Page 34 of Taste of Thorns (The Firestone Academy #3)

Chapter Thirty-One

B eaufort

The days when I went out of my way to track down Henny Smyte are long gone. Most days I’m trying to forget the girl exists and am actively avoiding her. I’m not going to change that. And so I wait until a moment when there’s no choice but to enter into her company.

Combat training.

It’s something the academy has stepped up since that invasion into the realm by the demon forces.

We meet out on the field, the two Titan twins waiting for us, both dressed in matching tracksuits.

The bigger, and more ugly, of the two has a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes and his hands resting on his hips.

The smaller one swings his whistle round and round his fingers, humming some tuneless melody.

I gaze around the group of shadow weavers and commoner students who have been chosen for this class.

It’s the most powerful of us which includes the Hardies and the Smytes.

Henny is hanging out towards the back of the group and I’m not surprised to find her watching me. I frown at her and she tosses her head.

“Pair up,” twin one commands, and, as planned, Dray and Thorne buddy up and I stroll towards Henny. She always pairs up with her sister. I usually find some kid or other. This afternoon her eyes light up as she spots me approaching.

“You wanna pair up?” I ask her, ignoring the slightly frantic look on her sister’s face. I doubt she’s ever been forced to find a different partner before in her whole entire life. She’s always had a handy one right by her side.

Henny does not seem concerned by her sister’s distress. She pushes her violently to one side, stepping forward, delight and madness shining in her eyes.

“I knew you’d ask,” she purrs and I have to force myself not to spin on my toes and march in the opposite direction. Henny’s sister sniffs, tosses her head in the exact same manner her sister did five seconds ago, and marches away to find a partner. “We’ve always been well matched,” Henny adds.

“Spread out,” one of the twins calls out, “and adopt the fighting stance. Remember, no magic. You’re testing your physical fighting skills.”

Henny skips away, finding a spot far away from everyone else. I peer over at my bond brothers and then trek after her. They’re both watching us; Thorne with a frown on his face, Dray with a smug grin.

Henny’s already adopted the fighting pose: one foot forward, both arms raised, knees slightly bent.

“You don’t need to go soft on me, Beau. You can come at me as hard as you like.” She giggles. “I know you like it that way.”

“You have no idea what I do and do not like, Henny.”

“Oh, but I do. We’ve been friends for a long long time. I know you better than anyone else in this academy.”

I shake my head. She’s wrong. She never knew me. It was only ever surface level with her. I never really cared about her. Maybe that makes me an asshole. I bet Briony would say it does.

I’m so busy thinking about it, that I’m caught off guard when she comes charging at me, barraging her shoulder right into my gut.

I grunt and attempt to step away, but she has her arms wrapped around my waist. There’s no power to her physically – all her power lies in her shadows and her madness.

I let my body go limp and let her struggle to shift me for several minutes.

Then I get bored, pick the girl up and throw her to the ground.

She lands with a grunt, limbs splayed out on the snowy ground.

She props herself up on her elbows and runs her gaze down my body.

“Now this is familiar.”

I rest my hands on my hips. “What were you doing out on the moorland last night, Henny?”

She blinks up at me. I can see the wheels turning in her head. She doesn’t know whether to deny it or ride it out.

“I don’t exactly remember, Beau. Enjoying a late night stroll I imagine.”

“With Kratos? Since when have you been friends?”

“Since you started ignoring me, Beaufort,” she hisses.

“The Hardies are a bunch of idiots.”

She rolls up onto her feet and wipes the snow from her backside.

“Says the man sleeping with that slut from Slate Quarter.”

I’m up in her face in an instant. “Was it you?”

“Probably.” She grins. “What do you think I did?”

“The graffiti on her door?”

“Oh dear, has someone hurt the little darling’s feelings?” She tuts. “She’s so utterly pathetic. I don’t understand why she’s lasted this long.”

“Because we’re protecting her, Henny,” she goes to talk, but I cut across her, “and she’s far stronger than you think.”

Henny rolls her eyes. “Sure she is.”

