“I can't stand this,” I muttered, slamming the bottle down so hard it cracked. “Why didn’t she tell us?”
Skel didn't respond, his eyes glazed over, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands clenched and unclenched as if he was about to go fight someone.
I stood abruptly, raking a hand through my hair. “I'll create a damn storm of chaos if that's what it takes to find who did this. No one hurts her that badly and gets away with it.”
The tattoos on my skin pulsed with my anger, the animals seemingly ready to leap from my body and join in my search.
“Good,” Skel mumbled in a fucking trance. “She hates us, but…I don’t want to see her like that ever again.”
With a snap of my fingers, Chaos materialized beside me, his eyes glowing with the same fury that consumed me. He was a manifestation of my power, a creature born of chaos and anger, ready to obey my every command.
“Find them,” I hissed. “Find the ones who did that to her.”
The wolf vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind only the faintest trace of ink on my skin.
I grabbed the bottle again, taking a few gulps that did little to quench the anxiety inside me.
I didn’t know why I even cared, but I’d burn the academy to ashes to find out who hurt her if I had to.
45
REED
As I ran from the room, the world around me seemed to slow down, my bare feet slapping against the stone echoing against the silent corridors of Bound Dormitory. My heart pounded, resonating with an urgency that dwarfed even the wildest nightmares I could think of conjuring.
All I could think about was Pandora—my dream girl, with her strength and her smile, who had completely stolen my heart.
My eyes blurred as I pushed the doors open and ran across the sandy campus to Sunstone Revive.
I woke up hearing Hemlock, Grimshaw, and Shadowheart talking about Pandora being hurt, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw when I found her.
She was crumpled on the large gemstone that thrummed with magic, blood staining her clothes and skin, pooling all around her. A visceral pain clenched my heart and twisted at the sight.
I ran over and dropped to my knees beside her, my hands trembling with a mixture of anger and heartbreak at what happened.
“Pandora,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Let me help you. Please, feed from me. You need to heal faster.”
Her red eyes fluttered open and met mine. “I can't, Reed,” she breathed out, her voice hoarse. “I might hurt you.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, unbidden and hot. I couldn't bear the thought of her in pain, of her so…vulnerable. “Are you healed?”
She nodded. “As healed as the sunstone can do.”
I wrapped my arms around her and gently lifted her. “Come on.”
“Don’t take me to my dorm,” she whispered quickly, wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my neck. “Take me to Hunter’s office.”
“Darkmore?”
She nodded.
“Okay.”
With every step toward Darkmore’s office, my resolve hardened. I would protect her, no matterthe cost. I didn’t know how this happened, but I knew I couldn’t let it happen again.
I didn’t bother knocking since his door was cracked open, I just kicked it all the way ajar and walked in.
His gaze lifted, and he went completely immobile as he comprehended the situation.
