Page 120 of Taste of Thorns

“I don’t know, Beaufort. I don’t know about any of it. But I have a feeling, I’m meant to stop Bardin, and all of you – including Blaze over there,” I jerk my head towards the now dozing dragon, “are meant to help me.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Fox

I raise my fist to the door and hesitate.

Am I doing the right thing? Do I even know what that is anymore?

I grimace, the scent of her infiltrating my senses.

What choice do I have?

I slam my knuckles against the wood three times and wait for my answer. It comes almost immediately.

“Who is it?” she calls from within.

“Fox,” I grunt, drawing myself up to my full height and rolling my shoulders back as if to prepare for battle.

“Come in.”

The door clicks and slides open and a waft of her sickly cigarette smoke twists around the door towards me. I consider turning around and walking right in the other direction, but it’s too late, I’m committed now. I made a promise. So, ducking my head down, I step inside her office, trying not to see the ghosts of my previous visits floating around regardless. The door slams shut behind me.

“Fox,” she says, perched against her desk, arms crossed over her chest, left hand clutching her right elbow, cigarette pinched between her fingers and hovering close to her scarlet-painted lips. She’s wearing one of her slinky black dresses, but she’s kicked off her shoes and she stands barefoot. “You know it’s always a pleasure to see you. Although I am somewhat surprised you have found the time. Aren’t you too busy creeping around with that little girl of yours?”

I don’t answer her. There is no point. She is trying to antagonize me and I will not take the bait.

She squeezes the cigarettes between her lips, eyes fixated on me, and sucks on it hard, then releases a long slow cloud of gray smoke that curls from her mouth.

“As lovely as your company is, and as pretty as you are to look at, Fox darling, if you have nothing to say, then perhaps we ought to leave this for another time. The next trial is fast approaching and I have plenty of preparations to see to.”

I’m itching to ask her what those are. I’ve been tasked by the others to find out as much information about the next trial as I can. Veronica would tell me if I asked, but it would come at a cost. It always does with her.

“No,” I say simply. “This can’t wait.”

Her eyes brighten. Does she actually think I’d choose to see her? That I’ve come to rekindle old flames? By the way she pushes off the desk and saunters towards me, I think she must do. She stops right before me, blowing more smoke directly into my face.

“Then to what, Fox darling, do I owe this visit?”

“I have orders to report any students with unusual abilities to you.”

She flinches. Then spins on her toes, marches back to her desk and stubs out the cigarette into a crystal ashtray.

“You do. It’s a condition of your continued employment. And yet, so far, you’ve uncovered no such students and brought me no such reports.”

“I’ve had nothing to report.”

She pauses with her back to me. There’s a tension in her spine.

“But now you do?”

“Yes.”

She turns around slowly, her eyes glowing with that excitement I remember from the first few times we were together, the first time she sunk her fangs into my neck.

I swallow. I can’t think of that now. I need to hold myself together.

“Who?” she practically growls.