I take a deep exhale. As usual, she’s succeeded in distracting me.

“Why were you out on the moorland with one of the Hardies, Henny? What the hell is going on?”

She shrugs.

“Tell me,” I say quietly, my voice deadly.

Her eyes flick around my face. “Make it worth my while, Beaufort, and I will.”

“What do you want?”

“I’m sure you can use your imagination.”

“Not going to happen.”

Before I have time to react, she’s lifted her arm and sent a blast of shadow magic my way, knocking me right off my feet. I land with a thump on the snow-covered earth and the girl is on top of me in an instant, straddling my lap, hands pressing down on my shoulders, mouth locked against my own.

I’m so shocked, for a moment I don’t move, repulsed by the feel of her wet lips moving against mine, her tongue intruding my mouth.

In the distance I hear someone whistle and another person whoop and realize we have a very public audience. Is that what she planned?

I push her mouth away from mine, but she uses her magic to keep me locked beneath her.

“Because of the slut? You know your mother will never approve of her.”

“She’s our thrall,” I say, not meeting her eye. I don’t need any of these idiots discovering the truth about Briony. “And my mother has no interest in what I do while I’m here.”

“But you have other plans for the Slate slut.” I jolt without meaning to.

How does she know that? She reads the question in my eyes.

“It’s written all over your face, Beaufort.

You’re infatuated with her.” She leans down, bringing her mouth closer to mine.

Her breath smells of bitter coffee. “And it makes you weak. I’d be sure to keep a good look over your shoulder. There are people coming for you.”

I blast her away with my own magic and she tumbles down onto her backside.

Almost immediately I realize my mistake. The action has caused the sleeve of my top to slip backward. My eyes inadvertently flick that way and hers follow. They land on the faint marks on my skin and widen in disbelief.

“It can’t be.”

I scramble up onto my feet and tug down the sleeve.

“It’s not what you think. It’s nothing.”

“That girl!” she spits. “That can’t be right?”

I’m aware we have a little crowd watching us now, but they’re too far away to hear us. I come strolling up to her, peering down into her amused face.

“It is. She belongs to us. She’s our mate, bound by fate.” Henny watches my mouth and I can see the little wheels spinning in her head. “Tell anyone, Henrietta, and I’ll cut out your tongue and shove it down your throat, right before I kill you.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Beaufort.”

“No?” I say, leaning closer. “A man will do anything to protect the woman he loves.” I glance across the field towards Henny’s sister, watching as another kid knocks her to the ground and she tumbles like a ten pin. “I reckon twin sisters feel similarly.”

Henny flinches. For the first time, something like fear enters her eyes.

“Tell anyone,” I whisper, “and I won’t just hurt you.”

Her shoulders stiffen and her eyes narrow.

“If that’s the way you want it, Beaufort. Then that’s the way we will play it. But know this, when your world comes crashing down around your ears, don’t come begging me for help. This is over.”

“That’s absolutely fine by me.” I catch my breath as she does the same. I don’t want Henrietta Smyte as an enemy, but maybe she doesn’t have to be, maybe there is a way we can be unwilling allies – all I need to do is play along with her games. “Who were you meeting, Henny?”

“We’ve established that I’m not going to tell you that. Not unless you’re willing to give me what I want.”

“You don’t want me. You never really wanted me, Henny. I was just a stepping stone to greater things. There must be something else you do want.” I lean up and whisper, “Something you’re willing to trade secrets for.”

There’s a pause as she considers my remark. Then her eyes brighten with excitement and she leans down and whispers in my ear.

“That’s what you want?” I ask. The girl truly is insane.

She nods enthusiastically.

“Okay, then.” I shrug. I wasn’t expecting to get away so lightly. “Next time we’re back home.”

The grin on her face descends into a fierce glare. “No, if you want your information, Beaufort, then we have to do this now.”

“Now? But we can’t just leave the academy.”

Henny snorts. “We both know that’s not true.” She folds her arms over her chest. She’s not going to broker any negotiation. “This is a onetime offer, Beaufort. You want me to tell you, then we have to go now.”