drifted past him, towards the dragons resting behind them. She smiled when she saw the colour drain from his face, understanding dawning at last. ‘But if you want my dragons, you will do as I say.’
Kai’s jaw tightened, words rising to his lips only to die there when Dawn reached out and laid a hand on his arm. The simple gesture struck Alina harder than any blade. She stared at the familiarity of it, at the ease between them.
It was becoming harder by the day not to feel the bitterness clawing at her chest. Harder not to resent everyone for choosing themselves, for never choosing her.
She did not want to hate Kai. And yet she did. Somewhere deep and aching, she hated him for leavingher all those months ago. For not fighting harder. For walking away. For abandoning her just as Dawn had done.
Alina was so tired of being left behind.
So tired of standing alone, of always having to fight by herself.
She was exhausted.
Exhausted by the loneliness.
By the ache of it.
‘Fine,’ Dawn said at last, stepping forward. ‘You may take my blood for your weapons.’
Alina inclined her head once, accepting the words without ceremony. She gestured for Mareena to proceed and turned away, already dismissing the matter from her thoughts. Her attention returned to her dragons, to the subtle shifts of their wings and the low, restless sounds rumbling in their chests.
Then her attention lifted to the mountains.
