Page 22 of Taste of Thorns

“You are, Kitten. And I fucking love it.” He chuckles some more. “Plus you’re both fucking hot for each other and, you know, there are feelings involved.”

“I don’t want to argue all the time.”

Dray shrugs. “I can’t see either of you changing. You’re just gonna have to live with it.”

“Or you could try listening to me for once,” Beaufort says.

“Youcould try listening tome.” I shake my head. “Look, we’re not going to solve this now. I think it’s a good idea if we both take a moment,” I say, trying not to be hot-headed for once. “I’m going to see my friends.”

I jump up on my feet and push my chair aside.

“And Tudor?” Beaufort growls.

“Probably,” I concede, meeting his displeased expression, determined not to flinch away.

I thought we’d got past this bullshit. I thought Beaufort was trying to be less of a mega jerk these days.

“I’ll see you later, okay?”

I walk right out of the kitchen and Dray trots along behind me.

“Kitten, where are you going?”

“I told you, to see my friends. I need to check they’re all right. I need to talk to them about everything that’s happened.”

I open the door, meeting a wall of frigid air swirling with snow.

“It’s fucking brutal out there,” Dray says.

He’s right, I’m already shivering. But I want to find my friends. Sure, I’m keen to check they’re okay after yesterday; mostly I want to vent about the men in my life. I want their views and opinions. Heck, I might even want Fox’s. He may be a shadow weaver, a vampire, and Madame’s Bardin’s ex, but he’s not lying when he says he cares about me. He can’t be. Thereis no way he could fake that, could he? Beaufort is wrong about this.

Then there is Blaze. I haven’t seen him since the morning of the trial. While I suspect the little pest has been having a merry old time harassing squirrels without me, I don’t like the idea that he might think I’ve deserted him altogether.

“I’m going back to my room. I need some space.”

“I’ll come with you,” he says.

“No,” I say firmly, taking a deep inhale and stepping out into the cold.

“For fuck’s sake, Kitten. It might not be safe.”

“The only danger is me remaining here and inadvertently stabbing Beaufort Lincoln with a fork because I just can’t help myself.”

Dray chuckles. “Then at least take my coat.” He thrusts something towards me and reluctantly I thread my arms through it and pull up the hood.

He hesitates and before he can change his mind and refuses to let me leave, I trudge off into the snow.

The academy is covered in a thick layer of it and it seeps right through my boots almost immediately. The sky is an oppressive dank gray and the temperature so cold my nose stings.

I tug the coat around my body, plunge my hands deep inside the pockets and with my head down make my way across campus. There is not a single person out today. I’m guessing they are all huddled around fireplaces back in their rooms, trying their best not to relive yesterday’s trial. I consider how warm and toasty the Princes’ tower is and how frigging freezing mine will be. Was I better off making it up with Beaufort and visiting my friends later? I’m almost tempted to turn around, but I’m halfway there now so I persevere.

The dense snow muffles all sound and it’s eerily silent. I’m assuming that’s the reason I don’t notice the person on the path right in front of me until I’m almost face to face with them.

“Briony Storm, I have been looking for you.”

I peer up into the hardened face of Madame Bardin.

For the briefest of moments I think I’m imagining things. We were talking about her less than five minutes ago. Then here she is.