“Good riddance,” Koa muttered.
Dimitri glowered at Hawk’s body, his fists curled at his sides.
Even Eleanor said nothing in his favor.
“He assaulted a training agent.” Tibby shrugged, but his jaw was tight. “He got what was coming to him.”
“Rune Bloodwyne,” Dad’s voice boomed, ignoring Hawk’s death completely. “Take your placement exam.”
“You’ve got this, venom baby,” Slater told me.
“See you soon,” Zuko said smugly, like he knew I’d pass.
“You’re good,” Tibby promised as I walked toward the simulator and disappeared inside, the door slamming shut behind me.
The simulation hummed to life, and icy walls wrapped around me like a cage.
My breath was stolen by a hiss of gas, and I immediately knew what it was. Tourmalyke essence in gas form, just like the other agents in training had gone through.
It slid into my lungs, burned through my veins, and…shredded my immunity to my own venom. It was my first exposure to it.
I hadn’t expected it to stop my ability to control excretion. I could feel venom leaking under my skin, uncontrolled. I didn’t even know what type it was. It could’ve been paralysis, ecstasy, or death. Any of them or all of them at once.
Tourmalyke restraints clamped my wrists before I even registered I was in a chair. Cold crystal bit into my skin, humming with magic. None of the other students had been trapped like this.
My stomach sank.
The first lash of pain tore through me, white-hot, as if my bones were being splintered.
I bit down hard, jaw aching, even as my own venom swam with pain inducers. It was making the pain so much worse.
I couldn’t break.
“Prove loyalty,” a voice whispered in the surrounding darkness.
A physical lash came, splitting my cheek in two as I was struck in the face with a whip. Blood spilled over my suit.
Then, a second.
Gas continued to hiss into the chamber, acrid and sharp, burning down my throat. My lungs spasmed. My fangs cut into my own lip, and my venom poured hot down my chin.
Instead of my immunity working, the venom seared my flesh. Every drop amplified the agony of the whip striking me.
The tourmalyke meant I couldn’t heal.
“Quit now. Save yourself the shame,” the darkness whispered.
I didn’t speak.
A blade kissed my neck, shallow at first, then deeper. Warmth from my blood spilled down my body inside my suit.
I hissed and clamped my teeth tighter.
“Just say it,” the voice crooned. “You’re not meant for this.”
I spat blood and venom onto the floor.
Laughter came sharp and grating.
