Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
~ Shade ~
The students are quiet at lunch. After the attack during the hunt and now the sky attack, it’s getting harder to ignore the empty seats around the dining hall.
Ian is the only one who laughs, spinning some tale about how his animali took down one of the Xalgrith, but no one pays him much attention.
Satine, Paiton, and Izzy are all placated, and the three of them barely touch their food.
“I wonder if this will change the timing of the games,” Kenzie murmurs as we walk the twisted halls of the academy, moving from the dining hall and making our way to our next class.
“I doubt it,” I reply. “If anything, this will probably make the queen even more desperate for warriors.”
“But we all saw the students fall. We’re not ready. Everyone knows it,” Kenzie says.
I give her a thin smile. “I guess she’s hoping we’ll be better when we’re immortal?
” Immortality would obviously help a lot.
With faster reflexes and greater shadow abilities, we would at least stand more of a chance against the Xalgrith.
As long as we can keep the Xalgrith out of our minds.
Another thought occurs to me then. “You know, they should change that name. Are we really immortal if the Xalgrith can kill us?”
She shrugs. “They call vampires immortals, and yet, they can be staked. I guess it just means we can only die under special circumstances.”
“Makes sense,” I muse.
When we turn the next corridor, Satine, Izzy, and Paiton are talking to another girl who’s half-hidden by a large statue.
They all stop whispering as we draw closer, and Izzy glares at us.
“Move along, rejects,” she warns, waving her hand like she’s attempting to shoo us away.
When we continue to stare at her, she huffs, and they take the girl down another corridor until they’re out of sight again.
I frown, not really sure what we just witnessed. “What was that all about?”
“Beats me,” Kenzie answers. “At this point I’m convinced everyone in this academy is so high strung we’re all on the edge of a mental breakdown.”
“That tracks.” I stop and smack my palm to my forehead. “Oh crap, I have to quickly duck back to our dorm and grab something.”
Kenzie arches a brow. “Let me guess, a book?”
I grin. “Girl, you know me too well. But this one is non-fiction.”
She makes a face.
Professor Yevar gave me some reading homework after our last class, and I have to admit learning about the principles of war, and tactics versus strategy, has actually been interesting.
Okay, I’m lying. I dozed off halfway through the book because it was so dry, and a lot of it didn’t make much sense to me, but hey, I tried.
We stop at our dorm and I dash inside, snatching the leather tome from my bedside table before meeting Kenzie outside. I notice she’s staring at our dorm door. It’s no longer bare, with a single creature mark on the wood, indicating her wild dog animali.
“Knew you’d get one,” I say, nudging her.
She gives me a small smile, but the curve of her lips doesn’t last. “Yeah, but what about you?” she says, her large doe eyes full of concern as she stares at me.
“Psshhh.” I wave a hand in the air. “I’ll be fine.”
Her smile starts to lift again, but it doesn’t quite make it. She just keeps staring at the door. “We still haven’t found her,” she eventually says softly.
I don’t need to ask to know she’s talking about Leira. Her past roommate.
“And more keep disappearing every day,” she goes on.
My brow creases, because she’s right. With every passing day there are more empty seats in the dining hall. It’s hard to know if some of the students are saying the words that get them sent back to the human realm, or if they’re perishing during classes, or if there’s another reason.
Stepping forward, Kenzie runs her hand over her animali’s mark before turning to me.
“What if we never find Leira?” she asks, and there’s a vulnerable look in her eyes.
“I figured I’d die during the games, especially without an animali.
And that at least, I could live with myself knowing we’ve been trying to find her.
But now that I have Nellie, for the first time, I feel like I might survive this.
And that just…it feels worse somehow. I feel…
I don’t know…guilty that I might live. Is that stupid? ”
I rest my hand on her shoulder. “It’s not stupid. But Kenzie, you have to know it’s not your fault…”
“I do. I know that. But it’s just hard.” She sighs.
Sadness twists through me, and once again, I can’t help wondering if Knox has had anything to do with the disappearing students.
I’m going to have to confront him soon, because Kenzie deserves the truth.
And honestly, I can’t help wondering whether the missing students are linked to my past as well.
