Page 41 of Storm of Shadows

Carefully, as if I’m just trying to get comfortable, I adjust the pillow, ensuring it’s still hidden. I’m lucky Beaufort was so angry with me he took no notice of what I was cradling in my lap.

“Jeez,” I say, blowing out air from my cheeks. “I have no idea. He’s …”

“Hot, handsome, powerful, rich?” Fly offers.

“Intense,” my eyes flick towards the stairwell, “and an asshole.”

“One who hasn’t forgotten about you. In fact, your refusal and reluctance has probably made him all the more determined.” Fly reaches out his hand to comfort me, thensnatches his hand away, seeming to remember Beaufort’s warning.

“Seriously,” I say, “I don’t think that’s what he meant bytouchme (misogynistic piece of shit). And secondly, how would he even know?”

“He’s a shadow weaver. He probably has ways. Magic and stuff.” He peers around the room with suspicion, and I follow his gaze around the room. Is he right? Could Beaufort be spying on me? I dismiss the idea. He would already have questions for me if he did. Fly looks back at me. “What are you going to do?”

I shrug. I’m not stupid. I don’t have a death wish. And I know when I’m beat.

I want my answers. And I’m not going to get them with an angry shadow weaver chasing me around the academy.

“I guess I’ll be going round to their rooms tomorrow.”

“Really?” Fly says with mischief. “I was beginning to suspect all this protesting about not wanting to be the center of attention was a lie and secretly you crave it. I thought the idea of being dragged across the campus by the hottest man in the academy might actually appeal.” Fly flops back on my bed. “I think I may add it to my long list of fantasies.”

“He isn’t the hottest man in the academy.”

“Oh Cupcake, I think he is.”

My mind flashes back to Professor Fox Tudor and I’m really not sure Fly is correct. Although, perhaps there isn’t much in it. I hate to admit it, but they are both extremely good looking.

That doesn’t make this situation any better.

I flop back on the mattress beside him and stare up at the ceiling. A sense of fear prickles across my skin.

“What do you think they’re going to make me do?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Fly turn his head towards me, that same look of mischief on his face.

“My advice, Cupcake, go with the flow, maybe even embrace it, and you may find you actually enjoy yourself.”

I shake my head. “No,” I say. “These are shadow weavers.”

He doesn’t know what they’re capable of. He doesn’t know how dangerous they can be.

Once Fly’s left my room, I retrieve the object from under my pillow and carefully hide it back in the base of my cupboard.

I’m going to need to be more careful.

Chapter Twenty

Thorne

There’s a firm knock on my door.

I roll over, pick up my gloves from my night stand and tug them onto my hands.

“Come in,” I say.

Beaufort opens the door and leans against the doorframe. His brow is drawn over his eyes in thunder.

“You wanna come have some fun?” he asks.