My brow furrowed, but I didn’t hesitate to bite into it. “Why?”
A male voice came from behind me. “You should just saythank you, ribbon girl.” The sudden, crushing embrace caught me off guard, the scent of pine and earth wrapping around me.
Quinn.
I sank into him. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him until now, staying in our embrace a few seconds.
Then I stepped back, incredulous. “What are you doing here?!”
His eyes glimmered in that familiar way. Warmth. Affection. No judgment. It was a relief after a day of stares measuring my worth in magic and power.
“The Culling,” he said. “They’ve allowed us to volunteer.” His voice dropped lower as he stepped closer to me with his predator’s grace. “It’s our one shot to reclaim our dominion. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To fight for the Azures. From the back of the tygress queen.” He winked.
I hesitated, the truth sitting like a stone in my throat.
My hatred of the king had only grown—but I had Bonded with one of his tygers. Would fight under his banner. Whose side was I on? What was I doing?
“Not exactly.” Before he could question me further, I asked, “So you’ll be training with us?”
“No, they’ve got us in another section.” Calla grimaced.
Quinn, in contrast, smirked. “They say we spook the tygers. Lucky your magic is so weak you don’t even warrant a snarl,” he teased.
I gave a rueful laugh before a rumble started in my head.
Where are you?I asked telepathically. I missed my tygress.
Flame didn’t respond, just another growl.
“You okay?” Quinn asked, stepping back. Then he tilted his head to Calla, dropping a quiet “I’m Quinn.”
Calla smirked. “Calla—we sparred earlier.”
Their conversation drifted from me as I spotted Blake Axefire walking purposefully toward me.
“Azures,” he said, “see yourselves out of our pen before the tygers arrive.”
Quinn and Calla turned—though Calla made a little mocking gesture behind his back that made me smile, and Quinn winked at me again.
“See you at dinner, Rubi,” he tossed over his shoulder.
I moved to follow them. Blake’s hand wrapped around my arm, snapping me back toward his side.
“Where are you going?”
“I’mAzure,” I reminded him. “You said we should see ourselves out.”
“Don’t act stupid,” he said, gesturing at my clothes, tygers embroidered everywhere.
I started to retort, “Just because—”
“One last run with your tygers,” he announced over me, garnering the attention of the tired group. “You can thank Morningtail. Perhaps she will be on time tomorrow.”
20
The divide was crystal clear, I realized as I stepped into the dining halls.
It was just like the tavern with Silvers to one side and Azures to the other.
