Page 32 of Storm of Shadows

The common room is silent, everyone suddenly staring our way.

“Careful,” I warn her.

She sneers at me, tosses her head like an irritated mare, and saunters away, probably to try to sink her claws into some other poor unsuspecting soul.

I glare at all those still staring my way, and they drop their eyes in alarm.

Then I’m striding right out of the common room, my body broiling with annoyance.

Because both Dray and Henrietta are right.

Our thrall is a brat and a disappointment.

Why her?

Why the fuck her?

Chapter Sixteen

Briony

Today, we’re having our lessons in the main part of the academy – a collection of connected buildings that crouch in the center of the ring of towers. They’ve split us into eight groups and by some kind of miracle I’m with Fly.

I wasn’t expecting to make any friends here in the academy – I haven’t had any friends for years. But now I have one, I find I’d rather be in his company than without it. Especially as I haven’t forgotten his comment about having each other’s backs. Fly may not be some kind of muscle man and I am definitely not terrifying enough to deter anyone from murder (as demonstrated yesterday) but there is safety in numbers.

Our very first lesson turns out to be in a room down in the cellars. We follow the other students down a dark set of steps, the air becoming gradually cooler and danker, and into a room I’m convinced used to be a torture chamber, chains still hanging from the stone walls, no natural light at all and rickety wooden benches lined up in rows.

“Well, this isn’t creepy,” I mutter to Fly.

“Do you think our next lesson involves thumbscrews and the rack?” he whispers.

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” I laugh, a noise that is cut off at once by a booming voice.

That same booming voice from yesterday.

“Sit down and shut your mouths.”

I swing my head in the direction of the voice and find, once again, the owner lurking in the shadows at the front of the room. It’s impossible to make out his form or his face and it seems he has no intention of making himself seen.

I take a seat on one of the middle benches, shuffling along as others join us. Unlike the canteen, it seems the shadow weavers will be slumming it down here with us. Five enter the room after the rest of us and send a few kids sitting on the front bench, scurrying away.

I scan my eye along them. The Princes aren’t with them and my shoulders relax in relief. The feeling lasts less than one minute because three of the shadow weavers are glaring my way. A set of twins, pale with long red hair and another girl too – this one darker skinned, with spiky hair dyed a myriad of colors.

I flick my gaze away from them and towards the mysterious man at the front of the classroom.

“We want all of you to have a fair chance at the academy,” he begins, I repress the urge to snort. “Some of you have not had the same advantages that others have benefited from. In order for us to spot true talents and true abilities, not only will you be tested here at the academy, but you will also be taught.”

There’s some dramatic sighing from the front row as if this is extremely tedious to the shadow weavers.

“You never know,” the voice says dripping with sarcasm, “you may be surprised. You may actually learn something new.” The man’s feet scuff on the stone floor. “Who among you can weave magic from the shadows?”

Unsurprisingly, the arms of those in the front row shoot up, everybody else’s remain lowered. The shadow weavers glance over their shoulders at the rest of us, smirking, scoffing and generally being obnoxious. Fly mutters something rude under his breath beside me.

“Well, I am here to determine whether others among you may possess the gift but are unaware,” the man says.

Several of the shadow weavers laugh out loud at this.

“Did I say something amusing?” the voice asks quietly but with a venom that makes my blood run cold.