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As if on cue, light blared around his pupils again and flashed as he locked his gaze on me.

“Something like that.”

I considered his words. “What type of magic do angels have access to, anyway? I never see you practicing natural magic or blood magic with the others. I know your magic can heal. What else?”

He shrugged with one shoulder. “I don’t need to practice the way the rest of you do. I’ve been wielding magic for most of my life. Healing is one of the many gifts I have, but like anyone else here, there’s a balance. I can’t use it whenever I want, and it drains quickly when I use too much.”

“Interesting.”

“Every angel wields a slight variation. Some are seers, some are healers, some bend the earth. We all have different strengths, and I’m sure you’ll find yours soon enough.”

I sighed and continued picking at my food.

It wasn’t just that I was afraid to show the other students my strengths. I couldn’t do it. Aside from barely summoning some natural magic, I had nothing. The other students summoned fire and controlled wind.

But me? I controlled nothing. Ifeltnothing.

“Any more questions?” he pushed, leaning both elbows on the wooden table. “Or is it my turn to interrogate you?”

I also leaned forward, copying his posture. “I was not interrogating you. I was simply curious about the lightning that explodes in your eyes when you get angry or when you’re entertained. That’s a very valid curiosity.”

Slowly, without looking away, the corners of his mouth slid up. His eyes scanned my face, raking over every feature.

“What?” I asked, suddenly feeling much too vulnerable.

A silent beat passed.

“You are a stunning creature, Huntress.”

I sucked in a breath. It was so easy for him to say those words, so easy for him to stare at me with blatant amusement in his gaze.

I wanted to back up, to cover my face, to retreat. I felt too exposed when I was with Wolf, and after all the time we spent together lately, I was feeling things that made no sense at all.

Like the fluttering in my chest when he looked at me, the nerves when he entered a room.

“Dinner’s over,” I said, pushing my plate back and standing from the table. I cleared my throat and made my way to the door. “I’m going to sleep. Don’t wake me when you come in.”

And that was that.

I left Wolf and his torturously addicting eyes at the table gaping after me.

I only let myself smile when I was alone in the confines of my bedroom, where the darkness covered the blush on my face.

This feeling was more dangerous than any test, than any threat.

But this time, I didn’t care.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Two days later, I snuck away to practice the one thing Wolf couldn’t help me with.

My magic.

I drew blood repeatedly, trying to give the offering that was required to summon blood magic. The angry, red skin on my palms wasn’t healing fast enough for me to keep slicing. Blood smeared Venom’s handle from my grip as I tried over and over and over.

Still, blood was required to summon the blood magic.