Chapter 2
Following the sound of chaos, I make my way out of the room and head down the long hall. Willow rushes behind me, stuttering and stumbling over her words, attempting to get me back to the room to rest. Honestly, I feel fine now—a little weak and tired, but no longer exhausted.
After a labyrinth of halls, I finally come out to a huge staircase and make my way halfway down it when the large entrance hall comes into view and, along with it, a small army of Winged Shadow males surrounding my men.
Not one of my mates seem like they’re bothered by it though. Instead, they look almost pleased and amused.
Theon’s shadows are spread out around him like long tendrils slowly coiling around anyone closest to him before knocking them out.
Knox has short black blades in his hands and with a glint of malice in his eyes he seems to revel in joy as he slices anyone that gets near him.
A mass of dark shadows seeps out around Cyrus. The minute it touches anyone, they drop to their knees, their eyes turning black as their mouths open on a silent scream as if stuck in a moment of horrific terror.
And Malakai has a large male by his throat, his other hand curling around his wing as if he’s just about to pluck it off.
Rolling my eyes at their dramatic entrance, I brush up against each of their connections and watch as they pause before finding me.
“Having fun?” I ask Knox.
Knox’s vicious smile turns into a savage smirk in reply. He takes a step toward me when the other Shadow males finally notice their distraction and spot me.
The Winged Shadows try to use the distraction to their advantage, but Cyrus expands his shadows around the four of them, creating a boundary that immediately stops them from getting close.
Knox opens his mouth to say something when Levington makes an entrance.
“Stand down,” he orders, and his men immediately listen, sheathing their weapons and stepping away.
Well, those that can still move. The rest just lie there completely unconscious or writhing in pain.
Cyrus and Theon’s shadows eventually draw back, revealing dozens more males gasping in pain.
Cyrus’ shadows open a path for me, and Knox calls back his as I make my way down the rest of the stairway toward them all.
I reach Knox first and step into his embrace. His eyes trace my face before scanning every inch of me.
“I’m fine,” I tell him through our connection, and he nods as some of the tension leaves his body.
Theon and Cyrus move closer as the unharmed men help those still on the floor.
I glance over to find Malakai’s grip tightening on the male he has by the throat.
“Let him go,” Levington orders, glaring a hole at the side of Malakai’s head.
Malakai’s gaze finds mine, completely ignoring Levington. I give him a little smirk, happy to see the insufferable bastard, before giving him a look that says, ‘play nice’. At least for now.
He reluctantly lets the other male go, and the male glares at Malakai as he makes his way over to the rest of the men grouping around Levington, gasping.
Levington turns to them and tells them to go back to their dormitory, and they immediately start moving. But not before sending vicious glares toward my men. The males quickly turn and disappear down the hall.
Levington gives my mates an irritated expression. “Was that really necessary?”
Malakai shrugs, “they were in our way.”
Levington looks at him like he doesn’t know whether to strangle or incinerate him but somehow manages to relax his frustrations and release them in a harsh sigh.
He gives each of my men a pointed look. “Cassius already explained that you would be on your way. Hence why you were able to open a portal directly to us. You would not have been able to get past our shields unless we allowed it.”
Meaning they knew they’d come for me. Something warms inside me with the thought.
Stepping back from Knox, I glance between my guys and freeze when I spot the blood on their clothes.
“You’re hurt?” I ask while mentally kicking myself for not noticing it sooner.
Knox smirks. “It’s not ours, baby. Don’t worry.”
Not theirs… I frown. “What happened?” I glance between them again. “What’s going on?” Terrigon blood isn’t red, so this couldn’t have been from the attack in the War Camps.
The guys share a heavy look but it’s Knox who answers. “A lot.”
“Willow. You may return to your room. Thank you for watching over Sena,” Levington says to her.
I turn to her—having completely forgotten about her—as she makes her way down the stairway. She gives me a hesitant smile while avoiding my mates and disappears down a different hall from where the Winged Shadow males went.
Levington’s eyes softens when he looks at me. “Sena. How are you feeling? I’m sure you have plenty of questions. Let’s take this to my office, shall we?” He gestures to the right before moving in that direction.
I share a look with my men before we all reluctantly follow.
He brings us to a large office with walls lined with shelves of books and trinkets and a small glass coffee table with two black leather chairs around it that sits off to the side.
A thick, deep-oak desk with swirling carvings at its edges is placed at the back of the office, with a large chair behind it and two in front of it.
One of the two chairs is already occupied by a familiar form.
Professor Graves, or Cassius, gets up when Levington rounds the desk and turns to me with a small smile.
“Sena. How are you feeling?” he asks, but my entire body immediately tenses up remembering what he told me and what I need to reveal to my mates.
My mates sense the difference in me and misinterpret what’s happening. They start eyeing Cassius up like he’s their new target while moving closer to me.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” Cassius says looking slightly more hesitant with the way my men are now glaring at him.
“But they will have to wait for a moment, I’m afraid,” Levington says, cutting in and buying me a momentary reprieve.
“Talos is demanding that we hand over the crystal. He’s adamant that he would have won if not for the attack and is now blaming the entire thing on us, saying that we orchestrated everything.
” Levington drags a hand down his face. “He’s forgetting we lost far more of our own than he did. ”
I swallow hard as guilt hits me. How could I have forgotten the War Camps and the attack?
“How many?” I ask and he gives me grave look.
