Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
~ Shade ~
What we need is for you to get stronger.
Tarlaz’s words stay with me as I train for the next few hours.
Using my shifting abilities, I manage to change into multiple animals, but it’s the smaller creatures that I have the most success with.
The birds, smaller cats, and rodents. I manage a wolf, but that’s harder, and when I try to take on the form of a bear, I can’t get it to happen at all.
My shadows and cloaking abilities are more powerful now that the curse has been removed, but I can’t help wondering how much it matters.
I can’t help wondering if it would be safer for everyone if I didn’t keep training my gifts.
But my mates continued to push me until morning, and I’m drenched in sweat by the time Thane lets me end the training session.
Raith carries me back to our rooms, and I only have enough time to clean myself up and eat some food, before we’re needed at the small training amphitheater in the academy forest.
I sit in the front row of the stands with Blake on my right, and Kenzie sitting tensely on my left. Raith helped me create a sling that crosses over my chest, and I pat my creature’s egg that’s snuggly tucked against me. My phoenix still hasn’t hatched, and I’m trying my best not to worry.
Standing in the arena are a selection of Blake’s top demon commanders. They arrived at Shadowbone this morning, and they don’t look too happy to be here. Blake’s mates stand near them, and across from the demons, is Germain and Ambrose. My mates are positioned in the middle.
Having so many powerful beings in one place makes my eyes water, but I know this is a good thing. With the demons fighting the shadow war as well, maybe we can win.
Behind me, the remaining students at Shadowbone are spread out on the stands, and I wonder if they’re as relieved as I am that we’re not the entertainment this time.
Raith winks at me as he flexes his muscles, clearly way too excited about what he thinks is going to happen next.
“Why do I get the feeling this is going to end badly?” I whisper to Blake.
She grins widely, her golden eyes sparkling in the morning light.
“Oh, I don’t know, I think they’re starting to get along.
” I follow her gaze to where Alaric is glaring at Germain like he’s thinking up every minute detail on how he’s going to dispatch the shadow warrior.
Not that I’d be sad if that happened, but I don’t think the shadow queen would be happy.
“Besides, we need to follow Queen Krosia’s orders,” Blake adds. “The demons must learn the best ways to fight these Xalgrith warriors if we’re going to be any help.” She pauses. “Hey, you can conjure food, can’t you?”
I frown. “Well yeah, but we’re not supposed to eat during training sessions.”
Blake gives me an unimpressed look. “What’s the point of having such cool powers if you can’t even use them? Cough up the goods, girl. I didn’t get any breakfast this morning. Let’s just say Nate and the others kept me very busy, and I’ve worked up an appetite.”
I grin, even though I’m a little jealous that she got the fun morning while my mates were busy making me train.
“Okay, what do you want?” I ask her.
“Surprise me.”
A moment later two tall, striped boxes appear in front of me, complete with buttery popcorn that’s overflowing.
“Yessss.” Blake grabs one, immediately digging her hand into the box and pulling out a fistful of popcorn. “Have I mentioned that I love you lately?” she mumbles through her mouthful.
I laugh, stuffing my own face and offering some to Kenzie.
My roommate looks horrified at the idea of breaking the rules and refuses, and a few of the students around us whisper to one another as we enjoy our snacks.
“Do we need to be here to watch this?” Kenzie asks, her attention back on the warriors who are busy sizing each other up on the sands of the arena.
Blake and I both share a look and grin. “Definitely.”
Thane looks like he’s about to speak, but Ambrose steps forward, addressing the demons before he can. “War commanders of Seral, as per the agreement with Queen Krosia, we’ll spend the next week training you how to fight the Xalgrith soldiers.”
“A task that you’re obviously not as equipped for, but we’ll do the best we can,” Germain adds, looking at the demon commanders like he thinks they’re beneath him.
Wow. That guy is a real piece of work.
Blake stiffens, her gaze narrowing on Germain. “Please tell me he did not just insult my demons.”
Before I can answer, she grabs a singular popcorn and lifts her hand, balancing it on her thumb and flicking her finger in Germain’s direction.
The popcorn moves too fast for me to track it, but when Germain whips his accusing gaze in our direction and rubs the side of his head, I think I know where it landed.