Wrapping my arm around Kenzie, I give her a squeeze. “We’ll figure it out. Someone has to know something.”
It’s not long after, and we’re slipping into a lecture room, taking our seats at the back.
At the front of the room, Professor Yevar’s cobra animali is curled up on the lectern.
The creature looks as though it’s asleep, but every so often its tail twitches, and I get the feeling it’s listening to every word that’s being said.
Professor Yevar waits for a few more students to get seated, before he launches into his lecture about different battle tactics and formations.
Some of the tactics sound familiar, and I remember them being used by the demon army, but others are completely new.
I don’t fool myself into thinking I’ll remember everything, but I try to retain bits here and there, because I get the feeling the information may come in handy one day.
“Tell us what you had for lunch, girl,” Elgen demands, startling me. My gaze jerks to where both shadows, Elgen and Tarlaz, are positioned near an arched window.
“I’m supposed to be learning about battle tactics,” I reply back to Elgen in my mind.
“Yes well, no one is expecting you to lead an army, so give us the details that matter,” Elgen snaps back.
“Whoa. Someone woke up grumpy,” I say, trying to focus on what Professor Yevar is saying. Something about the shock and awe tactic. Whatever that is.
“We don’t sleep,” Elgen points out dryly.
“Yeah, and I’d be grumpy too if I couldn’t sleep,” I say sympathetically.
“You gettin’ any of this?” Jensen says, leaning toward me on my left. He’s sporting an orange mohawk today that bleeds through his black roots. When I give him a blank look he grins. “Guess I won’t be stealin’ your notes then.”
I lower my gaze to the blank page in front of me and grin. “Not unless you want to fail this class.” Truthfully, I don’t think we can fail a class. We fail when we die in the arena because we didn’t listen, or die on a battlefield, but he still grins back.
“Would you stop flirting and get to it, girl. We don’t have all day,” Elgen chastises in my head.
“What flirting? Geez, what’s with all the attitude?” I ask. Elgen is always a little prickly, but she’s being especially feisty today.
She doesn’t respond, and it’s only when the silence stretches on in my head that I start to get worried.
“Elgen?” I prompt, and I receive only a huff in return.
Finally, it’s Tarlaz who answers. “Ignore her, child. She’s simply annoyed by what we’ve just witnessed.”
I frown. “Why? What have you seen?”
“We’ve told you before, girl,” Elgen snaps. “There are always things happening in this academy.”
I’m still frowning. “You mean, things that are more exciting than facing a sky attack by the Xalgrith?”
“Oh, that wasn’t so bad,” Elgen says dismissively. “Clearly it can’t have been seeing as you’re still here.”
“Aw your concern is touching,” I say sarcastically.
Then I think more about what they’ve said.
“Hold on, whatever you’ve just seen… Does it have something to do with the missing students in the academy?
” I’ve tried asking the shadows about the missing students in the past, but they’ve always denied knowing anything about the situation.
I sit up straighter, completely forgetting about Professor Yevar as I give them my full attention.
“It’s nothing that concerns you,” Elgen replies cryptically.
“Well, now I’m really worried,” I say.
“What she means is that it’s nothing we should burden you with,” Tarlaz explains, his voice softer. “Horrible things happen in this realm every day.”
“Well yeah, but if it’s happening here in Shadowbone, maybe we can do something about it,” I counter.
“Perhaps, if you had immortality and we didn’t have to worry about you dying when you sneeze,” Elgen says harshly.
“What? I’m not going to die when I sneeze,” I say defensively.
“Could have fooled me,” she retorts.
“Hey, I survived the hunt,” I protest.
“Barely.”
I roll my eyes. Deciding not to push her, I focus back on what Professor Yevar is saying.
He’s talking about shields and shield walls now, and I’m immersed for the rest of the class.
I mean, who knew there were so many creative ways to kill someone with a shield?
There are also disadvantages to having a shield, but I decide not to think about them right now.
When the class ends, I gather my notes and slide from my seat. Holding the professor’s textbook under my arm, I turn to Kenzie. “I’ll meet you outside?”
She eyes the book I’m holding and nods.
“Miss Shade,” Professor Yevar says a moment later when I bound down the stairs.
