Evander watched me, face indecipherable. “And why do you ask for such a thing?”

“The change I want won’t come from expelling those students. If anything, it might offend their families, and peace will become even further out of reach. They’re just kids who are hurting.”

“You’re a child as well.”

“And I can’t imagine what it’s like to have family and friends torn away from you by war. I’ve been sheltered and privileged enough to not feel that pain. I never want to experience it. I don’t want anyone to have to go through it again, either.”

“If I don’t expel them, I can’t stop them from attempting something like this again.”

I dropped my gaze, my hands squeezing into fists. “I know, but…”

“I also have to punish them according to our academy’s policies. Usually we have a no tolerance rule on physical altercations, but if you are earnestly asking for them to remain here, I will allow it as a favor to you.”

“I’m being serious,” I assured him, looking up again.

A hint of amusement danced in his eyes now. “You’re a curious person, Ms. Levant.”

“Yeah, well…”

“I will transfer Rehan out of your classes at the very least. That way you have nothing to worry about while you’re studying.”

I sat up straighter. “Really?” I hadn’t thought of having Rehan transferred out. That would ease some of my concerns.

Evander nodded. “Of course. I’ll make sure it’s settled before you return to class on Monday.”

“That makes me feel better, thank you.”

“Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you. And just so you know, hawthorn berry won’t really stop anyone from doing anything.”

I felt the urge to hide my face. I shouldn’t have used that stupid soap. Red-faced, I waved a hand in dismissal. “Noted. So, everything is settled now, right? Let’s move on.”

“Am I keeping you from something?” Evander asked, sounding amused. Then his mouth opened. “Oh, you must be exhausted. Excuse me. I shouldn’t have called on you so early.”

“No, it’s okay. I needed to get up and stretch, anyway.”

“Are things okay aside from this? Classes? Is your dorm comfortable?”

“My dorm is amazing. My room at home is like a storage closet compared to it,” I said, making him chuckle.

“Glad to hear the amenities please you. How have you been getting along with Claude?”

“Uh, good,” I lied through my teeth.

Evander’s eyebrow quirked. “Really?”

Was I that easy to see through? I tucked my hair behind my ears, giving myself a second to think of a reply. “He’s got a tough exterior, but seems… compromising.”

“I hope you guys can continue to grow closer as the year goes on. It would be beneficial for the relations between you two to go well.”

I held in my grimace. “Yeah.”

“Well, I won’t keep you. I’m sure Mr. Karimov is tired of waiting. I just want to say one more thing before you leave. I hope there never will be, but if you ever find yourself in a situation like the one from last night, please protect yourself. Your plans can only come to fruition if you’re alive. There is nothing in the peace treaty that states you can’t act in self-defense.”

A shiver went through me at the thought of facing a group of vampires again. Even if I tried to defend myself, how possible would it be against so many? “I will next time. Thank you for your concern.”

He gave me a warm smile. “Of course. See you around, Ms. Levant.”

Kaz looked up from his phone when I stepped out of Evander’s office, cocking his head to the side.

“It went fine,” I said.

“And the other students?”

“I told him not to expel them…”

Kaz nearly dropped his phone. He shoved it into his pocket and folded his arms over his chest, pursing his lips. “I knew you were going to do that.”

“I’ve decided to stick to my own path and make my own decisions. And that is one I feel is right.”

“Just don’t become some kind of martyr.”

“I don’t plan on dying.”

Kaz’s gaze suddenly snapped down the hall and I followed his line of sight, looking over my shoulder to see Claude coming toward us. The wrinkles in his uniform made me think he’d slept in it the night before… or not at all, judging by the dark half-moons under his eyes. His black hair matted to his forehead, unruly and limp. If he took notice of Kaz and I, he didn’t act like it.

I shifted, about to escape in the other direction, but stopped myself. I wouldn’t run away. Moving toward my goal meant things had to change. Starting with Claude. If I was expected to befriend him, I had to give it more of an effort. Even I could see the benefit of it. And not just for wheedling out his secrets.

As if sensing my attention, Claude’s golden gaze finally caught mine. He changed his pace, focusing on me now.

Straightening my back, I moved toward him. “Claude, I wanted to thank you for—”

My words were cut off as he slammed me to the wall before I could even blink, hand pressing into my collarbone so hard I feared it would snap.