Sliding down in my seat, I have to cover my mouth to stop my laughter.
Germain’s face reddens when Blake simply gives him a saccharine smile and lifts more popcorn to her mouth, chewing exaggeratedly.
“Please tell me you didn’t arm the demon queen with snacks,” Galen’s shadow whisper brushes my ears.
“We’re here to train, mate,” Thane reprimands, staring at my box of popcorn.
I shrug. “I don’t see how this is my fault. If Germain’s head wasn’t so big, Blake wouldn’t have any reason to target him.”
Raith and Galen snort with laughter, but Thane doesn’t look impressed. Knox’s expression is unreadable. He’s been like that all morning, and I can’t help but worry.
“Relax,” I say a moment later. “If Blake wanted him dead, he would be.”
None of my mates argue with that.
Leaning down, Germain plucks the singular popcorn from the sand, and I watch in horror as he doesn’t even dust it off before tossing it into his mouth and chewing, staring in Blake’s direction the whole time.
What is with this guy? I struggle not to make a face, but Blake doesn’t look bothered.
Her mates on the other hand are back to looking like they want to tear Germain’s head off.
“Are you trying to start something?” Kenzie hisses to me.
“What? I’m not the one throwing food around,” I protest.
Blake ignores us and continues to give Germain her best bored look. It seems to be working, because Germain’s face keeps getting redder. I get the feeling that aside from the shadow queen, Germain’s not used to people standing up to him.
Thane clears his throat. “How about we start with a demonstration?” he says, his voice booming around the arena. “Raith and Galen, would you please?”
“It will be our pleasure,” Raith replies, moving a short distance from the others.
Galen creates an illusion which shows three Xalgrith warriors.
They look so real, with their pale translucent skin and round milky eyes.
They’re larger than I remember, almost the height of my guys, but unlike Raith, whose broad body ripples with power, the Xalgrith have lanky limbs with wiry muscle.
“Today, we’ll be going over the basics, including some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Xalgrith,” Thane goes on as Raith faces the Xalgrith illusions. “We’ll talk about the different fighting techniques that have proved to be the most effective against their warriors.”
“You speak as if we’re younglings,” one of the demon commanders sneers, his tail flicking in the air behind him.
“How hard can it be? Grab a sword and drive it into the enemy. We don’t need a fuckin’ demonstration for that.
Or this damn week of training. If your so-called shadow warriors aren’t up to the task of fighting your own battles, just say so.
We’ll clean up your mess for you, shall we?
” He laughs and the other demon commanders all join him.
Thane’s expression hardens. “If we were to send you out there now, you’d be nothing more than a distraction for the Xalgrith. One which would likely result in you all losing your minds and joining their army rather than ours.”
Blake’s lips twitch like she’s enjoying watching this play out, and the demons stop laughing.
The commander who spoke earlier glares at my mate. “You think so little of us, yet you recruit humans to fight your wars.”
Well, that was uncalled for.
Thankfully, Sebastian, one of the demon commanders I know well, speaks up before anyone else can make a fool of themselves. “We’re here to learn what we can. Let the man speak so we can get the fuck out of here.”
Blake relaxes again, stuffing more popcorn into her mouth. She shares a look with her mates, and I have no doubt they’ve been talking this whole time through the mental link they share.
Thane gives Sebastian a nod of approval and continues.
“Like I said, their greatest weapon is their ability to infiltrate the minds of the weak. It’s why we have such rigorous training for our shadow warriors before they can graduate.
A warrior with a weak mind is not only an ineffective soldier, but a liability to the others on the battlefield.
Professor Lankin will be conducting your first mental blocking training session later today.
For now, we focus on combat techniques. Raith, if you will. ”
Raith has his sword out in an instant, and shadows crawl along the blade.
The first Xalgrith illusion runs at him, and he reacts, dodging the illusion’s sword and spinning, aiming his blade at the warrior’s chest. His sword passes through the Xalgrith’s midsection, but it doesn’t stop the illusion.
Raith and the Xalgrith end up in a dance of parries and lunges, and Raith’s blade passes through the illusion two more times before it finally looks as though it penetrates the Xalgrith.
There’s a spray of pretend blood before the Xalgrith disappears.