CHAPTER 53 - MEDRA

Instinct kicked in. Highblood instinct. Blake's instinct.

Before I even had time to think my hand had shot out and with a sharp, audible snap, I caught the arrow mid-flight.

I stared down at it in disbelief, my palm wrapped around the shaft.

Above me, Quinn froze, her eyes wide.

For a long moment, we simply stared at each other.

Then something stirred inside me. A savage urge rising to the surface, too powerful to resist.

Blake's blood had flipped a switch in me, igniting something dark and wild.

My muscles tensed with inhuman power, Blake's blood and my rider's body meshing together in a ferocious combination.

I lunged towards the tree and before Quinn could even blink, I'd scaled the trunk, clambering from branch to branch with skill not fully my own.

I landed beside Quinn on the tree limb where she sat, my feet hardly making a sound.

She let out a strangled gasp and scrambled backwards.

But there was nowhere she could go.

I moved towards her and this time, I didn't stop. I didn't hold back.

I drove the arrow into her side, ignoring the sickening sound of flesh tearing. Quinn gasped, her eyes widening with shock as the force of the strike pushed her out of the tree.

Her body crashed through the branches as it plummeted down before hitting the ground with a thud.

I dropped down to the forest floor beside her, landing lightly on my feet.

For a moment, I stood there, looking at my fallen opponents.

Regan's unconscious body was still sprawled in the dirt. Now Quinn lay gasping in pain beside her.

I felt nothing. Certainly not guilt.

I turned and walked out of the clearing, Blake's blood still pulsing in my ears.

I stood at the top of a hill, looking down at the scene in front of me.

A domed stone building lay in the distance, silhouetted against the sea. A dock lay behind it with small boats tied up. I assumed this was how they were getting us home. Those of us who made it that far, anyhow.

Below, I could see Visha and Evander waiting near the entrance. They weren't alone. There was a line of other consorts ahead of them. All anxiously awaiting their turn.

As I came down the hill, Visha rushed up. "Have you seen Regan?"

I blinked. "You told me to avoid her."

Still, the guilt must have shown on my face.

Visha's eyes narrowed. "But you didn't, did you?"

"I had no choice," I admitted. "She ambushed me. Gretchen and Quinn were with her."

The hint of a smile crossed Visha's face. "Gretchen limped down here a while ago, looking a little worse for wear. Her consort is furious at her." She tilted her head. "But Regan? You didn't kill her, did you? I sure hope not, because you're going to need her."

My eyes widened. "What? Please tell me you're joking. I thought you said you or Evander would help me."

"Is she dead or not?"

"No, but I knocked her out. I left her back there." I gestured to the forest behind me. "Way back there."

Visha cast a quick glance at the line of consorts. "Well, you'd better go get her. You need your consort for the next test and a substitute won't cut it. Both of you need to spill a drop of blood into some bowl before you're allowed to enter the dome. And once you enter, you don't come out again. If you can't find Regan, you're both going to be screwed. Evander and I can't help you." She had the decency to look sympathetic but that wasn't much consolation.

"Fuck," I swore. "I can't believe this."

Visha chewed her lip. "I'd help you go and get her if I could. But Evander..."

The tall, silver-haired boy was standing at the end of the line, watching Visha and I.

I nodded. "I understand. It's not fair to him." Just like being paired with Regan had never been fair to me. I glanced over at the domed building. "What's waiting for us in there anyhow?"

Visha hesitated. For a moment, the fierce, unshakeable girl looked uncertain. "I don't know exactly." But something in her voice told me she did know. She just didn't want to tell me. "But I have a bad feeling about it."

I ran a hand over my hair, brushing loose tendrils off my forehead. "Great. Fantastic."

I turned away, my boots digging into the dirt as I started my trek back up the hill.

"What are you going to do?" Visha called.

"Get Regan," I shouted from over my shoulder. "I'll drag her back here if I have to."

But when I arrived at the clearing, it was empty.

Regan and Quinn were gone.

I cursed under my breath, eyes narrowing as I scanned the ground.

Broken twigs. Flattened earth. Quinn's blood on the grass.

I crouched down, touching the spot where I'd knocked Regan out. If only I'd made her bleed a little. Would dried blood count for the next challenge? Quinn had left plenty but it wasn't hers I needed.

I took a deep breath, inhaling, my senses prickling with clarity.

There it was. Regan's scent. Sweat mixed with dirt. The hint of lavender and musk. Apparently Regan had managed a spritz of perfume, even in the jungle.

Quinn's scent hung in the air, too. The tang of her blood mixed with fear and dirt and sweat.

I sniffed in one direction, then another.

They'd split up. Regan had gone one way and Quinn another. Why hadn't they stayed together?

How did I even know any of this?

There was more to it than Blake's blood. My mind flashed to Rodriguez's cryptic words about my rider's heritage. Was this what he'd meant? Could I activate some instinctive ancient training?

I had no dragon, but the instincts of a rider were in my bones. Blake's blood must have been intensifying them somehow, stirring up senses I had no idea I'd even possessed.

I was born to do this, I told myself, trying to channel tranquility. Sure, the effects wouldn't last. But they were useful for now.

I took another deep breath, letting my senses guide me, honing in on Regan's scent while ignoring the alluring aroma of Quinn's fresh blood. I wasn't a highblood. I didn't need blood. I needed Regan Pansera.

I could feel her pull now, faint but present.

I turned in the direction she'd gone.

Dodging low-hanging vines and branches, I moved as quickly as I dared. Each step felt purposeful. My body knew where it was going. My blood was guiding me.

All right, so a little of Blake's was in the mix, too.

Regan's scent grew stronger, sharper, as I ran through the dense foliage.

