“What about the other houses?” I asked.

Theo nodded towards a table across the aisle from ours. “There’s a house leader right there. Kage Tanaka. He’s the leader of House Avari.”

I stole a glance. A striking, tall young man with golden-hued skin sat at the head of a long table. “But his last name...”

“He’s an Avari on his mother’s side,” Coregon explained. “He chose not to take the Avari surname. At least, not yet. He’s proud of his father’s lineage.”

I stole another look at Kage Tanaka. The Avari leader looked... intense. Dressed in a tailored black uniform trimmed with silver braid, he exuded authority, dominating the group of students around him. As he spoke rapidly, his dark eyes narrowed in focus. I got the impression no one would dare to interrupt whatever he was saying.

Kage’s uniform was inscribed with an insignia I assumed was that of House Avari. A silver dragon holding a crescent moon.

I squinted, trying to read the inscription written around the crest.

“Luna sanguinea surgit,” Theo provided as he saw my gaze. “Blood moon rises. Oh, look, there’s another one. Catherine of House Mortis.”

He pointed at a beautiful girl with alabaster skin and white hair braided into a coronet who was striding down the row of tables, tossing a plum in the air and catching it again and again with effortless grace. She wore a short, white, high-collared dress paired with red, leather boots.

Behind her, two young women followed closely, both dark haired and beautiful. One had ebony skin and was dressed all in white. Her long hair fell in long narrow braids. The other had porcelain skin, chin-length hair, and was dressed all in red. The two women’s hands were entwined.

The three women seemed to move as a unit.

I lowered my voice, “Are those her... consorts?”

Coregon made a choking sound while across the table Quinn snickered again.

“Her consorts?” Theo shook his head. “No, they’re her thralls.”

I sputtered. “Thralls? What does that mean?”

“It means she just had them for breakfast,” Quinn muttered from across the table. “By the Bloodmaid, this blightborn girl really knows nothing.”

Theo ignored her. “It means they’re blood-bonded. It’s not as crass as Quinn is trying to make out. But if you’re asking if they’re all lovers, too, then the answer is yes, most likely.”

“Not as crass?” I managed to say. “But they’re her, what? Slaves?”

Theo shrugged. “I mean, in a way, yes. But it’s not as if they’re being tortured. The feeding process can actually be rather pleasurable.”

I didn’t want to hear it. “So you mean they’re willing? They weren’t coerced? They volunteered for this?”

Theo exchanged a look with Quinn and Coregon. “Uh, well. Almost. Not exactly.”

“Thralls means they’re enthralled,” Quinn said, practically giggling at my stupidity. “She has them under her thrall. They love her. They want her to feed from them.”

“That’s disgusting,” I said, angrily. “You can’t just do that to people.”

Quinn’s expression turned nasty. “But we can and we do. And they’re just grateful it’s not worse.”

“What does that mean?” I demanded.

Coregon cleared his throat. “Traditionally, vampires have been more forceful in their hunt for blood sources.”

“He means we used to kill those we drank,” Theo explained. “But now we usually...don’t.”

“Usually?” I spat.

He shrugged. “Some people prefer the old way. It’s not against the law to hunt blightborn, but most have moved beyond it. Veilmar is a safe city. The blightborn are protected. My Uncle Viktor has recently begun to promote a culture of restraint. He believes curbing our bloodlust, saving it, storing it, makes us more powerful.”

I didn’t even want to know what Viktor was storing the bloodlust of vampires for.

“And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Quinn retorted, as if I’d offended her. “What do you think your precious betrothed prefers?” She bared her teeth at me and I flinched. “Don’t you think he’s taken his share of blightborn lives? Hunted and killed to feed?”

“Blake does come from a very traditional branch of the family,” Theo agreed, though I thought he looked a little uncomfortable. He shifted on the bench and looked around the refectory. “In any case, I think that’s it for our house leaders. I don’t see Lysander anywhere. He’s the leader of House Orphos. His sister, Lunaya, may be in some of your classes. A very sweet girl.”

I got the impression he was eager to change the subject.

“The weirdo house,” Quinn muttered across the table. She stood up. “Well, I’m off.” She glanced down at me, then shook her head as if there was no point saying good-bye politely.

I waited until she was out of earshot, then asked, “What did she mean by that? About House Orphos?”

Theo waved a hand. “Oh, you know. House Orphos has a reputation. They’re rather... enigmatic.”

“He means they’re useless,” Coregon added. “Weak.”

“They’re generally considered to be the least powerful house, yes,” Theo admitted. “Though Lysander could change that impression with time. It wasn’t always so. There’s always one house that’s generally considered weaker.”

Coregon was rising to his feet. “Well, good luck today, Medra.”

“Thanks,” I said with surprise, checking the clock high up on the wall. It was only five minutes to nine. Classes didn’t begin until nine-thirty. “You’re off, too?”

He exchanged a glance with Theo. “I like to be early. There’s some prep work I have to see to. I’m helping one of the professors.”

Around us, the refectory was emptying out. But Theo didn’t look concerned at all. He was helping himself to another plate of fried potatoes.

“So who did you drink from this morning, Theo?” I asked politely, watching him.

He paused with his fork midway to his mouth. “You know, we don’t need to feed all the time. And we don’t need to kill when we feed. As I’ve said, some choose to do so, but many don’t. It’s generally looked down upon these days as overly brutal. Bad form. You get the idea.” He chewed a potato, then added, “Besides, most of us use the servants. We highbloods make sure to have a few on hand. If worse comes to worse, we just grab a First Year.”

I blanched and Theo burst out laughing.

“That was a joke,” he said.

“Very funny. Ha ha,” I muttered.

“Well, here comes Regan.” Theo pushed back his plate and stood up. “Guess we should be heading to class.”

All around us, the hall had cleared out, except for a few servants who were scurrying about carrying dirty dishes and scrubbing the tables.

“Goodness, what a trek that was,” Regan said breathlessly. She was dressed impeccably in a lilac wool sweater and a silky matching skirt. “I think I’ll take some kava to go. Theo, you’re such a dear for minding Medra.”

Theo bowed. “Anything for you, Regan.” He looked at me. “Well, good-bye, Medra. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He winked one last time and then was gone.

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CHAPTER 5 - MEDRA

“That boy.” Regan took a sip from the mug she’d just filled. “He’ll be the death of Blake with all of his ridiculous antics. I think I’ll carry this as we walk. Very carefully, of course.” She laughed as if she’d said something funny and I forced a smile, trying not to think about vampires and blood.

We went slowly down the corridor, with Regan taking careful sips from her drink.

She seemed preoccupied.

That was all right with me as my mind was busy considering all that I’d learned.

Blake was still an ass. But Theo could grow on me. Coregon was a neutral. He seemed to be trying to give me a fair chance, which was more than I could say for Visha or Quinn.

Quinn was a bitch, but maybe we’d warm up to each other eventually. Visha had left too quickly for me to get much of a read on her.