Chapter Thirty-Eight
Marius
Professor Azareon drones on about the Harrowing, and I slouch in my seat, bored. The only thing interesting here is Brigid, but she ’ s staring straight ahead and is pretending not to notice me. But I catch her side glances when she thinks I ’ m not looking.
“ Congratulations to those who survived,” Azareon intones. “ You ’ ve proven yourselves worthy of the academy ’ s legacy.”
I yawn, not bothering to hide it. These fools and their precious academy. If they only knew what was coming. My gaze drifts again to Brigid, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Soon, little bird.
Finally, class is over, signaling the end of this mind-numbing charade. A bunch of banshees shuffle out, their shrill voices grating on my nerves as I wait for Brigid. I ’ m not the only one.
Fucking Laria slithers toward her like a snake moving in on a mouse, two of her friends flanking her. I ’ m not sure who ’ s more pathetic.
“ You know,” Laria says to the girls beside her, “ I heard the only reason the shadow bitch passed the Harrowing is because she spread her legs for the half the Council.” Her cold eyes lock onto Brigid. “ Isn ’ t that right, you pathetic slut? Did you suck their cocks too, or just let them fuck you like the worthless whore you are?”
Laria ’ s cronies snicker, their eyes gleaming with malice. She steps closer, invading Brigid ’ s space. “ Or maybe you just cried and begged until they felt sorry for you. Poor little orphan girl, so desperate to belong somewhere. I bet she got on her knees for Azareon too. It ’ s the only way trash like her could survive.”
Brigid ’ s shoulders tense, but she keeps walking.
“ What ’ s wrong, whore?” Laria calls after her. “ Cat got your tongue? Or is it too sore from sucking cock?”
The vampire ’ s cronies cackle like hyenas.
I lean against the wall, waiting to see how this plays out. Part of me wants to step in, to shut Laria ’ s mouth permanently.I did warn her.
Laria continues, her voice dripping with maliciousness. “ Maybe if you focused less on fucking and more on actual magic, you wouldn ’ t be such a pathetic excuse for a witch. But I guess when you have no real talent, you have to use what little assets you have.”
She reaches out and flicks Brigid ’ s tit. “ Though even those are mediocre at best.”
Brigid ’ s hands clench at her sides. I can practically taste the darkness swirling around her. This should be good.
Laria ’ s mouth opens to continue her vicious verbal attack, but Brigid cuts her off.
“ Laria, I don ’ t need to spread my legs or suck dick to succeed. Unlike you, I have actual power. And integrity. Maybe if you spent less time being a catty cunt, you ’ d actually be good at something.”
The shadows around Brigid grow darker, thrashing with her anger. A smile spreads across my face. That ’ s my girl.
“ So why don ’ t you fuck the hell off, back to whatever cesspool you crawled out of, and leave me alone?”
With a flick of her wrist, Brigid sends a curl of shadow magic snaking around Laria ’ s throat and I watch as it tightens. Laria claws at it but her hands disappear right through it, causing her to scratch at her own throat with her sharp nails, drawing blood.
Laria ’ s struggling now, and I can see her little buddies backing off, not wanting the same thing to happen to them.
Brigid ’ s not letting up and Laria ’ s face is turning an alarming shade of purple. Just when I think Brigid might actually garrote Laria, the shadow around the vamp ’ s neck as thin and deadly as piano wire, she releases her. Laria collapses to the ground.
Brigid crouches down, grabbing a fistful of Laria ’ s hair and yanking her head back. “ Next time you want to run your mouth, remember this. Remember what I could do to you, if I wanted.” Brigid says coldly. She turns on her heel and strides away.
I follow, admiring the way her hips swing as she walks—fuck, she ’ s hot when she ’ s angry—catching up to her just before she gets to the doors leading to the grounds. “ Didn ’ t know you had it in you.”
Brigid ’ s eyes are still wild, her chest heaving. “ Neither did I.”
“ Want to practice it. See what you can really do? I know a place away from prying eyes where we can really let loose.”
Brigid hesitates, but I can see the hunger in her gaze. She wants this—wants to explore her power without judgment. She doesn ’ t want to be anyone ’ s punching bag anymore. I know that feeling well.
“ Okay,” she says finally, glancing around. “ Where?”
I feel a spark of annoyance as I wonder if she ’ s looking for Lochan and those other morons, worried they won ’ t approve of her spending time with me. But I push it away.
Soon it won ’ t matter.