He offered his arm. “Shall we?”

I hesitated for only a moment, then took it. Together, we left the Common Room to make our way to the ball.

The refectory had been completely transformed.

The long rows of tables and benches had been removed. Large circular tables draped with white linen tablecloths had been set up in their place, all decorated with dark evergreen garlands intertwined with pale blue roses, their petals dusted with glittering frost.

Long, thin, icicle-like chandeliers made of crystal hung from the ceiling. The walls had been enchanted with some sort of a charm. They shifted as they displayed images of snowflakes, swirling from one end to another.

Beneath our feet, the floor seemed to sparkle and gleam, enchanted with a pattern of frosted blue ice.

At the far end of the room, in the center of the stage, a great silver clock had been hung up. It counted down the hours to the end of the solstice night.

As I stepped into the room with Kage at my side, I spotted Regan and Blake. They were standing with a group of students from House Drakharrow.

Blake had his back to us, but Regan was facing the entrance.

She looked stunning as always, though her dress was a little predictable. A bold red satin, short and tight, that clung to every curve, leaving little to the imagination.

Regan’s eyes widened and her jaw went slack as Kage led me inside. I watched, curious, as she grabbed Blake’s arm and whispered something urgently to him. He turned slowly, then froze.

His gaze locked onto mine and the world seemed to pause.

I watched his jaw tighten and his eyes grow dark and stormy. A shiver went down my spine.

He was displeased. It was the reaction I’d anticipated, the reaction I’d wanted. I glanced at Kage. He was smiling slightly, his eyes also on Blake.

I lifted my chin, determined to ignore everyone from House Drakharrow and focus on the man standing by my side.

Kage led me to a table full of students in House Avari colors. None of them were familiar to me, but they smiled in a surprisingly friendly way. One boy stood up and offered me his seat.

I took it gratefully as the girl beside me leaned over. “I’m Evie. Is this your first Frostfire Festival at Bloodwing?”

I nodded. “Yes. Pleased to meet you.”

Kage took the seat beside me, his gaze sweeping over the room before returning to me. “Forgive me for saying it again,” he murmured against my ear, his voice low and husky. “But you look ravishing tonight. You’re the most beautiful woman in the room.”

I felt a flush creep up my neck, but tried to mask it with a polite nod. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”

Next to smooth-talking Kage, I felt slightly awkward and out of place but I was determined not to show it.

Evie leaned over again, a mischievous smile on her lips. “Just so you know, Kage has never brought a date to one of these things before.”

I glanced at Kage, raising my eyebrow.

He shrugged casually.

I was about to respond when I caught a flash of red and white. Turning, I saw Catherine Mortis making her way towards us. The House Leader always had a bored, prideful air about her, but tonight, it seemed even more pronounced.

To my surprise, she was without her blightborn companions. Instead, she was flanked by two highbloods, one male and one female. They stood behind her, looking beautiful and similarly bored.

Catherine’s gaze, I belatedly realized, was focused on me.

“I like your dress,” she said, as she neared the table. Her tone was approving, but her eyes still held their customary superiority. “Black and silver.” She glanced at Kage. “Good choice.”

I wasn’t sure if that last part was directed to me or to Kage.

“Thank you,” I said, feeling slightly uneasy under the scrutiny.

Catherine Mortis lingered a moment longer, looking down at Evie. “Save me a dance later, won’t you?” she said, waving a slender hand.

Evie flushed with pleasure and nodded.

Then, with a small nod to Kage, Catherine moved on, her two companions trailing behind her.

Once she was gone, I turned to Kage, my curiosity piqued. “Were those her consorts?”

He nodded. “They’re not official yet. But her father has approved them. They’ll be in the Games with you.”

I remembered what I’d heard about Catherine. She preferred women. But she’d chosen one male consort. For breeding, I assumed. What a decision to have to make. But I supposed noble highbloods were used to those kinds of compromises.

“Where are your consorts?” I blurted out, before I could stop myself. “I’m sorry. Is that in poor taste?”

Kage smiled and shook his head. “I don’t have any yet. In House Avari, archons make their own choices. We’re at Bloodwing for years. I still have plenty of time to decide.” His gaze slid over me, with the hint of a suggestion.

I felt a mixture of intrigue and discomfort at the implication but before I could reply, Kage stood up.

“The orchestra is playing.”

I glanced over at the stage and saw that he was right. The Bloodwing Ensemble had begun to play and I’d been so distracted I hadn’t even noticed. There was Naveen in the front row.

I scanned the crowd and found Florence. She sat at a table near the stage with some other First Years, talking and laughing. I wondered what would happen between her and Naveen tonight. Would Naveen work up the courage to tell her how he really felt?

Belatedly, I realized Kage was offering me his hand.

“Shall we dance?”

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER 40 - BLAKE

Fuck me.

That was the first thought that went through my head as I saw her walk into the room in a dress that seemed to silently scream at me “please peel this off my stunningly beautiful body.”

My reaction was visceral. Like a punch to the heart. An immediate tightening in my chest.

Then I saw the colors she was in. Black and silver. The shades of House Avari.

And next to her? Looking so smug I wanted to knock his perfect white teeth out? None other than fucking Kage Tanaka.

My eyes honed back in on Pendragon. What was she wearing around her neck?

A silver half-moon pendant. A mark. A claim. Kage may as well have branded her with his fangs.

I clenched my jaw so tight I thought it might break.

The dress, the necklace, the sight of Kage there by her side. It was a power play. Kage was flaunting her. We’d always been rivals. He was the only one at the school anywhere close to being at my level.

Now he was trying to deliberately provoke me.

Well, it’d worked. He’d triggered something so primal and possessive inside of me that I could barely keep it under control.

Kage turned to say something to Pendragon and I saw his eyes linger over her cleavage. I wanted to stab his fucking eyes out for even daring to look. How could he look at her like that when she so obviously belonged to me?

No matter how furious I felt, I couldn’t deny one thing.

Pendragon was the most stunning woman in the room.

I could hardly tear my eyes away from her.

And yet I knew I had to. Because I could feel Regan’s jealous eyes boring into me. In another minute, others would start to notice my obsessive attention and I’d look like even more of a laughingstock.

Regan’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Blake, darling,” she purred, tugging at my sleeve. “You’re staring.”

I ignored her, watching as Kage led Pendragon through the crowd and over to one of the tables reserved for House Avari.

Regan’s hand slid over my chest, her touch unwelcome but persistent.

“Blake, you’re not listening to me,” she said, her voice sulky.

I forced myself to look away.

Regan smiled up at me. “That’s better. The dancing is about to begin.”