Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(63)

“You’re going to be all right.” He held a straw to her lips. “Drink.”

The cold water soothed her sore throat.

A dark-complexioned woman appeared on the other side of her bed. “Don’t give her too much.”

Bryn growled in protest when he removed the straw from her mouth.

“I’m Medic Williams. We’ll let you have more when we’re sure you can keep it down. We had to purge your system to remove all traces of the poison.”

“Poison?” Bryn croaked. “Someone poisoned me?”

“Don’t ask too many questions now. Your friend has been shouting questions since he brought you here. We don’t have any answers.”

Zavien squeezed her hand. “We’ll find out who did this. They’ll pay.”

“Leave the investigation to us. Whoever did this will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” an upper-class male voice said.

Bryn searched the room. Merrick Overton stepped out of a shadow. A low growl erupted from her throat.

“I’m here as a legal representative. Put anything else from your mind. Although it was rude of you to send me a refund for a gift.”

She couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that she’d been poisoned. Focusing her anger on Merrick was easier. “Why is he here?”

Zavien brushed a lock of hair off her forehead. “Once word about the attack made the rounds, Keegan reported that Jaxon had threatened you in Dragon’s Bluff. Merrick came to represent Jaxon. Once we discovered that was unnecessary, Merrick stayed to help with the investigation.”

“Jaxon didn’t do it?” He would’ve been her first guess.

“No.” Merrick’s voice held disapproval. “Jaxon explained the conversation he had with you. While it was rude and juvenile, it didn’t show murderous intent.”

Wait a minute. “He just volunteered that information, and you believed him?”

“No,” Zavien said. “I pushed him.”

Jaxon as Puppet Boy. It wasn’t really funny, but Bryn laughed. “I bet he loved that.”

“We needed answers, and I didn’t trust him to tell the truth on his own. He did threaten to sue my family into bankruptcy afterward.”

Of course he did. Bryn stifled a yawn. “What time is it?”

“It’s two in the morning,” Medic Williams said. “You’re lucky. If Zavien hadn’t found you when he did, you wouldn’t be alive right now. Dragonbane is fatal.”

Goose bumps broke out on her arms. Had the key protected her after all? Was that why she had called Zavien? Her mind shifted to the ugly reality she didn’t want to face. “Someone tried to kill me?”

Zavien nodded.

This had to be some type of sick joke. “Why?”

“There are a number of reasons,” Merrick said. “You aren’t supposed to exist. You threaten the stability of society. The—”

What could she say to make him go away? Why not start with the truth? “I don’t like you.”

“You’ll get over that. Now, the important question isn’t why someone did this, it’s who had access to your room and knew about your odd propensity for eating large amounts of cake?”

If she felt better, she would’ve shot a fireball at his head. For now, she took a deep breath and considered the question. “I leave my window open so my friends can visit.”

“That’s not smart.” His tone was patronizing.

She spoke to the medic. “Am I healthy enough to shoot a fireball?”

“I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Fine. I live in the Green dorm. My friends don’t. They prefer to visit using the window. From now on, I’ll lock my window, and they can knock.”

“Wise decision. Who knows about the cake?”

“Anyone who attended orientation saw me eat carrot cake. In the dining hall, Zavien gives me cake if he eats with us.”

“Why?” Merrick asked.

“It’s part of an extended apology,” Zavien said.

“That doesn’t give us much to work with. Any of the students could’ve known about the cake.”

“Instead of grilling her, why don’t you find out where the cake came from?” the medic said. “We sent samples to the lab for analysis.”

“Was it the same cake you ate before?” Merrick asked.

“It seemed like the same cake.” How different could cake be? Not that she’d ever eat cake again.

“We’ll start with food service and see what we can discover.” Merrick stepped away from her bed and exited the room.

Good riddance.

Zavien squeezed her hand. “I’ve had your things moved into my dormitory. You’re a few doors down from Ivy. She offered to be your roommate, but then her roommate would’ve been odd man out.”

Living alone wasn’t an issue. She was used to it. Plus, she’d be closer to her friends, and Zavien could visit more often.

“Thanks for moving me.” She yawned and drifted off to sleep. At the back of her mind, a thought pricked at her conscience. She should be thinking about Keegan rather than Zavien. When she woke again, she’d ask about the redheaded dragon.

…