Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
~ Shade ~
Thane watches while I spend the night with Galen and Raith.
As much as I’m still upset that Raith dropped me in the sky, Galen’s box of chocolates earned them some brownie points.
Besides, now that I’m a little more level-headed, I guess I can acknowledge that they had saved me up there, even if I had thought I was going to fall to my death.
That night, I sleep blissfully unplagued by nightmares, but when I wake, I can’t help wondering if Knox was telling the truth.
Is he the reason I’ve been sleeping so well?
And if he is, I’m a little terrified to think about what my sleep will be like when he isn’t shielding me from my nightmares. I try not to dwell on it.
At breakfast, it’s announced that the celebration dance will be that evening with the games to commence the following day.
Some of the students buzz with excitement at the news, and I come to the conclusion that it’s either because they’re the more powerful students in the academy, or because they’re delusional enough to think the games is their chance to prove themselves.
The rest aren’t so keen. A couple of students mutter the words, Korsinus Aleia, choosing to die in the human realm rather than enter the games.
Which sounds bleak, but I guess it’s better than dying at the hands of your classmates if you’re certain you’re going to fall.
We don’t have any classes in the morning, but most of the students choose to continue training in the different rooms. Kenzie and I practice hand-to-hand combat, and I have to admit, I’m not quite as hopeless at it anymore.
Will I be able to survive against my classmates?
Well, that’s debatable, but I don’t suck as badly as I used to. Go me.
Sweat streams off us, and I have to admit, I’m pretty proud that I’m here without anyone forcing me.
I mean sure, there’s the pressure of the impending doom of the games, but I came to the training room of my own free will.
The thought makes me grin. We don’t stop sparring until the floor starts to shake violently, and a few of the weapons lining the walls clatter to the ground.
Instinctively, Kenzie and I crouch, covering our heads.
“What’s happening?” Kenzie asks, staring around at the other students in the room who are looking just as concerned. “Is it an earthquake?”
That would have been my first guess, except my guys had reminded me to look out of the window in the mid-morning when the ground starts to shake.
“Come on,” I say, grabbing Kenzie’s hand and pulling her out of the room. Students are already crowded around the arched windows lining the corridor, and I pull Kenzie to the front, desperate to catch a glimpse of whatever it is the students are staring at.
When my gaze fans out across the academy grounds, my jaw slackens. Inside the walls of the academy, a tower of black stone is lifting from the sky, like a giant mountain is rising from the earth.
“Oh my god,” Kenzie breathes beside me, her eyes as wide as mine. “When you told me they were going to erect the stadium, I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.”
High in the sky, and mounted on their winged animali, I can only just make out the shapes of my guys against the gray background. Near them are a number of other figures, and from what the guys told me earlier, I’m guessing it includes the shadow queen and the other originals.
A mass of shadows flies through the air, gripping the stadium and pulling it out of the ground, and the walls of the academy tremble and shake. The decorative statues in the corridor bounce on their pedestals, but none of them fall and shatter, because they’re fastened by hooks to the walls.
It’s a short while later when the trembling stops, and the shadows around the amphitheater peel away, revealing more of the huge mass of blackened stone.
The amphitheater reaches much higher than the academy building, and large, black flags flap in the sky, the long strips of rippling material attached to tall stone posts.
I swallow, intimidated by the size of the amphitheater.
The flying figures disappear, and I’m not sure if they swoop down into the amphitheater or go somewhere else. Either way, now that the show is over, the students drop away from the windows, some of them looking pale while others jitter with excitement.
I remain at the window, staring out at the tomb that’s blocking out the sunlight. That’s right, a tomb. Because that’s what it feels like. A reminder that my time is running out.
“I knew it would be big,” Kenzie says softly. “But that is…impressive.”
I nod, still staring. “You mean, terrifying?”
“Yeah, that too,” she agrees.
After lunch, Professor Lankin holds a ballroom etiquette and dance crash course for us in one of the largest training halls.
All of the students are in attendance, and we spend the next couple of hours taking instruction from the professor as she teaches us a basic box step dance and reminds us how to act during the celebration.
Kenzie and I pair up, and I get the joy of stepping on Kenzie’s feet multiple times before the session is over.
Despite a few slips, Kenzie and I finally find a rhythm, and I thank all those sparring lessons I’ve had over the past weeks.
According to Professor Lankin, there are only three main restrictions for the celebration night.
Firstly, we’re not allowed to retire for the night until the queen has left the party, which seems fair.
Secondly, the students aren’t permitted to murder each other during the dance.
Again, I’m not complaining about that rule, but there’s a ton of awful things the students can still do that don’t include murder.
I try not to think about it. Thirdly, we all have to be wearing a red garment.
Other colors on the garment are permitted as long as it is mostly red.
I have no idea why, because according to what Kenzie’s heard, that’s never been a requirement before, but Professor Lankin doesn’t provide us with any explanation.
Aside from that, this is our last night to relax before the games, and the professors will be more lenient with our behavior.
I’m not so sure if that’s a good thing or not, and I make a mental note not to let my guard down during the night.
It’s mid-afternoon when we’re dismissed, and Kenzie and I relax in our dorm before we have to clean up for the dance.
I sit by the window, and I’m completely absorbed by the story of the latest special edition book Galen has gifted me.
After four hundred pages, I’m just at the part where the dark lord says, ‘fuck it,’ and he gives in to his desires and wants, claiming his fated mate.
I sit up straighter, my fingers gripping tightly to the cover with anticipation. Finally.
