Page 47 of Taste of Thorns (The Firestone Academy #3)

Chapter Forty-Three

B riony

“There’s someone to see you,” Thorne says, knocking softly on my bedroom door.

“Who?” I ask, peering up from the book he’s lent me.

Thorne steps to one side and lets the professor through, the others following him into my room.

“I have information about the trial,” he announces.

He looks uncomfortable like this information has cost him something he’d rather not have parted with.

He takes another pace forward into the light. I’m so used to seeing him hugging the shadows, that for a moment I’m stunned. The light reflects on his skin and it’s so pale it’s translucent, translucent and glowing like his eyes.

“Briony, can you swim?” he asks me.

I frown at him in confusion, closing the pages of my book.

“Yes, I can swim.”

“Thank fuck,” he says, slumping back against the wall.

“Erm, but not very well,” I add.

“Shit,” he mutters.

“I’m guessing that’s what the trial is going to involve, then.”

“There’s a lake on the other side of the forest, beyond the rail station. Students are going to be required to swim from one side to the other.”

“How far?” Beaufort asks.

“Three miles.”

All four men look at me. I grimace, feeling a little sick.

“Do you think you can manage that, sweetheart?” Beaufort asks.

I can swim, but mostly I’ve swum in the ponds in the forest back in Slate. They weren’t very big or very deep. I could always touch my feet to the bottom. But swimming is swimming, right?

“Maybe? I never had lessons ...”

“You sure that’s all there is to this trial? It sounds pretty lame,” Dray asks.

“No, there’s more,” Fox says. “There will be obstacles in the lake, obstacles the students will need to navigate past.”

“How’d you find all this out, Prof?” Dray says. His tone is lighthearted but I hear a note of suspicion in there.

“Bardin.”

I gape at him. “She came to see you?”

“I went to see her.”

“And she told you? Just like that? Why?”

He hesitates. It’s quick. Maybe not noticeable to the others but I know Fox well and I see it. “Because I asked her.”

“That makes no fucking sense,” Dray growls.

Fox holds my gaze. “She’s a vampire. Vampires are possessive. Some might say obsessive. She hasn’t given up hope that she can win me back.”

I stare at him flabbergasted. It’s what I suspected. It’s still strange to hear him admit it.

That night in the library when I first overheard them together, I’d been convinced they were an item but that had been based on the Madame’s words and actions.

Jealousy stirs in me whenever I think of them together, partly because her intentions have always been crystal clear to me.

The Madame wants Fox back. It’s why she hates me so much.

Another reason to remove me once and for all.

This realization doesn’t scare me though, it makes me even more confident my plan will work.

“And she thought telling you would grant her favor?” Beaufort asks.

Fox nods, not quite able to meet my eye now, and I wonder if he had to do more than ask questions to extract this information.

The idea makes me sick.

“You sure we can trust you, Bloodsucker?” Dray spits, his eyes suddenly dangerous.

“My loyalty and my heart are Briony’s,” Fox says.

“Pretty words,” Dray scoffs.

“He’s telling the truth,” I say.

Dray mumbles something but backs off.

I decide it’s best to change the topic.

“What sort of obstacles will be in the water?”

I do not like the sound of any kind of obstacles. Crossing the lake will be tricky enough as it is – especially given the temperature. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover the lake is completely frozen over. I guess swimming isn’t just swimming after all.

“I didn’t get the exact details,” Fox tells us. “But I’d assume creatures of some sort – possibly attack squids. There’s also likely to be strangling seaweed.”

“That all sounds just terrific,” I say, a fake smile pinned to my face as I slump back on my seat.

“This is good,” Beaufort says, strolling across the room. “We know what we’re facing. We can help prepare you.”

“Exactly,” the professor says, nodding. “There are some spells I can teach you that would keep you warm in the water, that would allow you to breathe underwater, that would keep you afloat–”

“That would pop giant squids,” Dray interjects helpfully. “It’s super cool. Their blood and guts are black.”

I stare down into the coffee I’d been enjoying, suddenly losing my appetite for the dark liquid sitting there.

“Your magic may be different to ours, Briony. But I think these spells will work for you.”

“But the trial starts in less than three weeks,” I say, glancing at the calendar on the wall.

“It’s enough time,” Fox says.

I shake my head, panic suddenly rising in my throat.

“But there’s still the actual swimming part. I’m not sure I can do that bit.”

“We can help with that,” Thorne says from his spot in the corner of the room. “We can teach you to swim properly.”

“I need to go tell Fly and Clare.” I jump up on my feet. “They need to know so they can figure out what they’re going to do. Stars, I don’t even know if they can swim!”

“Briony,” Beaufort says, pushing me back down into my seat, “there’s no hurry. There’s time. We’ll make sure you’re prepared.”

I nod, but I don’t feel that much better. The trial is in less than three weeks. That doesn’t sound like a lot of time to me.