Free Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

students moved about in the corridors, off to study or retake tests or whatever. They tried to hide their glances and whispers, but they didn't do a very good job. Those who made eye contact with me either gave me tight-lipped smiles or immediately looked away. Wonderful.
    With no psychic link to Christian, I had no clue where to find him. I could sense that Lissa was in the library and figured that would be a good place to start looking. On my way there, I heard a guy's voice call out behind me.
    "Took things a bit far, didn't you?"
    I turned around and saw Ryan and Camille walking several steps back. If I'd been a guy, the appropriate response would have been, "You mean with your mom?" Because I was not a guy, though, and because I had manners, I just said, "Don't know what you're talking about."
    Ryan hurried to catch up with me. "You know exactly what I mean. With Christian. I heard that when Stan attacked, you were just like, 'Here, take him,' and walked away."
    "Oh good God," I groaned. It was bad enough when everyone was talking about you, but why did the stories always end up changing? "That is not what happened."
    "Oh yeah?" he asked. "Then why did you get called in to see Alberta?"
    "Look," I said, not feeling so well mannered anymore, "I just messed up the attack…you know, kind of like you did earlier when you weren't paying attention in the hall?"
    "Hey," he said, flushing slightly. "I ended up getting in on that—I did my part."

    "Is that what they're calling getting killed nowadays?"
    "At least I wasn't a whiny bitch who refused to fight."
    I had just about calmed down after speaking with Dimitri, but now my temper was rising already. It was like a thermometer ready to burst. "You know, maybe instead of criticizing others, you should pay more attention to your own guardian duties." I nodded toward Camille.
    She had thus far been quiet, but her face showed me she was eating all of this up.
    Ryan shrugged. "I can do both. Shane's farther behind us, and the area ahead is clear. No doors.
    Easy." He patted Camille's shoulder. "She's safe."
    "It's an easy place to secure. You wouldn't do so well in the real world with real Strigoi."
    His smile faded. Anger glinted in his eyes. "Right. The way I hear it, you didn't do such a great job out there either, at least not as far as Mason was concerned."
    Taunting over what had happened with Stan and Christian was one thing. But implying that I was at fault for Mason's death? Unacceptable. I was the one who'd kept Lissa safe for two years in the human world. I was the one who had killed two Strigoi in Spokane. I was the only novice at this school with molnija marks, the little tattoos given to guardians to mark Strigoi kills. I'd known there had been some whispers about what had happened to Mason, but no one had ever actually said anything to me. The thought of Ryan or anyone else thinking I was to blame for Mason dying was too much. I blamed myself plenty enough already without their help.
    The thermometer broke.
    In one smooth motion, I reached past him, grabbed Camille, and swung her up against the wall.
    I hadn't thrown her hard enough to hurt her, but she was clearly startled. Her eyes widened in shock, and I used my forearm to pin her, pressing it against her throat.
    "What are you doing?" exclaimed Ryan, peering back and forth between our faces. I shifted my stance slightly, still keeping the pressure on Camille.
    "Furthering your education," I said pleasantly. "Sometimes places aren't as easy to secure as you think."

    "You're crazy! You can't hurt a Moroi. If the guardians find out—"
    "I'm not," I argued. I glanced toward her. "Am I hurting you? Are you in extreme pain?"
    There was a hesitation; then she gave as much of a shake of her head as she could manage.
    "Are you uncomfortable?"
    A small nod.
    "See?" I told Ryan. "Discomfort isn't the same thing as pain."
    "You're insane. Let her go."
    "I'm not done, Ry. Pay attention because here's the point: Danger can