“She’s bleeding; it’s everywhere,” an Adept I vaguely recognized cried, rising from the floor with blood staining her hands and dress.
I gasped, still rooted to the spot. What was going on? The rest of the students broke out into a dull panic as shrill voices and hurried footsteps sounded throughout the ballroom.
I moved as if in slow motion, getting only close enough to see who was on the ground. I saw the shimmering golden gown I’d seen when it first came out of the box. Bloodstains on the upper part of the dress had saturated the fabric and were bleeding intothe train. My throat burned as I tried to swallow, and my hands began to shake.
“Bella,” I whispered.
Guilt took hold of me—it closed me within its grasp, suffocating me as the air was expelled from my lungs. There was red from the wound on her neck. She’d been cut. The flow was so intense that it’d be impossible for anyone to survive.
Blake was leaning over her while Roslyn held her face still, cradling her head in her lap.
Caelan stood, his expression of quiet fury as he watched Blake apply pressure to Bella’s wound.
“This is on you, Blake. You need to deal with this quickly, or I will,” Caelan said.
I stared at him, trying to figure out his meaning when a shriek sounded across the room. I looked toward one of the corridors.
I first noticed the long, blonde hair, then the soft, white gown, and then the vibrant red seeping into it. The blood was red like roses, as if her dress was elegantly patterned on one side, as she stood there, her expression calm and soft, one hand resting against the wall.
Then she fell.
“Saryna!” Caelan shouted as he rushed to her, catching her in his arms. Roslyn shifted so Corinya slid into her place, holding Isabella’s head, and ran to help him, searching Saryna’s gown for the wound.
I couldn’t breathe as I watched.
Malakai.
I turned and searched for his smirking face, my fingers itching to curve around his throat. The chaos was increasing as a chatter of panic set in. Some were scared and running off, while others were searching for first aid, but most watched in horror as the Aurkai worked to stop the bleeding of both victims.
I found Malakai alone, towards the back of the room, watching from afar.
He didn’t look confused or concerned; he didn’t look surprised.
When he caught my gaze, he flashed a near imperceptible smirk that set my rage on fire. I started toward him, but a firm hand on my arm stopped me.
I snapped my neck to see Blake, my eyes burning as I tried to jerk my arm away.
“Let me deal with him,” he said firmly.
Blood coated my arm from his hand, and I looked at Bella. Professors were dispersing through the crowd and sending everyone to their dormitories. One kneeled at her side and Bella sat up, her hand touching her neck. She was awake, her face soft and her eyelids low. She looked confused and unwell, but hardly in the condition she had been in before.
“They stopped the bleeding,” Blake said. “She’ll be okay.”
I stared at her, the amount of blood on the dress, and the floor. It didn’t make any sense. No one would be okay after losing that much blood. Someone moved to my side and I found Roslyn watching me with concern.
“Saryna will be okay, too,” Roslyn said. “Caelan is taking her to the hospital wing.”
I looked to where Malakai had been, but he was gone.
“It was Malakai,” I breathed. “I know it was him.”
Roslyn and Blake exchanged a concerned glance, and Blake touched my chin, drawing my attention to him.
“I’ll handle this,” he said. “Stay with Roslyn.”
I wouldn’t get away from them to find him myself so I gave a sharp nod.
Roslyn hooked her arm in mine and guided me up the grand staircase. Once we reached the top, I glanced down, but Blake was gone.