His cobra lifts its head for the first time since the class started, and its red eyes fixate on me. I shiver.
“You know, your animali doesn’t look big enough to carry you,” I muse, staring curiously at the creature. Black bat wings protrude from its body, but the snake doesn’t look nearly large enough to carry a person.
“Are you here to discuss your perceived inadequacies of my companion?” Professor Yevar says, his keen eyes boring into me.
His power washes over me, mingling with the air, and the hairs stand up on the backs of my arms. His power isn’t the same as my guys.
It slides over my skin like oil, and I have to stop myself from taking a step back.
His greasy hair is slicked back against his scalp, and his smile is a dangerous slash across his face.
I clear my throat, pulling out the book from under my arm. “No, professor. Sorry. I just wanted to give this back.”
He nods once, not bothering to look at the tome. His cobra moves from the lectern, sliding down to the floor then slithering over and winding up Professor Yevar’s body, curling loosely around his neck and draping across his shoulders.
“How did you find it?” he asks, his black eyes fixed on me. “I trust you took the time to read each chapter. I would hate for you to be disadvantaged during the graduation games.”
I’m pretty sure all of the newer students will be disadvantaged no matter how much we try to catch up, but I fake a smile. “It was great, thanks. I read every page,” I lie.
“In that case, if you please.” He holds out his hand with his palm up, his slender fingers stretched toward me.
The man is attractive. Not quite as pretty as Galen, but he has a harsh beauty to him.
He looks like the type of man who would make a perfect villain in an enemies-to-lovers romance, but that’s not the story I’m living.
“Of course,” I mumble quickly. As I go to place the book on his hand, his fingertips brush against mine, and a chilling sensation goes through me.
I suck in a sharp breath as the skin on my hand starts to tingle.
I quickly yank my arm back, but Professor Yevar’s questioning gaze goes to my face.
A burning ignites on my back, and it takes me a moment to realize it’s coming from the place where my tattoo is.
“Is something wrong?” Professor Yevar asks. He’s looking at me strangely like he’s scrutinizing my expression, and his cobra lifts its head, hissing as it watches me.
“I—” I splutter, trying to control my emotions. Desire races through me, but it’s twisted. Broken.
He can’t be my mate as well, can he? Whatever I felt, it didn’t feel the same as when I first met Galen and the others, but it was…something.
I blink rapidly as I struggle to breathe. It doesn’t feel right. Everything about Professor Yevar tells me this is wrong, and yet, I can’t deny that my body is responding to him. But why? Why would it do that?
The professor’s eyes brighten as he stares at me, intrigue entering his gaze, and the look makes my skin itch.
“Are you sure something isn’t wrong?” he repeats, looking at me way too curiously for my liking.
What if I have five mates, not four? I ask myself. I don’t want it to be true. Please don’t let it be true. Knox is already a pain in the ass. The last thing I need is another asshole to add to my harem.
“Nope! Everything is great,” I blurt, taking a step back.
“Hmm…” he muses, his dark eyes keen with interest. He taps his black nails on the hardback I returned to him. “You know, the games are practically upon us. If you need extra tutoring, I would be happy to set aside some time for you tonight after dinner.”
Tutoring? From Professor Yevar? I struggle to contain my horrified expression. “It’s a generous offer, professor,” I say quickly. “But I couldn’t possibly waste your time like that.”
“Nonsense,” he replies smoothly. “Unlike Professor Knox and some of the other professors, I don’t enjoy watching students die needlessly. I would be happy to help.”
“Knox?” I ask.
He nods. “Yes, the rest of the originals do enjoy the sport of the graduation games. I am positive they will ensure it’s a bloodbath. But you needn’t be amongst the fallen. I see potential in you.”
Potential? Ha! Now, I know the professor is lying, but I’m not sure why.
“Thanks, but I couldn’t,” I mumble.
“Well, if you change your mind—”
“I won’t,” I blurt, then I quickly amend. “Thank you.” Hastily, I turn, hurrying from the room and not looking back, even though I can still feel the professor’s gaze lingering on me.
“Be careful of that one,” Tarlaz rasps as I near the door.
I don’t need the shadow to tell me twice. I fully intend to stay the heck away from Professor Yevar.