Fast.
Too fast.
Blade.
My body moved before my mind did. I threw myself toward Teren, shoving him hard with both hands.
The blade meant for his spinemissed.
But itdidn’tmiss me.
Pain exploded in my shoulder as the dagger punched clean through flesh, stopping just shy of bone. My cry came out strangled, more from shock than anything else.
Shouts erupted around us.
The man in the Iron Fang uniform yanked back his weapon and bolted—darting through the dispersing crowd before anyone could grab him. He wasfast. Too fast for a trainee.
Zander was the first to reach me, breath ragged as he dropped to one knee beside me, his eyes already scanning the wound.
“What happened?” he demanded.
Teren turned, his face pale but steady. “A man in Iron Fang colors attacked me. But I’ve never seen him before. He wasn’t one of us.”
Zander’s gaze flicked up, jaw clenched. “No. He wasn’t.”
“No offense, Ashe,” Teren muttered, still catching his breath, “but if he was anassassin, why didn’t he finish you off?”
I winced as the blood dripped warm down my arm. “Because he was from the Order. And my father has a blood oath with me.”
Zander’s eyes narrowed.
“Therealquestion,” I added, my breath shallow, “is why he wantsyoudead Teren.”
Teren knelt beside me as the blood slowed, his expression tight, not with fear, but withguilt.
“I’ve been looking into the Fae Sanctuary,” he said under his breath, casting a glance around to make sure no one else heard. “Quietly. Off record.”
I blinked, the pain in my shoulder dulled now by the slow rise of my magic, beginning to stitch the torn muscle back together.
“And?”
“I think I found something.” He leaned in, voice low. “An old spell… or binding maybe. It requires two forces—the Dark Fireandthe Storm.Not just to open the sanctuary… but toactivatewhat’s inside it.”
My heart skipped.
“You think I was targeted because ofthat?” he asked.
I nodded, jaw clenched. “Someone doesn’t want you near the sanctuary. Doesn’t want anyone unlocking what’s hidden there.”
He gave me a strained smile as the healing surged faster. My shoulder still throbbed, but I could feel the wound knitting from the inside out.
“Then wereallydo need that information,” I said. “Because now we know someone is willing to kill to keep it a secret.”
I glanced across the field, where Meri stood helping another cadet. She hadn’t so much as looked in my direction, even after I wasstabbed. The healing restriction was clearly still in place.
No help for Thrall Squad.
Not even now.
