Chapter 142 — He’ll Come Back

Chapter 142: Chapter 142 — He’ll Come Back

~ Raven ~

"CASSIAN!"

Raven flinched at the fury in Dante’s voice.

He stood in the doorway, his Fire Lattice burning across his body as he stared at Cassian holding her. His gaze dropped to Cassian’s hands around her wrists, and the temperature inside the practice room began to rise.

"Just what the fuck is going on?"

Cassian released one of Raven’s wrists and slipped his arm around her waist when her knees threatened to buckle.

"Move, Dante."

Dante’s eyes narrowed. "I asked you a question."

"And I told you to move."

He took another step into the room.

The air surged around Cassian, sweeping across the floor and rattling the equipment along the wall. Dante’s Fire Lattice flared in response, and Raven felt the temperature climb again.

Oh, Goddess. Not now.

"Cassian," she whispered.

Neither of them seemed to hear her.

Dante looked ready to tear Cassian apart, while Cassian’s attention remained fixed on him. Raven could feel the pressure building between them, and in her current state, she couldn’t bear the thought of what would happen if they started fighting.

Another burst of heat swept through her body.

"AAH!"

Raven doubled over, clutching Cassian’s shirt.

"Stop! Please, just fucking stop!"

The flames vanished.

Dante stared at her.

For the first time, his gaze seemed to take in more than the fact that Cassian was holding her. His eyes moved over her flushed face, the blood beneath her nose and the way she was trembling against Cassian.

"Raven?"

"She’s been drugged," Cassian said. "She needs a healer."

Dante went still.

"What?"

Cassian bent and lifted Raven into his arms.

"Who did it?" Dante demanded. "Was it those girls—"

"Later."

Cassian turned toward the door.

Raven instinctively wrapped an arm around his neck, and the moment she felt the warmth of his body against hers, another wave of desire swept through her.

Fuck.

She tried to loosen her hold, but her fingers only tightened against his shoulder.

"Put me down," she managed.

"You can barely stand."

"I know that!"

Her voice broke as she struggled to pull away from him. She wanted his help. She had been looking for him since leaving Hale Wing. Yet now that he was here, she couldn’t even trust herself to remain in his arms without reaching for him.

"Goddess, I’m going to fucking destroy him."

Cassian looked down at her. "Who?"

Raven clenched her jaw.

She could still remember the Dreamwalker crouching beside her, asking whether she had suffered enough. The sound of his laughter had followed her even after she escaped.

"Just wait until I get my hands on that bastard."

Cassian’s expression darkened, but he said nothing as he carried her toward the door.

Raven caught sight of Alaric standing against the far wall.

He had one hand pressed against his jaw, and his shirt was still partly unbuttoned. His gaze moved between the two Cardinals before settling on the doorway. When Cassian passed without another glance at him, Alaric’s shoulders lowered slightly.

Raven turned her face away.

She never wanted to see that bastard again.

"Raven!"

Brielle came hurrying toward them as soon as they stepped into the courtyard.

She stopped when she saw Raven in Cassian’s arms.

"What happened?" Brielle’s gaze darted toward the blood beneath Raven’s nose. "Raven, can you hear me?"

"Unfortunately."

Brielle turned to Cassian. "You said she was in danger. What the hell happened to her?"

"She needs a healer."

"I can see that. What happened?"

"Not here, Vance."

Cassian continued walking, leaving Brielle to hurry after them.

"Raven?"

"Please, Brielle. Just stop asking me questions."

Brielle fell silent, although she stayed close.

They reached the main corridor, and Raven immediately regretted leaving the practice room.

Students were everywhere.

Several turned when they saw Cassian approaching with her in his arms. Others stopped walking altogether, their gazes shifting between him and Dante.

"Is that Raven Rivers?"

"What happened to her?"

"I heard the Cardinals were looking for someone."

"Why is Cassian carrying her?"

Raven shut her eyes.

Goddess, please.

She had already endured enough humiliation yesterday. Now she was being carried through Valerius with blood on her face while two Cardinals drew the attention of practically everyone they passed.

She pressed her face against Cassian’s chest.

"Don’t look at them," he said quietly.

Easy for him to say.

He wasn’t the one everyone was staring at.

A moment later, his aura spread around her.

Raven stiffened instinctively, but the pressure was nothing like the force he had used against Alaric. It settled around her without hurting her, and the noise of the surrounding students seemed to grow distant.

Cassian adjusted his hold, drawing her closer.

He didn’t say anything else.

He didn’t need to.

The steady pressure of his aura surrounded her as he continued walking.

I’m here.

