“Yeah. He slipped poison into so many things…” I frowned at Darian, pausing as the puzzle pieces clicked too loud in my skull. “You slipped them into my food and drinks. I thought you were just being nice. Trying to surprise me, but were you trying to drug me? I mean,actuallydrug me?”
He rolled a shoulder like he thought it was cute. “I mean,yeah. You like it, don’t you? I thought if I could find something to knock your pretty ass out, you’d be happy. You always?—”
“Shut up!”I felt my scales scattering over my skin as I fought the shift into my basilisk form. “You actually tried todrugme?”
Phoenix heat rolled over us before I could strike.
What if he had succeeded?
“Youdruggedmy sister?” My brother stormed forward out of nowhere, his green eyes burning with fire. His fist snapped forward and cracked against Darian’s cheekbone.
Darian staggered, clutching his face. “Shelikedit,” he spat, blood shining on his teeth. “She would even let me dowhateverI wanted to her after.”
Disgust curled in my gut at the memories.
“You fucking prick—” Zuko snarled, stepping forward.
Before he could do anything, a blur of black hair and red eyes sped forward.
Dimitri slammed Darian headfirst into the stone steps of the academy, so hard the wards hummed in protest. “Shut your fucking mouth.”
“Good hit, Dimitri.” Zuko moved back to my side, arm sliding around my hip, burnt-sugar scent enveloping me again.
“Do it again, for good measure.” Slater’s chaos simmered over me from where he touched me. Snakey formed and slipped around my neck as he hissed at Darian’s crumpled body.
Koa’s flames licked his knuckles, and his jaw tightened.
Lorian and Eleanor looked anxious, but Raze looked like he hoped Darian would try something again.
Darian coughed, his blood splattering the tiles.
He glared up at me through watery greenish-blue eyes, but he kept his mouth shut.
“Walk,” Dimitri growled, wiping the blood off his fingertips. “We have class.”
Eleanor caught my gaze as we turned our backs on Darian. “Are you okay?” she whispered.
I was pissed, honestly.How had I not realized Darian had been trying to drug me? He did it every time he thought we’d fuck…and knowing that made my skin crawl.
I just thought he was being nice by giving me poison. I didn’t think he was actually trying to poison me.
“I’m okay.” I leaned my head into Zuko as he pressed a kiss to my temple.
He yelped as Tibby lunged for him.
“I know you’re marking her on purpose,” Tibby snarled, chasing Zuko down the hall.
Zuko laughed. “It’s not just venom inside her this time,” he called over his shoulder. “Get used to it,big brother.”
Tobias swore creatively and sped faster.
“Don’t forget me!” Slater pouted, nuzzling his face into my neck. “My scent’s fading from you, venom baby. We can’t have that.”
“No, we can’t.” I giggled.
“Get back here!” Dimitri scolded them. “We have class!”
Professor Jarvins was already perchedat the edge of his desk with a twig between his teeth. His beady black eyes glinted with glee. “You’ve studied deception,” he said without preamble. “Now, you put it to the test.”
