Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 143051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 477(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 477(@300wpm)
“Griffin, are you talking about your own parents?” Megan asked in a low voice. “About how they, um, don’t like me?”
“I am certain they would like you just fine if we weren’t Blood-Bonded, little witch,” Griffin said dryly. “But as we have broken the Edict and are ‘flaunting’ our forbidden relationship, to use my father’s words, no, I am afraid that you are not their favorite person.”
Megan looked like she might cry for a moment—her big green-gray eyes went suspiciously bright.
“I’m so sorry, Griffin,” she nearly whispered. “I know you hoped that after your name was cleared, you’d be accepted into your family again. I can’t tell you how bad I feel that I ruined that for you.”
“Little witch, you could never ruin anything for me,” Griffin said swiftly. He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close, resting his chin on top of her head. “I am used to being on the outs with my family,” he reminded her. “I have been for the past fifteen years—remember?”
Which was how long he’d been imprisoned by a spelled lock that kept him in agonizing thirst and refused to let a single drop of blood pass his lips.
Yet, the tall Nocturne didn’t seem bitter about it at all—just contented to have found Megan and bonded her to him—(I thought with possibly just the tiniest twinge of envy.)
“Well, I warned you that breaking the Edict’s magic wouldn’t automatically get rid of the older generation’s prejudice about Others of different kinds dating and bonding,” Avery remarked. “It’s been against the law to even look at an Other that’s not from your own race for hundreds of years. That kind of hatred and intolerance doesn’t just fade overnight.”
“You know what I wish would fade? The lunch ladies’ desire to feed us crap,” Emma said, glaring at her stew again. She looked at Megan appealingly. “Now that you’re so powerful, can’t you just magic us a better lunch? Or at least make this one taste halfway decent?”
Megan sighed. “You know I wish I could but I’m not allowed, Emma. That was one of Headmistress Nightworthy’s conditions when she allowed me and Griffin to continue going to Nocturne Academy. I’m not allowed to do any magic at all outside of my magical classes.”
Which was a rule the Headmistress had laid down after Megan had tried to heal my scars. I think she might have felt the outpouring of powerful magic coming from the Norm Dorm—or else one of the teachers had and had alerted her to it.
“Not even good magic?” Emma wheedled. “Honestly, what’s the point in having so much power if you can’t use it to turn tuna soup into something nice like pizza or fresh sushi or something?”
“I believe the Headmistress’s exact words were, ‘Your magic may not be used outside of class for good or ill or the consequences will be severe,’” Griffin said dryly. “She made Megan promise faithfully that she wouldn’t shed a single drop of blood to benefit herself and her friends or to harm her enemies. So I am afraid that those of you who insist on eating your sustenance are stuck with what the cafeteria sees fit to provide.”
“Amen, brother.” Avery lifted his own cup of mostly cream and sugar coffee. “You girls should just drink your calories, like Griffin and I do.”
Griffin nodded and lifted his own bottle of blood in agreement, answering Avery’s toast with a silent smile.
“Well, we can’t all live on blood and coffee,” Emma grumbled. “I hope you’re planning to make us something nice for dinner tonight, Avery, or we’ll all starve,” she added, looking at him appealingly.
Avery had a habit of sneaking out at night to “borrow” ingredients from the castle’s kitchens and had become an excellent late-night chef and our main source of edible food during the school week as a result. However, this time even the thought of one of his excellent roast chicken dinners—cooked over a spit on the small fire in the common room of our dorm—didn’t stir my stomach.
I really must be coming down with something, I thought. Usually I loved Avery’s late-night dinners.
“Yes, yes—I promise, Emma my love,” he said loftily. “Maybe a nice rare roast beef tonight. I noticed last time I looked that they were stocked up on those. They must be planning to make something special for the Drakes—who apparently live on red meat—and they won’t miss a roast or two.”
Megan clapped her hands.
“That’s sounds delicious, Avery!”
Griffin nodded thoughtfully.
“I agree. It should give a special flavor to your blood, little witch,” he added, looking at Megan meaningfully. “The next time I bite you.”
Avery and Emma groaned and Avery said, “Get a room, you two! And anyway, aren’t you afraid you’ll give Princess Latimer here a taste for blood herself if you keep on biting her?”