“Claude!” Kaz barked.

“I should just kill you now,” Claude hissed, fingers digging into my skin.

My eyes widened, but his intensity made me react. I reached for his collar, yanking on it hard enough to jerk his head forward. I fisted the fabric so tight it cut into his skin. “Let go of me.”

He responded by crowding me further. “Were your injuries just a ploy? A cry for attention? Sympathy? Did you trick the students into attacking you?”

My grip loosened as confusion coursed through me. “What?”

“I know it was you.”

“What was me?”

His lips twisted into a scowl so fierce my heart skipped a beat. Releasing me, he shoved my hands away and stripped off his uniform jacket, throwing it to the ground. The black button-up beneath looked wet, but as Claude began unbuttoning it, smears of carmine showed on his brown skin. As if his attacker were aiming for his heart, a grisly stab wound appeared on his sternum as he finished peeling the fabric away. A deep purple-blue bruise had formed around it, marring his skin even further.

I sucked in a breath. He thought I did that?

“Don’t try to deny it.” He threw something at my feet and it clattered on the polished floors, spinning until it hit my shoe.

The hilt of my dagger gleamed under the overhead lights. I turned into ice. How was this possible? How had someone gotten ahold of my dagger? When?

“And if that wasn’t evidence enough, you didn’t think of washing that repulsive scent off yourself.” Claude grasped my wrist, yanking my hand to his face, scowl deepening as he inhaled the scent of my skin. “How imprudent.”

“It wasn’t me,” I blurted. “Ask Kaz, I was with him all night—”

“Your schemes end now. A pity. I’d thought of ten different ways to get rid of you with no one ever noticing. I suppose none will be put into practice now. Although I’m severely tempted to make you put your own dagger through your heart.”

“Claude,” Kaz said again, making to move between us.

“Don’t move.”

My knees almost buckled from the power of the Sway. Kaz’s shoulders tensed and he stopped, jaw twitching as he flattened his lips.

Claude let go of my wrist. “Get on your knees.”

I braced myself to fight against his sway, but when I heard the rustling of clothing, I realized his command wasn’t aimed at me.

“Pick up the dagger.”

This time it was. My body lurched, bending down to pick up the blade before my mind caught up. A chill went down my spine at the lack of control of my own movements. No one should have that kind of power over someone. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking the same thing I had yesterday. What if Claude had been there? Would I find out now?

“Stab Kaz in the same spot you stabbed me.”

“No,” I said out loud, somehow managing to keep myself from picking up my dagger.

Claude stared down at me with cold eyes, face blank, as if ordering me to harm his friend meant nothing to him.

“I won’t hurt Kaz,” I told him. “You can’t make me.”

“No, but you’ll find yourself obeying by choice soon enough.”

What did he mean by that? I didn’t have any chance to consider it before I felt myself being crushed. This was worse than anything I’d experienced thus far. I fell onto one knee, my palms catching myself before my face met the floor. My other foot kept me propped up as I struggled to breathe, my blood working double time to fight against what felt like two hands squeezing my lungs, blocking the passage of oxygen.

“Stop it,” Kaz rasped and I could tell he was experiencing the same thing. “She didn’t do it, Claude, listen—”

“The longer you wait, the more you’ll suffer,” Claude said, cutting Kaz off. “Pick up your blade.”

I shook my head, tears wetting the edges of my eyes. My skin began to tingle and I choked, struggling to take in air.

“Then die here.”

Die? Tears streamed down my face now, my vision swimming.

I don’t plan on dying.

A surge of strength rolled over me. I had to break the Sway before I suffocated. My other leg gave up, making me fall to the side, the wall being the only thing keeping me upright. I willed my hand closer to my dagger, fingers just barely enclosing around the handle—

“Enough!”

Kaz’s voice was loud enough to make me recoil. All the pressure left me and I sucked down deep breaths of air, shakily bringing my dagger to my chest, curling myself around it. Kaz barreled into Claude, shoving him away from me. He snarled something at Claude, but the blood rushing through my ears made it hard to hear.

I was wrong to think the other students were the true danger here. To fear them. No. They were nothing compared to Claude. Claude was the true adversary.

But that wasn’t the only thing that frightened me.

Someone had stolen my dagger. Someone who knew I had hawthorn berry soap. And that someone had tried to kill Claude while pretending to be me.