Page 134 of Shattered Stars

“Yeah, you. You follow instructions, orders, don’t go off doing your own fucking thing.”

“Moi?” I repeat, this time pointing to my chest.

“Yes, you.” I draw my finger down then across my chest. Marcus snorts. “I’m serious, Renzo. No bullshit.”

“No bullshit,” I say, scratching my cheek. “Whose orders?” I ask him. “Yours or …”

Marcus doesn’t answer. He’s working with someone. Shit, maybe evenforsomeone. Someone in the West. Why? I wish I’d paid better attention. I wish I had a brain that could pay attention, one that could slot all the pieces together.

My gaze pulls to the window, and now I see where we’re going.

“Los Magicos,” I whisper. Seems he is out to get us killed after all.

“No,” Marcus says, attention diverted by his cell. “Not the city.”

No, not the city. I see that as we skirt round it, the glow of the capital fading behind us.

I sit up in my seat and my gaze swings towards my boss, my brother.

The academy.

51

Rhi

A dragon,the size of a small truck, crashes through the ceiling of the Great Hall, two men sliding from its back as it roars fire, and then there’s another and another.

I stand captivated by the sight. The creatures are beautiful, their skin covered in emerald scales, their eyes glowing a violent red. They’re huge and yet they move with elegance, swooping through the now exposed sky, landing deftly on clawed feet. I didn’t know such creatures still existed. I thought they’d been lost long ago.

But I’m snapped back to reality by Winnie yanking on my arm and screaming in my ear.

I blink, focusing on the carnage around me. People are scattering, some screaming, some running. The heavy drapes that lined the walls are blazing with flame. Everything is blazing, roaring with fire. Just like … just like that memory locked inside my head.

The magicals jumping from the backs of the dragons fire bolts of magic towards us. They streak and scream, skimmingover our heads, one crashing into a crystal chandelier and shattering it into a million pieces of shards that shower on those below.

There’s more screaming. Winnie tugs harder on my arm.

“Rhi, we need to get out of here!”

“What’s happening?” I ask her, my brain struggling to compute what my eyes are showing it.

“We’re under attack, Rhi, come on.”

“Here at the academy?” I say, too stunned to move. “How can this be?” I thought we were safe here. I thought this was the safest place in the country.

“Dragons!” Winnie yells like that’s some kind of explanation. “Come on Rhi!” Winnie screams and pulls me and Trent to the ground as several magical bolts stream over us. “We need to get out!” she repeats, screaming again and covering her head with her arms as another chandelier plummets to the ground.

But I’m already up on my feet.

Phoenix? Azlan? Where are they? I scan my eyes through the mayhem, my eyes moving more frantically than they did only ten minutes ago, the scene in front of me so different. Many of the students are sprinting for the exit, some cowering behind upturned furniture, but others are standing and fighting. Stone and the man in black among them, side by side facing off against two, five, seven – I lose count – magicals firing magic towards them.

I start to run, kicking off my stupid heels and gripping the skirt of my dress. I dodge another falling chandelier, leap over someone moaning on the ground and duck as the tail of a dragon whips through the air. I run as hard as I can but they’re still so far away, outnumbered and in need of my help.

My foot catches on something sharp on the ground and I wince but keep moving. Magic grazes my arm but I hardlynotice. The noise thrums in my skull. Magic thundering and booming all around me.

“Stone!” I yell, “Azlan!”

Azlan’s head whips round and his eyes meet mine, alarm and determination clear in his expression, blaring through our bond.