I closed my eyes for a moment. “I’m not surprised to hear that, Professor. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time is basically how my entire day has been going.” I opened my eyes and looked over at Blake, but the bastard’s face was unreadable.

I took a deep breath then winced as my ribs twisted painfully. “I’m sorry for disrupting your class, Professor. It was listed on my timetable so I showed up. I’ll have to sort out where I’m actually supposed to be.”

“Yes, I think a meeting with the headmaster is certainly in order,” Sankara agreed. “But that wasn’t the only reason I wanted to speak with you.”

Belatedly I realized something. Unlike my first two professors that day, Professor Sankara was a vampire. I caught glimpses of his razor sharp fangs appearing and disappearing as he spoke. I’d been so distracted it had taken me this long just to notice.

“Miss Pendragon? Did you hear what I said? This class is exclusively for vampires.”

I sighed. “Right. I guess I should have figured that out.”

I reached down to grab my spear from where it had fallen out of the ring so I could carry it back to the rack. Bad idea. I suppressed a groan.

“At least, it usually is exclusively for vampires,” Sankara went on. “Exceptions have been made.”

My head shot up. “Excuse me?”

Professor Sankara was looking at me thoughtfully. “You showed admirable skill with a spear in your duel with Miss Vaidya. Most students wouldn’t have dared to go toe to toe with her. Or with any vampire, for that matter.”

My heart thudded. So he’d been watching us for a while. This professor seemed more personable than the other vampires I’d encountered. But he’d seen Visha grab me by the hair after I’d already won our first round. And he hadn’t seen fit to intervene. He’d waited and watched to see what would happen. And let Visha kick the shit out of me until he deemed it had gone far enough.

I lifted my chin. “Well, I guess that’s another reason I wasn’t meant to be in this place. I do dare.”

“Or it’s the very reason you belong here,” Professor Sankara replied. “You’re clearly not unschooled. Who taught you how to fight?”

“I had a tutor,” I said slowly. “Back where I come from. She taught me everything I know about combat.”

“She must have been a very impressive woman,” Sankara said. “I’d like to meet her.”

“She’s dead,” I said shortly.

Blake’s head jerked up. Our eyes met. His gray ones honed into me.

I looked away. “Do the students really kill each other here?” I asked.

“At Bloodwing?” Sankara nodded. “Sometimes. It’s a ruthless world, Miss Pendragon. The school reflects that. The students here have to be the very best to get here in the first place. But once they’re here, that’s just the start of it. You have to earn your place at Bloodwing every day. The highbloods who are your friends now might be your worst enemy a few years down the road. Some of our most ferocious wars have been fought between houses. And if you can’t keep your place, well...” He shrugged. “Someone might decide to take it from you.”

“That’s horrible,” I said.

“None of you are children,” he replied. “These–” He gestured around him, with a pointed look at Blake. “Are the future leaders of Sangratha. We need them to be strong.”

“Strong and merciless,” I said bitterly.

“Strong enough to protect this land and all the people in it, including the weak,” Sankara replied. “But you–you’re not weak, Miss Pendragon. Visha made a mistake when she assumed you were, didn’t she?”

“I wound up flat on my back in the dirt,” I said. “So pardon me if I’m surprised you think so.”

Sankara smiled slightly. “What I saw was a fighter with promise. I don’t think you’re in the wrong place. I think you’re in the right one.”

“What?” Blake and I spoke in unison.

I glared at him, but he was looking at Sankara.

“But, Professor, that’s impossible. This is an exclusive class, just like you said. She can’t be here. It’s for vampires. Highbloods only. The elite. She’s not one of us.” Blake glanced at me, looking me up and down. “Besides, look at her. If she’s in this state after half a class...”

He let the words hang there. They shouldn’t have stung as badly as they did. What did I care if Blake thought I was a failure?

Sankara rubbed his chin. “The elite, eh, Drakharrow? Yet from what I just saw, Pendragon has the potential to be as talented a fighter as...” He paused. “Well, who knows. Maybe even you.”

“Me?” Blake bristled. “I doubt that.” He frowned. “You know I respect you, Professor, but...”

“But what, Drakharrow?” The professor’s voice was suddenly dangerously cool. “You’re a student in this class. You were in charge. Were you really going to let Visha Vaidya stab your consort in full sight of the entire class? You could have intervened sooner than you did. So why didn’t you? Why did you wait for me to do something?”

I looked back and forth between the two men in confusion. What did Sankara mean? Blake hadn’t intervened at all.

Blake glanced at me. “As you saw, sir, Pendragon handled herself. Better than I could have expected. I thought it was more fair to at least give her a chance to prove herself.”

I scoffed. “You’re fucking unbelievable. Was that a backhanded compliment?”

“It sounds to me like you’re saying she might deserve to be here, Drakharrow,” Sankara observed with a small smile. “In any case, there’s certainly precedent for it.”

“Precedent?” I asked.

“Dragon riders used to have their own advanced combat classes,” Sankara explained. “They were the warriors of the skies, after all.”

“Did they fight alongside vampires...?” I asked, curious despite myself. “Did they train with them?”

“Absolutely. They had to. In fact, that’s something I’ll be mentioning to the headmaster when I speak to him about you later on. You’re the only rider in the school and that means your curriculum should be as unique as you are. I’m not sure much thought was put into it based on what you’ve said.”

“I was in History of Sangratha and Restoration before this,” I said.

Sankara raised a brow. “Everyone has to take History with Professor Hassan. But Restoration? I’m not sure how much practical value that will hold for you. Another mistake on your schedule perhaps.”

“Perhaps,” I said, glaring at Blake again. “Today has just been full of those.”

“Bloodmaiden! Look at the time. We’d better get you to a healer.” Sankara glanced at me as I wiped away blood from my nose. “Not all of the students here are as restrained as my older cohort here. So you’ll need an escort. What class are you supposed to have next?”

“Introduction to Bloodwing Libraries,” I said. “At least, that’s what my timetable says. I’m not sure it’s correct.”

The professor nodded. “That sounds right. All First Years have a general orientation to the libraries. But I’m not sure you’re going to make it. You might have to catch up later. I want you to head to the Drakharrow House healer first. After that, see if there’s time before Headmaster Kim’s Commencement Address is scheduled to begin in the Dragon Court.” He glanced at Blake. “I assume I can trust you to show Pendragon the way to your house healer with no trouble?”

“No trouble at all, Sir,” Blake said. He looked at me coldly. “I’ll take her now.”

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CHAPTER 8 - MEDRA

“I’m not a fucking parcel,” I snapped, as Professor Sankara walked off to speak with another student. “Just tell me where the healer is and I’ll find them. No need for us to spend any more time in one another’s company.”

“The professor said to take you, so I’m taking you,” Blake said stiffly. “Unless you truly want to wander the halls for hours aimlessly, hoping you find your way there on your own.”

“Asshole,” I muttered. “Fine. Lead on.”