Page 90 of Twisted Ties

I nod. My body’s still trembling and I feel lightheaded and sick. I fling myself forward, wrapping her in a tight hug. Then I crawl out of the car on my hands and knees and vomit into the grassy verge.

29

Rhi

It takesus several attempts to roll the car back onto its wheels, both of us are weakened – Winnie from her injuries, me from using a large portion of my magic to heal her.

When we finally manage it, Winnie peers at me with curiosity. We’re both covered in her dried blood, neither wanting to waste any more of our magic on cleaning ourselves up.

“What?” I ask her.

“I don’t know. I’m kind of surprised you have any magic left at all. That was an incredibly tricky healing spell, Rhi.”

I flex my fingers and shrug my shoulders. She doesn’t need to tell me. My head aches from the effort.

“I guess. But I feel like I have quite a bit left in the tank.” Not like the last time when I faced Renzo, and fighting himdrained every drop of my magical reserves and left me at death’s door.

“Could be the fated-mate bond,” Winnie says, walking around the car and inspecting the damage. The car now owns a lot more dents and scrapes than it did previously.

“You think?” I say, staring down at my hands and then my stomach. I can feel the bond humming in there. I can also feel Azlan’s concern and his anger but I do my best to block that out.

“I read one article that said bonding to a powerful fated mate would increase your own powers.”

“Yes, Azlan said that’s why the Chancellor would punish us for our union.”

Is my magic stronger? There hasn’t been an opportunity to test it since we bonded. But Winnie’s right. I should be a hell of a lot more drained than I am right now.

Winnie opens the car door and slides inside. She presses the ignition and to my surprise the car starts.

“Are you up for driving?” I ask.

Winnie smiles at me, although I can see she’s more exhausted than she’s letting on. “Rhi, I’m fine. You did a really good job.”

“And is it safe?” I ask.

Winnie presses more buttons. “Seems there’s no damage to the actual system. We’re safe to go.”

The car looks even more of a death trap than it did before, but after what we’ve just been through together, I trust my friend implicitly.

Pip seems a little less sure, and it takes the two of us a lot of coaxing and promises of belly rubs and cookies before he’ll climb in with us.

“Back to Arrow Hart?” I ask her with a sinking feeling.I’m not looking forward to facing Azlan or the principal. Neither will be pleased about our little trip.

“Actually I was thinking …”

“Uh oh,” I say. “This sounds dangerous.”

Winnie elbows me. “Says the girl who just nearly got us killed. Twice! I was thinking, seeing as we are going to be in a shit-load of trouble when we get back to the academy, there isn’t exactly a big hurry to return. Unless, that is, you need to get back to your mate, you know, for the banging.”

“I think I’m going to be in even more trouble with the mate than the principal. I doubt there’ll be any banging for a long time. A long long long time.”

Which has me actually feeling kind of disappointed.

Winnie spots the look on my face. “See, I told you. Once you pop you can’t stop.”

“Pop what exactly?”

“Your virginity.”