He pulled his thumb back, then shot the finger gun. A shadow bullet formed out of his finger, hurtling toward me with a zipping sound through the air.
It punched through my shoulder before I could react. Shadow magic tore through my flesh until it exited, sending shockwaves ofpain through me.
“Fuck you, Dexter,” I groaned, clutching my shoulder as my blood poured out from between my fingers.
My magic reserves were so full that the tingling of healing felt hot as my flesh sealed back together in a few seconds.
The spider shrunk as it continued to torment people, and I called the illusion back to me as my magic reserves sat half empty and the leaking of my magic finally calmed.
“Thought healing helped you control your leaking issues,” he mumbled like a kicked dog. “I was trying to help.”
“Thanks, then.” I wiped my bloodied hand on my shirt before sucking in more fae drugs. “It worked.”
“Why are you here, Skel?” Bram and Dexter asked simultaneously.
“Dad and Kat figured they might be able to teach me not to leak,” I stated bitterly. It was a half-truth.
My heart twisted in my chest at the real reason.
“How is my little sister Kat?” Dex asked. He and my sister had always had some weird sibling-like bond that I never fucking liked.
Sheshould’vebeen afraid of Dex—not me. But that wasn’t how it turned out.
I glared at him but shrugged.
I wish I knew.
“Is the fear demon representative on the Demon Council still after you?” Bram asked before taking several gulps from the bottle.
“Malice has laid off for now,” I muttered.
He shouldn’t bother me much anymore. Not after what I did. The Demon Council stepped in themselves to deal with the aftermath, after all.
“You both have a sweet kind of negativity radiating off of you.” Dexter tilted his head. “What happened?”
“A soul eater’s on campus,” I spat out.
“She’s a noble,” Bram added bitterly before taking another swig.
“And kind of pretty,” I admitted begrudgingly, bringing my pipe up and inhaling it. Fae drugs filled my veins at a higher rate, and my mind numbed further.
“Oh, really?” Interest danced in his gaze as his lips curled in amusement.
“She’s trouble,” Bram grunted.
“I love trouble.” His shadows slid around his neck, covering his scar perfectly. “I’ll deal with her.”
“Who says she needs to be dealt with?” I blinked.
“She’s a fucking noble. Of course she does,” Bram growled. “Have at it.”
It was so weird having bothof them at this academy with me. I hadn’t expected to like anyone here, but those two and I had been on first-name basis since sophomore year of high school.
I inhaled the scent of dry earth and sun-warmed stone from the breeze and found myself missing the tantalizing caramel I’d smelled earlier from the soul eater.
Maybe throwing her to Dex wouldn’t be so bad.
6
