Riven clapped his hand on Orin’s shoulder. “We won boss man. Get your panties out of a knot.”
“We won?” I asked cautiously as Orin glared daggers at Riven.
“I would love to knowhow,”Orin said in a clipped tone. The vein on his forehead looked like it was going to burst.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I remember fighting and getting attacked. I must have been unconscious.”
I twirled the end of my silver braid between my fingers, making my eyes go wide with fear. Surely, he wouldn’t expect the unskilled princess to have killed multiple initiates. Lying and acting weak were skills I had mastered long ago.
“See? I told you my skills are unparalleled,” Riven smirked, puffing up his chest with arrogance.
“Riven and Dreya have shown me their Sanctums. So, who wielded water in the maze?” His attention made me squirm. I still didn’t know what Orin’s Sanctum was.Did he know I was lying?
“I don’t have my Sanctum yet,” I muttered, dropping my braid and settling my hands in my lap.
Riven glared at Orin with open hostility despite the amused smirk plastered on his face. “Leave. I need to speak to Lyra alone,” Orin seethed towards him, crossing his arms.
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be alone with you,” Riven shot back, his arrogant smirk taunting.
Orin laughed without humour, standing to loom over Riven. “She has wanted to be alone with meplentyof times. Now leave.”
Riven shoved the chair back with force as he stood, its legs screeching against the stone floor. Riven stood an inch taller than Orin, the two of them stared each other down.
The door swung open, Bohdi storming in with a concerned look on his face.
“What’s going on? The emotions I can feel from down the hall areintense.”
He eyed Riven, whose entire body was rigid as if he was trying to hold himself back.
“You need to calm down. I’m going to help you. Okay?” Bohdi’s voice was calm, slow, laced with the kind of warmth that could settle a raging storm.
But his stance told a different story. His weight was evenly braced, and his muscles were coiled like a predator ready to strike.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” Riven warned, but there was a crack beneath it.
Bohdi ignored him, lashing out quickly and seizing Riven’s face between his hands. His fingers pressed firmly against Riven’s temples, thumbs locking over his strong jaw.
Bohdi’s brows drew together in concentration, strands of honey-blond hair clung to his forehead. Riven’s eyes were wild and my heart ached. He looked how I felt. Hopeless. Caged. Like there was something below the surface begging to break free.
“Let him go.” My voice was louder than usual, demanding in a way I wasn’t used to.
Orin shot me a look of warning that made me writhe with defiance.
Riven’s hands latched onto Bohdi’s wrists with bruising force, his fingers white-knuckled as he pried Bohdi’s hands off. Riven swung his fist. Bohdi’s head snapped to the side with sickening force. Orin moved to grab Riven, but Bohdi raised one hand to stop him, the other clutching his bleeding nose. “Leave him.”
Riven started to leave, pausing at the door and turning to look at me over his shoulder. “Remember what we talked about.”
I wrapped my arms around myself as I watched the door close.
“What in the Hells was that?” Orin asked Bohdi. “That’s the second time your Sanctum has failed.”
Bohdi exhaled, still holding his nose as blood dripped onto his dark grey uniform.
“All I could sense was darkness,” his voice was hoarse and filled with confusion.
“What do you know, Lyra?” Orin directed his attention back to me.
Bohdi hesitated, glancing at me again. Not justatme, butinsideme.
