Page 81 of Revenant

However, the admission causes Eryx’s facade to crack. He rises to his feet, but even he can’t hide the look of worry now taking over his features. “What do you mean she’s out? As in off campus?”

Koen scoffs. “Don’t act like you care.”

“Had to do something,” Elias voices.

“And you thought sending her out there where the wolves have been on the prowl was the best decision?”

“She’s with Reed and Naomi. She’s safe.” Elias’s words pull a confused look from Eryx and me. I didn’t know Naomi had gone too. I don’t draw attention to it, not wanting to get off track, but they sent her off with the one person we know can’t stand her?

Eryx starts applauding. “Well done. You’ve managed to not only fuck up our chances, but to kill her in the process. If you thought for one moment either of them would do anything to save her, you’re all more pussy whipped than I originally believed.”

“We’re just going around in circles,” Koen says. “We need to come to some sort of understanding. And by we, I mean you, Eryx.”

“And what might that be?”

“It’s simple.” Koen’s steps are lax, as though none of this is getting to him. But the way his fingers twitch at his side, I know he’s fighting the urge to slam Eryx’s face into a rock. “Stay away from her.”

“See, that’s where the understanding part comes in,” Eryx hums. “As long as she’s the only thing my body won’t reject, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“Maybe she’ll agree to more blood draws. One of us will take her blood, with consent, and that’s all you get. No communication from you is necessary,” I offer.

“She’ll never agree to it,” Eryx says definitively.

“I think if the options are you drinking her blood bags or going straight to the source, she’ll choose the former.”

“If you think—”

“Eryx, it’s either you agree or we’ll string you up in your precious room over there.” Elias points to the hidden door where Eryx entered from. “And leave you to dry out, slowly and painfully with nothing but your sketches to stare at.” He looks as though E struck him, clearly expecting that kind of threat from anyone except his brother.

We’re on the verge of dispersing when Naomi appears out of nowhere, frantic, Lacey stumbling in behind her. “Where have you guys been?” she demands, her eyes locking onto Bastian immediately. But something’s off about her, as if she’s hiding something and hoping none of us notice.

“Where’s Alicent?” Elias demands.

“And Reed?” Koen adds, looking between the two witches.

Lacey’s eyes downcast, shame washing over her, but it’s Naomi who inevitably answers. “Reed is a double-crossing douchebag!” she spits, voice shaking. “He led us straight to the wolves—he was working with them! Lace and I barely escaped with our lives!” Her dramatics are over the top, but I don’t miss the way she sidesteps from answering about Alicent’s whereabouts.

“Where. Is. Alicent?” I push through clenched teeth.

Fake tears gather at her lash line, and I find myself questioning what Bas ever saw in her. At this point, ripping her throat out sounds like a perfectly reasonable solution.

“We couldn’t save her. She’s…she’s gone.” Her lip wobbles without the least bit of sincerity.

“What do you mean she’s gone?!” A roar tears out of me as I lunge forward, crowding into her space. No one moves to stop me—and I’m grateful for it.

Lacey takes a step back, but from where I’m standing, she’s just as at fault.

“Reed said they only wanted her. They didn’t care about us.”

“So you just left her to die?” Elias now comes at her full force, ready to sever her head. Naomi’s hands come to her front, pushing the air between them toward Elias, knocking him back farther than any of us expected.

“It was her or us! Self-preservation! It’s not my fault she doesn’t know how to use her powers.”

“That’s why we allowed you to go!” Bastian is on her, wrapping his hand around her neck and pinning her against the nearest wall. “You were supposed to protect her! You—”

“The only person I was concerned about was Lacey, Bastian. We need her, we can still get you guys out of here. You don’t need—”

“Alicent’s everything!” His grip tightens around her throat, and she claws at the connection, but magic or not, she’s no match for us.