Thornhill Academy (By Sheridan Hartin) novel Chapter 64

I sat on the edge of the bed with Allison, curled up in a little ball with one arm tucked under her cheek. Her breath was slow and even; the rise and fall of her chest was enough to keep me anchored. Tessa had said they were going shopping. Shopping didn’t prepare me for this: for the way a day spun out of control; for a pub full of danger and liquor. If I’d known, I would have gone with them. I should have. I shouldn’t have trusted that she’d be safe. I hated the way my chest tightened thinking about the things that could have happened. Kael had been there. Thank the gods, Kael had been there. My gratitude was conflicting because it was tangled with something else. He’d barged in like a storm with my mate and laid down a warning that had me angry and thankful all at once. I owe him my life a dozen times

over. And yet the thought of him standing between me and what might be ours….him touching what my dragon and I had only just found…made a slow, ugly jealousy crawl up my spine.

A loud, incessant banging snapped me out of the spiralling thoughts. My head lifted as the sound repeated, harder and more annoying. I

rose, boots whisper-soft on the floorboards, and opened the door a crack. Cage stood at the base of the stairwell, looking like he’d spent

the night arguing with fate and losing. His hair was rumpled, dark circles dug deep beneath his eyes, and there was that familiar insolent

curl to his mouth. He slammed his fist against the wood again, a harsh, impatient rhythm.

“Dude, can you not?” I called down.