Tasting Drakness

Chapter 48

Aleera POV

The classes droned on, and I wasn’t looking forward to being in the sun for the rest of the day. Although, for once, I actually made it around the obstacle course. I was pretty proud of myself, yet the cramping was becoming ridiculous.

Lycus sang out to me and waved me over; moving off the course, I made my way over to him. For some reason, he decided to run the obstacle course.

“Did they give you any shit after I left?” Lycus asked me.

“No,” I tell him. He nods. “Good, go to lunch then, after you can take the rest of the day off,”

“Really?” I ask excitedly, and he nods. “Just stay out of trouble and away from Darius and watch Kalen for me,” he asks, and I nod before realizing he wanted m e to go back to their room.

Sulking, I headed back inside and to the mess hall. I felt queasy lining up for lunch, yet no one said anything to me, and I moved to a table closest to the door up the back, so I had a quick escape if needed. One thing became apparent, though. They all feared Lycus because not one of them approached me, and they let me eat. It wasn’t until I went to get up that one of them spoke.

“She is getting up,” Satish smiled while also getting up, and I recognized Lycus’s error. He said not to mess with me while I was eating. That wasn’t going to stop them when I wasn’t. Satish leering smile made me gulp. The man was huge and just as intimidating as Zac and Deacon in his black ops uniform. How they all wore those uniforms in this heat was beyond me.

and nibbled the corner of the other half of my sandwich. Satish and Zac growled, sitting back down and glaring at me. Once again, I waited for the siren and for

looking around before I ducked down to the cells, excited that I could give Ryze some extra food today, and hoped I could keep this up because he would be

his good wing when I heard the door open.

come down the steps, and

I would find you here, interesting pet you keep, Aleera,” Tobias says, sauntering closer, and I step back, and

Tobias says, looking around me, and I step in front of his gaze,

in my eyes because Ryze was all I had, and I knew he would hurt him. Tobias stepped down the last step with his hand

don’t hurt him,” I whispered. “Him? How do you know it’s a male?” Tobias asked, tilting his

his is black,” I answer, which seems to shock him that I

Ryze off his nest and tucking him under my arm. Tobias stared at Ryze, and Ryze hissed at him. I grabbed his beak,

to hurt him,” I tell Tobias. Ryze hisses, and I glance down at him. “Shh,

him warily and the hand he

it’s letting you touch it. Those

were torturing him, so I saved him. Once he figured out I wasn’t going to hurt him, he got used to me,” I tell him,

you need to keep him hidden if you want to keep

keep him?” Tobias nods before pulling his arm out from behind his back, and I notice he has a cage full