Chapter 24 Devora
Devora
Four days had passed since the Noctus Vigil, and Nox was still nowhere to be found. Everett had reappeared, although he dodged any question I asked about their whereabouts.
I tried casually bringing it up with Arowyn at lunch one day, but all she did was shrug. They must be used to his sudden disappearances. But I thought he’d send word. Especially when he was putting so much hope in this plan.
Especially when he promised not to leave me.
One of my shadows that had taken to wrapping around the pinky of my right hand squeezed tight, and I flinched. “Just an observation,” I grumbled under my breath. The dragon Shifter could do whatever he wanted. It didn’t concern me.
“Who are you talking to?” Thecae asked as he planted his feet across from me.
“No one. Come on,” I said, summoning shadows and lifting my hands in front of my face in a defensive posture.
He raised an eyebrow. “We’ve been going nonstop for almost four days, girl. I may be a harsh trainer, but even I say you need to rest.”
“I don’t have time to rest,” I argued. We only had three days left in Tenebra before we had to head back to Drakorum, and then it would be a whirlwind turnaround to the ball with Scarven and the Mysthelm contingency.
I’d made progress ever since I learned how to connect with my shadows, but the most we’d done was defense and sparring.
It would help me in a fight, yes, but spying? Not so much.
Thecae sighed. “You’re more stubborn than your mother and father combined. Alright, fine.”
His shadows moved before he did. I barely had time to breathe before they leaped, creating a sharp blade of darkness. My own shadows formed a wall without the slightest hesitation, seeming to know what I needed.
His false blade bounced off the barrier with a hiss, and the force vibrated through my ribs. Fates, he wasn’t holding back this time.
Another lash came, this time from the opposite side—sleek shadows whispering through the air like a knife.
I ducked and raised my barrier to soften the attack.
Sweat broke out across my forehead as I concentrated.
A cloud of shadows peeled away from me and reared up, striking Thecae’s next attack mid-air. A thunderous sound rippled over us.
“Better,” he said, impressed. “You’re adapting.”
I smiled and straightened, thinking we were done, when he melted.
Literally melted. Into a puddle of shadows.
“What the—”
He burst from the shadows at the edge of the training grounds to my left, balls of thick darkness blasting from his hands.
But I was ready.
My shadows caught them, two in each hand, and I faced them toward each other. The spheres slowly molded into one enormous circle, growing and crackling as I forced my own magic into it. Slamming my foot on the ground, I shoved the mass back at him.
He raised his own shadow shield with a lazy smile. I merely smirked back. I knew he’d expect a counterstrike. But after days of focusing, of diving into my bitter emotions and blending them with my shadows, I was getting better. We were getting better.
I twisted my finger in the air, and the ball of shadows flattened right as it met his shield, then forked into a hundred tiny branches up and over the barrier. They crawled along his arms and down his torso and legs, covering every inch of his body.
With a snap of my fingers, they froze, and him with it.
For a moment, there was silence.
And then a beam broke out across his face. He threw his head back and laughed, the sound rich and booming in the empty training grounds. The sun had set rapidly as we sparred, leaving only the torches scattered around the perimeter to light the way.
“Very good, Devora. We’ll make a fighter of you yet,” he said.
I let out a breath and dropped the shadows from his body, exhaustion seeping into my bones. I matched his grin. It was the first time I’d bested him.
“What was that thing you did? The shadow melting?” I motioned to the spot he’d reappeared from. “When do I get to learn that?”
He chuckled. “Do you think you’re ready?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Wasn’t it just yesterday you said I was one of your quickest trainees? I think I can handle it.”
“Be careful, darling,” a familiar drawl said behind me. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
I spun on my heels. Nox was leaning against an open archway, half in shadows, half in moonlight.
His scruff was slightly thicker than usual, making him look rugged and tired.
A black shirt clung to his broad shoulders and arms, those dark rings he always wore catching the light as he ran his thumb along his lower lip.
I hated the way my breath hitched, the way relief made my stomach flip.
That relief quickly shifted to irritation. “Kind of you to join us,” I said, tossing my sweat-slicked hair over my shoulder.
He pushed off the wall and prowled closer. “I see you’ve been practicing.”
“What else did you expect?” I snapped.
Circling me, he eyed the dagger strapped to my thigh and the shadows swirling lazily at my feet. “You’ve gotten rather cocky.”
I tilted my head. “I’ve gotten better.”
