Page 135 of Storm of Shadows

“I don’t know–”

“You don’t know? You must–”

“All they told us – all theywouldtell us – was that she was killed in crossfire between shadow weavers practicing at the academy.”

“She died at the academy?” I nod. “Ahhhh,” he says, the anger and tension leaving his face.

“What?” I say with irritation. “What do you mean by ‘ahhh’?”

“It happens.”

“What does?”

“Accidents. Especially here at the academy. You said it yourself, people die here. You can’t hold all shadow weavers responsible for something–”

“Accident?” I snap, throwing back the covers and jumping up onto my knees. “It wasn’t an accident. She was special. And so they killed her.”

He rolls up to sit, the blankets coalescing around his waist.

“Why? Why would they kill her?”

I open my mouth. I don’t have the answers to that. It’s what I intend to find out.

“She wandered into crossfire,” he says. “Unfortunate but–”

“That’s what they told us. It’s all just a lie. I know it isn’t true.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

My heart pounds in my ears and in my throat. I could tell him the whole truth. The reason I know this could never have been an accident. But then I remember Professor Tudor’s warning.Throwing around accusations could land me in trouble. I’ve already said too much.

“Training often leads to collateral damage,” he says. “People get hurt. People die. It’s the way of the fucking world.”

I leap out of the bed. “My sister was not collateral damage. And maybe I don’t like this world! It’s corrupted and unfair and molded to benefit people like you!”

“Me? Tobenefitme?” He laughs bitterly.

“Yes, you and all the other shadow weavers too. It’s down to plain old luck where we’re born and yet you live in luxury and splendor while the rest of us shiver in the cold, scrabbling about to find enough food to eat. Have you ever actually been to Slate Quarter? Because that picture down there on your wall is so embellished it’s laughable!”

“It’s only fair that those taking the highest risks should reap the highest rewards.”

“You don’t think working in a mine has its risks, working the land all through the winter?”

He scoffs. “You can’t possibly conceive how dangerous the threat to our realm really is. Because you’ve never faced the demons and the monsters that are out there. You don’t understand how hard my kind are working every minute of every day to protect this realm. How much we are risking. Why? Three alone were killed last month! You’re naïve,” he says patronizingly and I have a deep desire to slap my hand across his face. Instead, I rummage around the room, looking for clothes I can pull on my body.

“And you’re a dick.”

“I’m sorry about your sister but you can’t–”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

I find my pajamas discarded in a pile in the corner.

“What the fuck are you doing now?” he says with irritation of his own.

“Leaving,” I tell him, pulling on my pants and my shirt.

“It’s the middle of the night!”