“Most of those that came. There is only a couple of our squads left from the entire unit that went to the War Games.”
Shock splinters through me as the full devastation of what happened hits me. Theon moves closer to me and takes my hand. Seconds later, the shock and building grief slide away from me.
I give him a grateful look before focusing back on Levington. There will be time later to unpack everything.
“As soon as I realized what was happening,” Levington continues, “I used one of my men to slightly alter the memories of everyone still alive, including Talos.”
At this point, I shouldn’t be surprised that someone can do that after everything I’ve seen and done. But I am.
Cyrus narrows his eyes on him. “You say that so openly in front of us. Why aren’t you afraid we’ll run back and tell Talos what you did?”
Levington gives him his full attention. “Because as soon as you find out who and what your mate is and what Talos will do should he find out, you will all ensure she’s the furthest thing from him.”
A spike of fear flashes through me and Theon looks down at me as the rest of my mates freeze, their gaze flitting from Levington to me.
I quickly try to lock down my connections with them and make sure Knox hears the truth from me and not my panic-filled brain.
“What do you mean, who and what Sena is?” Knox asks glaring at Levington.
“Sena?” Cyrus asks, glancing at me. “What’s he talking about?”
“I literally just found out too,” I tell them all.
“Found out what?” Malakai asks, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“First tell me what happened.” I beg them, trying to buy myself a little more time. “Are Robin and the others…” I glance between them as their eyes soften and Theon squeezes my hand.
“They’re fine,” Knox answers, bringing me a sliver of relief. “After our little exit, Talos lost too many of his higher ups. He’ll want to keep his strongest nearby and Robin’s companion is Cade. He’s a good fighter.”
Theon squeezes my hand again gaining my attention. He gives me a reassuring look. “He’ll keep her safe.”
I nod, trying to push the worry away for now and deal with our biggest issues. Or mine.
Levington gives my mates a contemplative look. “I’m surprised you were allowed to leave. I heard the entire Shadow Academy has gone into lockdown.”
Knox gives him a savage smile. “We didn’t exactly ask.”
So that’s where the blood came from. But that means…
“You attacked your own?” I ask as shock sweeps through me and past my block with Theon. He quickly filters it once more.
Malakai shrugs. “It was either that or get locked in with the rest of them for who knows how long.” He looks at me. “And you weren’t there. There was no point in us staying.”
They fought their way out to get to me. To come here to their enemy’s base. The shock comes in waves, followed by awe and guilt. So much guilt when I remember what I need to tell them.
Theon frowns at me but I ignore it as Levington nods, releasing a harsh sigh. In a matter of minutes, he looks as if he’s aged overnight.
“What do you remember?” I ask them all only realizing now that they’re treating me the same as before.
I chance a look at Levington, and he nods as if answering my silent question.
He made sure their memory was altered too, only making this so much harder.
“We were fighting the other academy,” Theon says with a frown. “When dozens of birds flew across the sky. What felt like seconds later, Terrigons ambushed the entire arena with more and more coming.”
His grip tightens on my hand. “I remember feeling so fucking scared when I couldn’t see you anymore.”
“The Terrigons and Dark Beasts kept coming with no sign of stopping,” Knox says continuing what Theon started. “Then a huge light came out of nowhere from somewhere up in the sky and beamed down on them, destroying them in minutes.”
“It was the crystal, wasn’t it?” Cyrus asks Levington. “I didn’t realize it was that powerful.”
“It’s not,” I reveal as share a look with Levington and my mates freeze.
“Sena—” Malakai starts but I cut him off and focus on Levington.
“Can you give them their memories back?” I ask him.
Theon’s hand spasms in mine. “What do you mean—”
Malakai glares at him. “Wait… You altered our memory too—”
“You fucking dick—” Knox shouts.
Levington narrows his eyes on them all before sighing. “I can arrange it. But it will have to wait for now. The Shadow that did it has never used his ability on should a large group of people. It nearly killed him. He’ll be out for a while.”
Malakai gives Levington and Cassius a murderous glare. “Someone better start telling us what the hell is going on before I—”
Levington’s words finally hit and a thought jumps into my mind. “Wait… if everyone’s memory was altered, then why does Talos think he still should have won the crystal? Why did he put the academy on lockdown?”
Levington sighs. “He knows something is not right and is also aware that the crystal does not contain that kind of power.”
“So, what did?” Knox asks, and I steel myself before answering.
“No what, who,” I finally reveal, making them all freeze before turning to look at me. “I’m the light that destroyed the Terrigons and Beasts.”
“And she needs to stay hidden for now,” Cassius says, and my mates all glance between me and him in confusion.
“Sena?” Theon says with alarm slashed across his face, “what do you mean, you were the light?”
Before I get the chance to reply Cassius decides to cut in and tell him.
“Sena is no ordinary Shadow or Alita. She is the last of her kind and the only thing that can save us all. I didn’t realize who Talos was.
But she can’t be anywhere near him.” He gives my mates a hard expression.
“If he finds out what and who she is, she’s dead. ”
The guys visibly flinch and move closer to me.
“Someone start talking now before I fucking lose it,” Knox grits out as Cyrus moves closer.
“Sena? What the fuck is he talking about?” Malakai looks to me, the others doing the same, waiting.
Cassius watches me freeze in silence before giving each of my men a look and revealing what I can’t.
“Sena is the last surviving royal.”