Page 43 of Taste of Thorns (The Firestone Academy #3)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

D ray

“I don’t get it,” I say, swinging my gaze around the small group gathered in the kitchen of our tower – me, my bond brothers, little Kitten, and the Prof.

It’s taken us most of the morning to track down the elusive professor and most of the afternoon seems to have been lost in conversations that go round and round in circles. It’s already darkening outside the windows.

“We know it’s Bardin who’s been attacking Briony,” I add. “We know she’s been manipulating the trials.”

“We think it was her,” Tudor clarifies, “we don’t know for sure.”

“Oh, come on,” little Kitten says, rolling her eyes as she paces the room, “Beaufort saw her murder my sister in his vision.”

Tudor leans against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest. “Yesterday Beaufort was convinced usurpers were behind the attacks.”

“Then I had that vision,” Beaufort says, glaring at the professor. “Now, I’m convinced the Madame was behind the attacks, including the one in the forest.”

“That was the Hardies’ thrall,” the professor clarifies, irritating me so much my teeth tingle. We’re playing nicely with him for the time being because it’s what the kitten wants. But I don’t trust him one hundred percent, especially when he seems to be sticking up for Bardin.

“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.

“Care to share the joke?” I growl.

“You really think you could kill Bardin?”

“Have you met my brother?” I say, pointing towards Thorne whose gaze remains locked ahead. “Have you ever seen my wolf in action?”

“She’d have both your heads rolling from your shoulders before you could say decapitated,” Tudor says.

“We’re more powerful than her.”

“But she’s about a million times cleverer.”

The little Kitten jumps forward blocking our paths.

“You’re not going to kill her.”

“But she killed your sister. She’s been trying to kill you.”

She cringes. “I know but she didn’t succeed,” she says quietly. “And I want proper justice for Amelia. I want everyone to know the truth. I want everyone to know what really happened. And I want Bardin to face the proper punishment for her crime.”

“I’ll make sure she suffers,” I growl.

“Dray,” she says, resting her fingertips on my chest, “it’s tempting, but no.”

“So we’re just going to let her get away with everything, are we?”

“No, we’re going to tell …” She trails off and peers towards the professor.

“The Empress,” Tudor says and I glance towards Beau. My bond brother sweeps his hand through his hair. “But we’re going to need evidence.”

I groan and flop down into the nearest chair. “Fuck, this is boring.”

“Evidence, exactly,” Beaufort says, nodding his head. “Bardin is a well-liked and a close confidant of the Empress. Any wild accusations without evidence will simply be dismissed. In fact, unless the Empress sees it with her very own eyes, I doubt she’d believe it.”

The kitten pauses and considers my bond brother’s words. “Then we’ll have to show the Empress.”

“Briony, I can’t share my visions.”

“That’s not what I mean. Bardin will strike again in one of the trials. We’ll have to ensure the Empress is watching and sees.”

“Is the Empress coming to the next trial?” I ask Tudor.

He nods. “But I already told you, Bardin’s magic is complex. She stole Briony right from under my nose. She has been hiding her actions from all of us for years. Even if the Empress is there watching, that doesn’t guarantee she’ll see what is happening.”

“Bardin’s magic is not as complex or as powerful as the Empress’ magic,” Beaufort says. “The Empress will be able to cut through any attempts to conceal the truth from her.”

“That may be true,” Tudor says, determined to find the faults in this plan, “but there’s no guarantee she’ll strike in this next trial.”

“She will,” Briony says.

“You can’t know that.”

“I can. Because we’re going to lay her a trap,” Briony says, “and I’m going to be the bait.”

We all look at each other like the girl has finally lost her mind.

“Little Kitten,” I say simply like I’m talking to a child, “didn’t you just hear the Prof say that even Thorne and I together couldn’t take out the Madame?”

“I’m not suggesting I fight her. I’m suggesting we trap her – catch her in the act of trying to murder me.”

“What the fuck!” I spit out.

“Too dangerous,” Thorne grunts.

“No way!” Beau growls.

“Yes way,” Kitten says, hands on hips, chin raised, eyes spitting.

“Thorne’s right,” Beau says more softly. “It’s too dangerous. There has to be a better way.”

“There isn’t,” Briony insists. “The next trial will be coming up in a few weeks’ time. I’m sure she’s going to try and manipulate it again. I’m sure she’s going to go after me again. This time we’ll ensure the Empress is watching.”

“You don’t know for sure that she’ll attack you again,” Tudor says.

“She will if she learns about my powers. I don’t think she’ll be able to resist the temptation.”

I sit on the chair, kicking my legs to and fro and chewing on gum as Kitten, Beau, and the Prof debate backward and forward how exactly the hell they’re going to tempt Bardin into striking out at the little Kitten.

I peer at Thorne who’s listening but standing straight-backed like he’s on military inspection.

Finally, they come to some sort of agreement, although whether we’re going with plan A, B, or C beats me.

“I don’t like this plan,” the Prof says, rubbing his fingertips across his beard. “I was watching you last time and Veronica still managed to slip you away.”

“Yes, but this time I’ll have protection.” Little Kitten lifts her hand, opens her palm and a ray of light flickers into life.

“Shit,” I mumble, stepping closer and staring down into the bright light. “Fuck, that’s beautiful, Kitten.”

She grins with pride. “I’ve been practicing.”

“Yes, but you’re not good enough to take on Bardin,” Tudor says. “Not yet. You haven’t learned to harness your powers well enough.”

“True, but I have another weapon too.”

I tilt my head and stare into her green eyes.

Another weapon?

“Us?” I ask her, grinning. Maybe I’m going to be allowed to teach that witch a lesson after all.

“A dragon,” she says.