“Four men were circling them both, trying to get their hands on them. If I hadn’t come when I did—”
“Thank you.” I placed a hand on Kian’s shoulder and stepped beside him. “You always come when I need you, and I appreciate that. But Damien, Trixie didn’t do anything wrong. We both went to the market because we didn’t fathom something like that would happen.”
“I’ve sliced into so many people for you, little bird.” He reached out and grabbed my chin with a firm grip. “Do you know how many contracts Thorn has made to protect you since coming here?”
My heart constricted. “What?”
“Do you have any idea the things some of the scum in this damn academy have said about you? What they want to do to you? Some want to touch you,violateyou. Others want tohurtyou—physically and emotionally. I’ve heard far too many rumors about you.” His shadows whipped around wildly.
Damien was mostly shadows at this point, and he let out another deadly growl. “I’d never letanyonetouch you, but you can’t be walking right into their hands.” His gaze darted to my lips before he released my chin and faded out of the room.
All the energy I had left me, and I collapsed. Kian used his magic to help ease me to the ground, and I spun toward Trixie with guilt gnawing at my gut.
Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her eyes were puffy. The blood was dried on her face. Another sob wrenched from her throat, and I launched myself toward her, wrapping my arms around her.
“I’m sorry, Wren,” she cried. “I’m the worst best friend ever.”
“No!” I shook my head as tears started to coat my eyelashes, blurring my vision. “I’m the bad friend. That guy was right... I’m weak. I couldn’t do anything.”
“Don’t say that!” She jerked back, holding my shoulders. “You jumped in front of me when that guy tried to grab me.”
Our mushroom necklaces glowed brightly, floating into each other as if they were magnetic.
“See?” She sniffled. “Even my magic agrees. These necklaces glow when our friendship is tested and the friendship prevails. Witches hold friendships sacred. You’re a good friend. And you arenotweak.”
My chest swelled before shrinking as my insecurities reared an ugly head. “I don’t even have another power aside from my shifter abilities.”
Kian dropped down next to us and put a trembling hand on my back. “Wren, you’re not weak. And your power just hasn’t developed yet.”
I shrugged before staring back at Trixie. “I’m sorry about everything.”
“No, I’m sorry.” Her bottom lip trembled before she pulled me into another hug. “I could’ve destroyed those assholes, but I didn’t want to leave you open for any attacks.”
“You left yourself open for me.” I squeezed her tight.
“It’s what friends do.” She winked before snapping her fingers and cleaning the blood off both of us.
TWENTY-THREE
Damien
Fadingbackintotheshadows and leaving my distressed little bird wasn’t something I wanted to do, but those fuckers who tried to hurt her were going to die by my hands and they were going to die now.
When I reached the spot where they had surrounded the girls, my gut clenched.
Something had gotten to those fuckers first, and from what I could tell, they barely suffered. It must’ve been a quick death, and that pissed me off more than anything. Once I found out who got to them first, I’d kill them for it.
Blood soaked the road. Flesh and crushed bones were scattered all around. Organs were mush, almost liquified. The entire road was a gruesome mess that I didn’t create.
Raising my head to the sky, a roar ripped from my chest before my shadows exploded around me.
I jumped through the shadows all the way to the headmaster’s office and stepped out of them in my demon form.
The headmaster, Rowan, was sitting at his desk, looming over some fucking paperwork in his suit and tie.
He lifted his eyes to mine and arched a brow.
“The road between the academy and the marketplace had an interesting death of four students. Something squashed them,” I told him through clenched teeth, and he stood up.
