Page 113 of Taste of Thorns

“You trying to protect Bardin, Prof?” I say with a deadly grin, baring my teeth at him.

“No, I’m just ensuring we’re aware of what is fact and what is speculation. If we want to prove Bardin is behind everything, we don’t only need to convince ourselves, we’ll need to convince the Empress too. And Beaufort’s visions, regardless of who he may be, isn’t going to convince anyone. Especially when he’s never revealed these visions before.”

Briony rolls her eyes a second time. She’s convinced and nothing will shake her.

“Professor Cornelius says that most often than not it’s been the most talented and gifted students who have died in the academy.”

“Is that true?” Beau asks the professor.

Tudor strokes his fingers through his beard. “I suppose technically but–”

“Which makes no sense!” little Kitten says, throwing her hands up. “The most talented students should be the least likely to die.”

“Sometimes the most talented students are also the biggest assholes,” the Prof says, looking directly at me, “and therefore take the biggest, and most stupid, risks!”

I wink at him.

Little Kitten ignores us both.

“The Madame feeds off humans.”

“And that’s not legal, is it?” I ask the professor. He shakes his head.

“The rules have never applied to Veronica,” he mumbles.

This time we all ignore him.

“Don’t you see what’s been happening?” the little Kitten says, her face agitated. “Madame Bardin has been targeting and feeding off the most powerful students – probably to grow her powers or just because she gets a kick out of it or something,” her lips curl in disgust, “then she’s been passing off their subsequent deaths as accidents.”

“If this were true, wouldn’t she be targeting the shadow weavers?” Tudor says smugly. “And yet, I’ve never heard of a shadow weaver dying in the academy.”

“Because it would be too dangerous for her to target shadow weavers. The deaths would be investigated more thoroughly,” little Kitten says. “She can get away with it when it’s just us ordinaries because no one gives a shit about one more kid from Slate Quarter dying.”

“Shit!” I say, swinging my gaze from Beau to Thorne. Beau’s brow is furrowed in concentration. Thorne staring right ahead.

“Do you think she knows about your powers?” Beaufort says. “That’s why she attacked you?”

“I think she suspects,” the little Kitten says bitterly, showing her claws, “but I also think it’s to get back at Fox.”

Fox shifts his weight from one foot to the other.

“And what would she want to get back at you for, Prof?” I say. Of course, I know the reason, I just enjoy needling the dude.

Little Kitten stops pacing and narrows her eyes towards the professor.

He clears his throat. “We used to date.”

I bring my fist up to my mouth and chuckle. “You used to bang. Shit! She’s older than you. Was she your teacher?”

The professor glares at me and my attention diverts back to our mate – the girl he is banging too.

“Well, it doesn’t fucking matter. I’m going to kill her.” I stomp towards the door. “Thorne, you coming?”

My bond brother rises slowly from his chair.

We’re halfway across the room when the Prof starts chuckling himself. I should ignore him. I can’t.

I swing around.