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The vampire takes a step back at my anger. The rings of red around his brown irises pulse, perceiving a threat.

Good. That’s better than bemusement or lust. Let him worry. I scowl on my tutor. “I’m not your fucking puppet,” I growl at Carver. “Stop controlling me!”

The mage blanches.

Oh, now he feels bad? It’s too fucking late for regrets. Shaking my head, I level Rowan with a look. “I’m not yours to protect.”

The lion lowers its head, making a sad sound.

A twinge of regret settles in my chest, but I push on, needing to finish my little roundhouse of warnings. This thing between the five of us—hate, lust, fucking entertainment—whatever it is, it ends today.

Finally, I look at Drake. “And you,” I spit. “My mind isn’t your fucking playground!”

He studies me, eyes narrowing to slits. “I know what you’re thinking, but I didn’t cast an illusion. Whatever you saw wasn’t something I created.”

LIAR!

But before I can say anything else, a scream slices through time and space. There’s agony in it, a knife slowly dragging through flesh, splitting it apart centimeter by centimeter, drawing out the pain. It’s not just any scream, though. I recognize the sound of it, my heart twisting inside my chest.

{{Raina!}}

Bree.

I don’t know why or what happened, but she’s in trouble, and she’s using her mindcraft to call for help. Adrenaline surges through me, and I race for the door, only I don’t actually move. Carver’s cursed magic still holds me in place.

“Let me go,” I tell him.

“Not if you’re⁠—”

{{Please help!}} Bree cries.

“Carver! Let me fucking go,” I beg, and the desperation in my tone must sway him, because the magic snaps, and I stumble toward the door before catching myself and racing out of the home. I’ll deal with the vinculum later.

{{Raina, we need you!}} Bree calls again in my mind.

We?

Who is she with?

What’s happening?

Fear claws into my skin, hooks into my heart. The thought of anything happening to her or any of my new friends⁠—

My throat clogs. Fuck.

{{Where are you?}} I call back, trying to leash my panic.

{{The clock tower, hurry, it’s Ever!}}

My head spins as I course correct and race across campus. They’re both in danger, and I haven’t felt this scared since what happened with Addy’s magic—no. I haven’t felt this scared ever, because Drake made that up.

Footsteps pound behind me, but I don’t argue with them and tell them to leave, because if my friends are being attacked, I could use their help.

I burst through the clock tower doors, the wood snapping against the wall, and frantically glance around, skidding to a stop as I survey the first floor. The framing of the tower is exposed, like whoever built it couldn’t be bothered with finishing the job. Probably because the clock tower really only serves one purpose. It’s not like people are using it.

“Raina, no!” Bree’s pained cry carries from up high.

Besides this entry area, the only other room in this tower is at the top of the stairs. I hear the familiar beating of their hearts. That’s where Bree and Ever are, and they’re scared. My heart nearly leaps out of my chest, but I force myself to move, to take the stairs two at a time, racing up flight after flight, the bonded practically on top of me.