Raven’s throat tightened.

Something stirred deep inside her.

Raven went still as she felt her wolf moving beyond the chains.

The familiar presence was faint, but she could feel its attention turning toward Cassian. Her wolf recognized him. Raven felt the pull toward him grow stronger, followed by a quiet contentment that had nothing to do with the terrible heat still burning through her body.

For a moment, she could think clearly again.

She was safe.

Cassian was here.

Then his arm shifted beneath her knees, and Raven became horribly aware of how close she was to him.

She tightened her grip on his shirt and kept her face buried against his chest.

Someone ahead called Cassian’s name.

"Out of the way!"

Dante’s voice rang through the corridor.

Raven lifted her head slightly.

He was walking beside them, his jaw clenched so tightly that she could see the muscle working beneath his skin. His gaze flickered toward her hand gripping Cassian’s shirt before he looked at the students gathering ahead.

"I said move!"

They scattered.

Raven lowered her head again.

For once, she was grateful for Dante’s temper.

"Cardinal Blade?"

A healer hurried toward them when they entered the infirmary.

Her expression changed when she saw Raven.

"What happened?"

"She’s been drugged," Cassian said.

The healer frowned. "Drugged with what?"

"I need you to examine her."

"Of course, but—"

Cassian was already moving past her.

He carried Raven into the nearest treatment room and carefully laid her on the bed.

The moment his arms withdrew, she reached for him.

No.

She tried to pull her hand back, but the heat was already rising again.

Cassian caught her hand before she could grab his shirt.

"I’m here," he said.

Raven squeezed her eyes shut.

"Please make it stop."

The healer approached the bed, and Cassian stepped aside just enough to let her examine Raven.

Dante entered behind her, followed by Brielle.

"Everyone, give me some room," the healer ordered.

She checked Raven’s temperature, examined the blood beneath her nose and pressed two fingers against her wrist.

Her frown deepened.

"How long has she been like this?"

"I don’t know," Brielle admitted. "We found her in our room, but she wouldn’t let us help her."

The door opened again.

"Raven!"

Thalia hurried inside with Tessa close behind her.

"Oh, Goddess," Tessa whispered when she saw her. "She’s still bleeding."

"You know her?" the healer asked.

"We’re her roommates," Thalia said. "She woke up like this. She was frightened, and her nose was bleeding. We tried to get her to stay, but she ran out before we could do anything."

The healer looked toward Cassian.

"You’re certain she was drugged?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what she was given?"

"An aphrodisiac," Cassian said. "I don’t know which one or how much."

The healer’s expression hardened.

She looked back at Raven, examining her flushed skin and trembling hands with renewed urgency.

"All right. I need everyone to step back."

Raven barely heard her.

The heat had returned with such force that the sheets beneath her felt unbearable. She tried to push herself upright, but the healer placed a hand against her shoulder.

"Stay down, Raven. I’m going to help you."

"Then hurry up!"

"I know. Just bear with me."

The healer took a small vial from a cabinet and prepared the medication while another member of staff brought a basin and clean cloths.

Raven watched them through increasingly blurred vision.

Cassian remained beside the bed.

Dante stood near the foot of it, his arms folded tightly across his chest. He had stopped looking at Cassian and was watching the healer instead.

The healer returned and administered the medication, then pressed a cool cloth against Raven’s forehead.

"This should ease the worst of the symptoms," she told her. "We’ll keep you here while we find out exactly what you were given."

Raven wanted to ask how long that would take.

Another wave of heat struck before she could speak.

She grabbed Cassian’s hand.

He held on.

Gradually, the burning began to ease.

Raven drew a breath.

Then another.

The terrible pressure inside her body loosened, and for the first time since waking in Hale Wing, she could lie still without feeling as though she was about to lose control.

"Oh, thank Goddess."

Her eyes grew heavy.

Raven almost welcomed it.

Then a phantom echo of the Dreamwalker’s laughter sounded in her head, and her eyes flew open.

"No."

Cassian leaned closer. "Raven?"

She tried to sit up, but her limbs felt too heavy.

"No, I can’t—"

"The medication is making you drowsy," the healer explained. "You need to rest."

No.

Raven had fought so hard to escape him.

She couldn’t go back.

She tightened her grip on Cassian’s hand.

"Cassian."

"I’m here."

She tried to hold on to his face, to the sound of his voice, but her thoughts were slipping away.

"He’ll come back."

Cassian’s eyes widened.

"Who—"

He stopped, his expression changing.

Raven fought to keep her eyes open.

"The Drea—"

Her fingers loosened around his hand.

Before she could finish, everything went dark.