Page 51 of Burdened Bonds

“Get your hands off me right now. I’ve already alerted campus security. Your father abhors violence towards women. His men will beat you to a pulp – just like your disgusting mutt of a friend.”

“What?” I say, letting her go and stumbling backwards. “What did you say?”

She twists around, hugging her body to the wall, a cruel smile spreading across her lips – one I’ve seen directed at her victims many times before, never at me.

“Daddy didn’t tell you? Your friend,” she spits out the word like Spencer was never anything to her, “has been locked away – like all his kind – locked away where they can’t do any harm. Frankly, I think they should be exterminated. It’s what I told your father.”

“Stars help me, Summer Clutton-Brock. I am going to kill you,” I hiss, raising my hands, ready to strike her. And it’s in that moment, with dark intentions – sinister, evil ones – swimming through my veins that I first feel it. Something dark in my magic. Something … scarlet.

Crimson magic.

Atouchof crimson magic. Not mine. Rhianna’s.

So this is how it happened. How we sealed the bond. When we were fighting side by side, her magic entered me – and mine? Did mine enter her?

The thought of it has me shivering from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

In the distance, I hear heavy boots on the staircase. Summer wasn’t lying. Campus security is on its way. Would they really lay a finger on me? Tristan Kennedy – the Lord fucking Protector’s son. I don’t know. I don’t know what to believe anymore. The world has turned upside down. Everything I thought I knew unraveling before my eyes.

My mom dead. Spencer locked away. Rhianna gone.

“You’re too late, Tristan Kennedy,” Summer says with glee.

I peer down at my hands. Crimson magic? Could I wield it? Do I want to wield it? Because if I did, would I be any better than him? Would I be just like him?

I glance back up at Summer and something glints around her neck. A necklace. No. A locket. Piglet’s locket.

I stride forward, the bravado vanishing from Summer’s face as she cowers away from me. I grab a hold of the chain and yank it clean away from her neck.

Then I get the hell out of there before I do something I’ll regret.

22

Azlan

I stride straight upto those compound gates and it takes them several slow minutes to work out who I am and why the hell I’m here. I’m still dressed in my fucking suit. No cloak today.

“The enforcer!” someone yells. And then all hell breaks loose, magic shooting in all directions. I deflect and batter it away, not even breaking stride as I blow the compound gates clean away, and walk straight through into the heart of the Wolves of Night’s lair.

I’m angry. I’ve never been so angry and it’s hot and scalding and raw in my veins; my magic feeling stronger, more deadly than it ever did before.

Several men rush at me at once but I send them all scattering like dominoes and I keep walking, aware of Winnie and Stone deflecting and firing magic behind me.

I swing my gaze around. Where is she?

I grab the next fucker who comes for me by the scruff of his neck, and lift him clean off his feet.

“Where is she? Where’s the girl?”

He looks at me with utter confusion.

“Girl?” he repeats. “There is no girl.”

He’s lying. She has to be here somewhere.

“Where’s Barone? Where’s Renzo Barone?”

“Barone?” He looks just as confused. “Missing. He hasn’t been seen in days.”