Bridges Burned (Going Down in Flames #2)(30)

“Why would someone do this?” Bryn asked. “I know the radical Revisionists hate the Directorate, but I thought they were all Black dragons, unless they started recruiting outside their Clan.”

Quentin flicked a bit of dirt off his sleeve. “Whoever did this purposely attacked on a weekend evening. Imagine what would’ve happened if they’d attacked in the middle of a school day. Hundreds of students would’ve been on the grounds. Many would’ve been injured. This was a warning. “

Bryn hugged her arms across her chest to ward off a sudden chill. “I don’t understand. Why attack the campus?”

“The institute stands for everything the Directorate believes in.”

“That means none of us is safe,” Bryn said.

Quentin didn’t respond.





Chapter Thirteen


All students were required to return to their dormitories and sign in. Teachers were dispatched to Dragon’s Bluff to round up anyone off campus. Bryn sat in the first-floor lounge chewing her fingernails and waiting for Clint and Ivy to walk through the door. When her friends crossed the threshold, she ran to hug them.

“I was so worried about you guys.”

Ivy sniffled. “We didn’t know anything had happened. Mr. Stanton showed up at Fonzoli’s and announced that all students were to return to campus and sign in at their dorms.” She blinked rapidly. “When I saw…”

Clint pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “It’s all right. We’re safe. The Directorate will investigate and figure out what to do.”

Clint speaking favorably about the Directorate? That was new. “Do you really trust them to protect you?”

He shoved his hand back through his hair. “The Directorate is kind of like your parents. You may try to sneak around and break some of their rules, but when things turn ugly you know they’ll take care of you.”

The way Clint kept his arm wrapped around Ivy sent a pang of envy through Bryn’s chest. If Zavien and she were still together, would he put his arms around her? Wait a minute. Where was he?

“Have you seen Zavien?”

Clint and Ivy scanned the room.

“Maybe he was at the theater building.” Ivy said.

Bryn pushed her way through the crowd to the front door where people were checking in.

“Has Zavien Blackthorn signed in?”

The woman taking signatures flipped through the pages on her clipboard. “He hasn’t. Don’t worry. We haven’t rounded up everyone from Dragon’s Bluff.”

Bryn checked her watch. “When should I start to worry?”

“Anyone who isn’t accounted for in thirty minutes will be declared missing. Security is searching the campus for anyone who might’ve fallen in a rift.”

She shuddered. What a horrible way to die. Now what? With no other options, she went to sit with Clint and Ivy. Every time the door opened, she checked for spiked black hair.

“If he dies before he has a chance to apologize, I’m going to be pissed.”

Ivy patted her arm. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’ll live to apologize and everything will go back to the way it’s supposed to be.”

Time crawled. Bryn stared at the clock, willing the hands to move. It felt like she was in a slow-motion sequence from a movie. People around her talked while the sound of her own heart drummed in her ears.

When twenty-five minutes passed, she shot to her feet. “I can’t take this anymore.” Without a clear idea of what to do, she approached the front door.

The lady with the clipboard gave a sympathetic grin. “Worried about your friend?”

“Yes.” Bryn’s throat felt tight. “Can I go check with the medics?”

“Sorry, I have orders to keep everyone here.”

Bryn growled in frustration. “I have to do something.”

The woman looked Bryn up and down. “If I tell you to stay here, you’re going to sneak out, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what I thought.” She pulled a sheet of paper from her clipboard. “This is a list of students who are unaccounted for. Take it to the medics and find out how many of them are patients and how many are still missing.”

Bryn exited the building, shifted, and flew toward the science building where the medics were housed. No sign of Zavien outside. In the medical center, she found Medic Williams and her colleagues treating more than a dozen injured students.

“Bryn, we’re spread thin. I could use your help for the minor cuts and scrapes.”

“I can do that, but first, I’m supposed to ask if any of these students are being treated.”

Medic Williams took the list. “Five of these students are here.” With quick efficiency, she checked off the appropriate names. Zavien wasn’t among them.

He’d been by her side during most of her trips to the clinic. She’d thought for sure he’d be here. “So, no sign of Zavien?”

“Don’t worry. The professors enlisted some of the older students to search the rifts. I’m sure Zavien is helping.” She pointed toward a group of students who sat on a bench in the hallway. “The minor injuries are over there. Ask if they mind you healing them, since you aren’t licensed yet. If they have issues, tell them it’s a forty-five-minute wait.