Page 106 of Malcroix Bones Academy

Increasingly Complicated

“What iswrongwith you!” I shoved at his chest, pushing him back, and he bared his bloody teeth. “Getoffme! I thought you were some kind of serial killer! Or a rapist!”

After a long-feeling pause, he raised himself up on his arms without pulling up all of his weight. I shoved at him again, then smacked his chest when he didn’t move.

“Getoff!Now!”

“Is there any part of me you don’t intend to bruise or break?” he snapped.

“Then get your three thousand pound bodyoffmine!”

We stared at one another, both of us with clenched jaws. He didn’t move.

“You’re a brute!”

“And you’re a psychotic cunt!” he snapped back.

“I’m not the one whoattackedyou!” I pointed out. “You abducted me! Like a total lunatic! You really thought I wouldn’t defend myself?”

He glared back at me, but as the seconds passed, I saw his jaw tick. That time, I could practicallyfeelhim thinking about my words.

“If I get off you, will you promise not to deck me again?” he asked finally.

“Why the hell did you swoop down at me and carry me off like a barbarian in the first place?” I demanded.

“Are you going to hit me again? Or not?”

“I might,” I snapped. “If you don’t tell me why I’m on the Great Lawn at two in the morning, a new outfit likely ruined by an out-of-controlidiotwho nearly crashed me into a tree and killed me.” My voice hardened. “Why aren’t you out with your friends? I thought there was supposed to be a big party on the Skyhunt Grounds tonight? Royals only?”

He blinked in surprise. “Who told you that?”

I hesitated, then looked away, shaking my head. “Doesn’t matter.”

There was another silence, then he exhaled in annoyance. “You should already know why I wanted to see you. We have a deal, remember?”

I looked up, startled. “Now?” I asked, incredulous. “You snatched me off the Promenade in the middle of the night, right in front of my friends, to drain your magic? Wearing a mask like you’re in some kind of death cult?”

His jaw hardened. “Can I? Or not?”

I couldn’t help noticing, now that I was looking, that his gold eyes shone too bright. I recognized that half-glowing, feral look, and the near-manic charge that came with it.

“We have a deal, Shadow,” he said. “I can’t always choose when it starts to become a problem. And I told you it was likely to be once a week… if not more.”

“It’s barely been five days since thelasttime you dragged me into a closet.”

“Again. I can’t control that.”

Shaking my head, I looked away, towards the dark waters of the lake I’d been about to throw myself into. “What would you do if I wasn’t here?” I retorted.

He avoided my eyes. “I have other ways.”

“So use those.”

“They don’t work as well.”

“Whatdoesn’t work as well?” I asked in annoyance. “Why must you be vague about absolutely everything? Can’t you ever justnamethings, so people know what in the hell you’re talking about? Or do you think it adds to your dark sorcerer, rich asshole mystique, to be so damnedcrypticall the time?”

“Shadow,” he said through gritted teeth.