I leaped over fallen logs, my steps light, all trace of dizziness and grogginess gone. I'd never felt so attuned to my surroundings. So powerful.

Suddenly, the scent faded.

I slowed my pace, heart pounding with anticipation.

I felt like a predator. A hunter.

Was this how Blake felt all the time? With me?

Regan was close. I could almost taste her. When I found her, I knew I'd have to control myself. Control that part of me that was Blake, the part of him that wanted to kill, wanted to feed. I suddenly wondered how he managed to keep himself in check at Bloodwing. Was this how he felt when he was near me? Was this how all highbloods felt all of the time? It was an uncomfortable idea.

A new thought came to me. I slid Coregon's dagger down my palm, then began to turn in a slow circle, holding the knife outwards slightly.

It's your turn to shine, I muttered to Orcades. Time to step up.

Dear girl, I thought you'd never ask, came my mother's voice. But do try not to kill Regan when you do catch her. From what Visha told you, it sounds as if you need her alive.

I'll do my best to resist, I said grudgingly. But she started it.

Orcades laughed. She's in the trees. Get ready.

Taking a page from Quinn's playbook, is she? I grumbled. Where?

Jump to the left, Orcades snapped. Now.

I did as she said, tumbling to the side then springing back to my feet.

Regan hit the ground with a grunt of shock. She'd expected me to be her landing pad but I'd denied her that.

I walked up, sorely tempted to kick her in the ribs.

Instead, with a sigh, I offered her my hand.

"Fuck off, bitch," she groaned gracelessly. She had a hand to her head. I guess I'd hurt her more than I'd realized when I knocked her out. But she was still walking and talking, so it must not have been that bad. "And give you a chance to stab me with that dagger? I don't think so."

So she was unarmed. She hadn't found her rapier in the bushes. Good. I'd wondered about that.

I sheathed the dagger, tucked it back into my boot, and held up my hands. "I'm not going to stab you, Regan."

"Why'd you come back?" she asked sulkily.

"The real question is, why are you still here?" I said, shaking my head as I looked at her wobbling on her feet. "Why didn't you head to the other side of the island?"

"I got lost," she admitted. "Quinn left me. No thanks to you."

I snorted. "Right. I'm so sorry your two pals got hurt trying to kill me. They got what they deserved."

"And now you're here to finish me off while they're not around," she hissed.

I rolled my eyes. "Tempting though that idea is, it turns out I need you."

I took a step towards her. "Let me rephrase that. We need each other. If you want to get out of this place. Unless you'd rather live up in the trees for the rest of your days."

"Blake helped you," she spat. "He gave you his blood. He obviously doesn't care if I live or die here."

We had to hurry. There wasn't much time left. I thought of the line of consorts. We'd be the last ones to arrive if this kept up. I wondered how long it took each pair to get through whatever challenge they had to face in the dome.

"Can we speed this up or do you have a long self-pitying monologue planned?" I said, waving my hand. "You can hash things out with your boyfriend when we get back."

"He's not my fucking boyfriend and you know it. He hasn't let me into his room in months. Not since you got here."

I hadn't actually known that. Theo had suggested it, yes.

I must have been shallower than I thought though because a warm feeling of relief flowed through me.

"Not my problem," I lied. "Tell someone who cares. What matters is that we're both stuck with him for now. So let's just get out of here."

I took another step towards her. "You can hardly stand. Don't make this harder for yourself. If I have to, I'll tie you up and carry you."

Regan lifted her eyes upwards as if we were being watched.

Which, I suddenly realized, we were. We were a spectacle for the entire school. Just like Blake had been that day in the arena when he'd had to kill Coregon.

"Can they hear us, too?" I asked her, suddenly curious.

She shook her head. "No, thank the fucking Bloodmaid."

Good. So they hadn't heard what I'd told Regan about Blake helping me with his blood. I felt oddly relieved. I didn't want him to get into trouble, not when what he'd done for me had actually worked.

"What's the point?" Regan whined. "I'm probably going to get kicked out of the triad, kicked out of Bloodwing. I'll be a laughingstock." She kicked at a rock, her pretty face petulant.

I really doubted I'd be that lucky. But I bit my tongue.

"Get a grip, Regan. If you don't get out, what'll happen? We'll live on this island together forever? I can think of a long list of people I'd rather be stranded with."

"Live?" Regan laughed nastily. "Oh, no, we won't live . They'll kill us both. But knowing I took you down with me might make it worth it." She tilted her head as if considering the option.

I clenched my jaw. "Or you can live another day and plot your revenge."

She eyed me thoughtfully. "Appealing. Slightly more appealing."

"Good. Then let's get going," I snapped, losing patience with her. "Everyone was already there. Except you and Quinn. We're going to be the last."

I started striding back through the jungle, praying she'd follow and I wouldn't have to do what I'd threatened and actually carry her. I felt powerful enough to manage it, but she'd severely slow me down.

Within a minute, I heard the snap of twigs and rustle of grass as she trailed after me.

"What exactly do you need me for?" she asked after a few minutes had passed. "What's the next challenge?"

"All I know is they need some of each of our blood. We have to enter a domed building together. No one seems to know what's inside." Well, Visha might have had a pretty good idea. Though she hadn't wanted to tell me.

"Did Visha tell you that?" Regan guessed. "That traitorous bitch. How dare she take Blake's side."

"Yes, you seem to have a lot of traitors in your life," I quipped. "Once we're out of here, you might want to do some soul-searching about why that is."

"I think I'd rather drink a few thralls and fix my broken nails instead, thanks." She sighed and I didn't have to turn my head to know she was looking at her hands. "Fuck. They'll never be the same."

I held back the comments that were on the tip of my tongue and instead continued leading the way back to the dome.