“You all right over there?” Kenzie teases from her bed as she practices with her shadows.
“Shhhh,” I hiss, waving a hand at her to get her to shut up. “They’re finally about to get it on.”
“Oh, in that case, do you need the room?” She laughs, but I ignore her, my eyes flying over the words faster than I can register what I’m reading.
Gosh this scene is so much filthier than I’d hoped!
Yessss. My cheeks heat as my eyes gobble up the story like I’m some kind of addict.
Oh, smut gods, he doesn’t even care that they might get caught! Get it, my man. You hit that—
“Hmmm. I told the others you still wouldn’t be dressed,” comes a familiar drawl, and Galen tisks, his tone reprimanding but playful.
I jerk my head up, startled as I tear my eyes from the page.
As I jump to my feet, my book goes flying from my lap, and I cry out in horror.
Reaching forward, I fumble for the hardback, trying to catch it before it hits the ground, but my fingers swipe the air just out of reach.
Before the book can impact with the floor, damaging the pages, shadows wrap around it, and Galen brings the book close to his face.
He flips it over, scanning the page I was reading, and a devilish smirk curves his lips. “Some light literature before the dance, I see?” he teases.
Grinning, I dart forward, muttering a stream of appreciative noises as I retrieve the book and hide it carefully under the cushions with my sketchbook. “It’s called relaxation,” I say defensively.
“Hmmm yes, you certainly look…” he pauses, his eyes gliding up and down my body, taking in my tense muscles and flushed face, “calm.” Stepping closer, he traces a finger along my collarbone, and my breathing hitches. “Perhaps, I should help to alleviate your tension before the dance?”
Kenzie giggles, but she clears her throat when Galen peers her way, like he’d forgotten she was even there. “Uh, do you two need a minute?” she rushes out, her cheeks reddening.
Ignoring her, my mate’s eyes become unfocused, and he tilts his head as if he’s listening to something, before he turns his attention back to me. “My apologies, treasure, I’m being called away, but I had to see you before the celebration.”
“Is it Thane and the others?” I ask, not wanting to sound needy but also wondering why I haven’t seen any of them since this morning.
“Unfortunately, Thane is busy working with a few of the other originals to finalize some preparations for the games, and Raith is attending to the zenali creatures we captured. It seems one of the foxrets was released last night, and he’s busy tracking it down.”
“What? One of the foxrets escaped?” I shudder, thinking of the creatures we had captured.
“And I need to attend to the large ballroom to assist with some final touches to the decorations,” Galen says, sighing heavily. “I must say, it’s a wonder they are able to organize these events without me when they’re in the city.”
I grin, a small flutter of excitement going through me, mixing with my apprehension. “Let me guess, it’s going to be unspeakably beautiful?”
He smiles back at me, brushing away a stray strand of hair from my cheek.
“It will be, because you will be there, little shadow.” As he says it, shadows swirl around his palm, moving to the bed.
When the shadows clear, there’s a long, rectangular black box with a large red-silk bow sitting on my mattress.
I give him a questioning look.
“A gift,” he explains. “Wear it tonight for me?”
“But what if I don’t like it?” I tease.
He smirks. We both know I’ll love it. Every garment Galen has ever made me has suited me perfectly, and I can only imagine what he’s conjured for a night like this. “Then wear whatever you wish,” he says, smiling before growing thoughtful. “But you must ensure it’s mostly red.”
“Let me guess…because it’s the color of blood?”
Kenzie perks up from where she’s been standing awkwardly, pretending not to listen this whole time.
Galen’s lips twitch. “Something like that.”
Personally, I feel more comfortable in black, but I nod, knowing full well that angering the queen over something as trivial as the color of a dress is not a good idea.
“Thank you,” I say, gesturing with my head to the box.
Galen answers me by leaning down and pulling me into an all-consuming kiss.
It’s only when I’m dizzy for air that he finally pulls back, staring at me.
His eyes are hooded with desire, and his gaze lingers on my lips before dragging up to my eyes.
“We’ll need to be careful not to single you out during the dance, but one of us will collect you after the celebration.
We get one more night together before the games, and I intend to cherish every second you’ll be in my arms before then. ”
My heart pounds as he stares at me with longing, but he tilts his head again, his gaze growing distant, and he curses under his breath before he focuses on me again, not hiding his disappointment.
I grin, even though my heart squeezes. “It’s okay. Go help them. The last thing we need is to anger the queen before the dance has even started. I’ll wait for you after the celebration.”
“Hmmm… They will last a moment longer.” Smiling, he leans down, kissing me again.
This time he kisses me like he’s trying to devour me, and despite what I said, I melt into him, desperate to keep him there.
His lips make me forget about the dance, about the games, and about everything I’ve learned and everything I still haven’t discovered.
It’s a while later when he groans, reluctantly pulling away.
“If I don’t leave, they’ll become suspicious,” he tells me.
“After the dance, my mate. And remember, during the night, we’ll be able to send you shadow whispers, but otherwise, we’ll try to keep our distance, so the queen doesn’t suspect us.
It’s lucky she’s used to us shadow whispering amongst ourselves so much.
Do try not to upset anyone tonight, won’t you? ”
“Me? Upset someone?” I give him a shocked expression. “I will simply be another insignificant student floating around the ballroom. The queen won’t even know I’m there.”
His lips quirk up, and his chest relaxes as he blows out a long breath. “Somehow, treasure, I doubt that very much.”