“Shadows to shadows is one thing,” he said with a shrug. “But what happens when someone hits you with their fist? Or a real blade? You can’t absorb everything into your magic.”
I slid my gaze to Thecae, then back to Nox. He had a point. Which I also hated. But—
“Square your feet,” Nox instructed, rolling the sleeves of his shirt up his forearms.
I blinked.
When he lifted an eyebrow, I could’ve sworn a smirk flickered across his features. “Let’s see how you do against something a bit more…physical.”
That was the only warning I had. He struck faster than I thought possible, aiming for my hip. My shadows flared to my defense and slowed his fist enough for me to block him. His other hand swung at my neck, and I ducked. I pivoted on my heels to put some distance between us, panting from exertion.
“Where were you?” I seethed between breaths.
“Worried about me, darling?”
“Hopeful, actually.” I sent several shadow shards at him, and he gracefully dodged each one. “Thought I might not be your prisoner anymore.”
He darted close enough to grab my wrist. In a heartbeat, he spun me until my back was against his chest, my throat caught in the crook of his arm.
“You know how I feel about that word,” he growled. “What are you going to do now, Devora? When your shadows can’t help you?”
I struggled against his arms, but his hold was too tight. When I lifted a leg to kick him, he slid to the side, still keeping my upper half from moving. He applied more pressure to my neck. I didn’t think he would really hurt me—it was more of a challenge. A way to see what I was made of.
He had some nerve, waltzing in here after disappearing for days, not even bothering to say “hello” before criticizing my training. Pressure built in my chest, my annoyance with him coming back tenfold.
I raised my leg and slammed it on top of his foot.
Only—it didn’t hit his foot.
My body lurched toward the ground as half my leg melted into the shadows at our feet. The jarring movement made Nox release me, and I crashed to the ground.
He glanced down at me. “Not bad.”
While he was distracted, I swiped my leg at his ankle, reinforcing the blow with shadows strong enough to make his knees buckle. He lunged forward to try and pin me down, but I beat him to it. I used a rope of shadows to hold him to the ground as I straddled his waist.
“Don’t underestimate me next time,” I said, his face mere inches from mine.
Something silver flickered in his eyes. Just as I was about to get off him, he reached down between us, plucked the dagger from my thigh sheath, and held the blade to my neck.
I froze, my chest rising and falling with heavy pants. He was so close, I could see every tiny line of silver in his dark blue eyes, could feel his breath washing over my nose and cheeks. The tip of the blade dug into my sensitive skin.
“Is this the part where you fall in love with me?” I taunted.
“I don’t fall in love, darling.” His eyes slowly dragged to my lips, then back up again. “Not anymore.”
I abruptly pulled myself off him, letting him get to his feet. My racing pulse still hadn’t quieted. Without another glance at me, he backed away and nodded to Thecae.
“Good job. She’s doing well.”
“She’s a natural,” Thecae replied.
“Did you see that?” I asked Thecae, brushing dirt off my leathers. “Did I shadow melt?”
“More like shadow stumbled,” Nox said, but it didn’t hold as much of his usual bite. It was almost…teasing. When I shot him a bland look, his face was impassive.
Thecae chuckled. “Yes, I saw. I think you’re ready to start working on some new techniques.”
“Tonight?” I asked eagerly.
“No, not tonight. You need rest, girl.”
“Maybe you two old men need rest,” I mumbled, but the words turned into a yawn. I realized how exhausted I was, both physically and mentally. My shadows were fainter as they slunk back into my skin, settling heavily in my bones.
Thecae bade us goodnight, and I started to follow him into the base when a voice stopped me.
“I was handling something for Scarven,” Nox said. “That’s why I was gone.”
I turned to face him. His shoulders were slumped, his features weary. That fire of his dragon had slipped away, leaving him raw. Open. Tired.
I nodded in understanding. He told me when we were traveling that Scarven had sent him to “take care of” a growing rebellion against Drakorum.
But he’d also told me how he did everything in his power to help Scarven’s targets.
To give them a chance to get away and start a new life.
If Scarven ever found out the truth, Nox and his sister could pay the price.
For the first time, it struck me how incredibly brave this infuriating man was. And he had trusted me with this knowledge, knowing I could ruin everything. That thought alone made my stomach flutter with unexpected emotion.
I licked my lips and swallowed. “But you’re back now?”
He stepped forward and handed me my dagger. “I’m back.”
His fingers brushed mine as he pulled away, then strode out of sight.