Chapter 8
Sena
My head throbs, the sharp pain a reminder of how much I drank last night. I share a commiserating wince with Ember, Maia, and Remi before focusing on the instructor in front of us.
Lucky us, we get to do a combat class out in the beaming sun on one of the large training fields. It’s so bright, each beam is like a spear that slices into my eyes.
“Pair up,” the instructor says, and I turn to Ember ready to fake it so we can head back to the room, but Jeremy drags her away.
Maia and Remi give me a look of apology before teaming up too. I give them all a narrow look of betrayal. I was hoping to do as little as possible in this class but now it appears that I’m going to get my ass kicked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a couple of males making their way over to me and swallow my groan.
Someone comes up behind me, and I take a moment to steady my rolling stomach before turning to them. Only to find Theon right in front of me and a wide empty space around us as if everyone is now too afraid to come near us.
When did he get here? But more importantly why is he here?
The thought of him being here for me quickly comes and disappears. He more than likely was forced to attend some classes by Levington.
A sharp slice of pain shoots through my head making me wince.
I spot Theon still and frown before he shakes it off and moves closer to me and gets into fighting position.
I guess he wants to fight. And I suppose it’s one way to relieve the anger he feels toward me.
I get into position and move quickly aiming a punch to his side, but he moves out of the way before rounding me and waiting. I try to move quickly and attack, but he dodges it. Every aim, punch and kick he avoids as if he’s solely focused on defense.
And it just pisses me off.
I start moving, not holding back to get one hit on him. He twists to his left, giving me an opening, and I punch forward with everything I have, only for him to sidestep and dip before swiping my legs from under me.
As if in slow motion, I start to fall and close my eyes, already feeling the pain as I hit the ground hard.
But I feel no pain. In fact, I feel great. The wicked headache and rolling stomach quickly subside before completely disappearing.
I blink up at the sky wondering what the hell is going on. Slightly turning my head, my gaze finds the main building and a familiar figure beside it. But I blink and Cyrus is gone.
Maybe I did hit my head and now I’m just seeing things?
Theon pulls me up before checking over me. “You look like you’ve lost weight. Did you get any breakfast?” he asks, speaking for the first time and shocking me silent for a moment.
“Sena?”
I take my hand back from his grasp and frown at him, wondering what’s going on here.
“So, you’ve actually decided to speak to me now?” I ask, as frustration bleeds into my tone.
He sighs. “Did you eat?”
I narrow my eyes on his fake concern. “None of your damn business.”
He glares at me before grabbing my arm.
“Let’s go,” he says as he starts to drag me through the field. Anyone in our way quickly moves, clearing a path for us. Even the instructor doesn’t try to stop him.
We’re just past the training field and around the corner of the main building when I snap out of my shock and come to my damn senses.
I yank my arm out of his grip. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He whirls on me with an angry glare. “We’re going to the canteen to get you some damn food.”
I open my mouth to tell him he can go shove his demanding self up his ass when he opens the connection between us wide, making me freeze.
Concern, real concern hits me followed by sadness, fear, worry and guilt. So much guilt I can almost taste it.
“I fucked up. We fucked up. I get it,” he says, his head wide before narrowing. “But we’re not going anywhere.”
I take a step back from him. “I’m not interested. If you can discard me so easily, why the fuck would I want any of you as mates.”
“We didn’t—” he starts but Ember, Maia, and Remi round the corner and head straight for us.
“Sena,” Ember groans. “There you are.”
“I think I need a nap,” Maia says cutting Ember off before wandering off. Remi’s face is pale as she swallows hard and pauses for a moment as if she’s going to say something but then thinks better of it a minute later as she waves us off and silently follows after Maia.
“I guess it’s just me and you then,” Ember says, probably too hungover to realize Theon is now giving her a murderous glare.
I ignore him and link my arm with hers before heading in a random direction, hoping he’ll take the hint and leave. But he follows us like a damn stalker.
Ember takes over directing and veers us back toward the main building and into the canteen.
I glance over my shoulder to find Theon watching me with a little smirk.
Maybe I am a little hungry but the dick—I stop myself quickly realizing how damn childish I’m behaving. What the fuck is wrong with me? I’m not going to starve myself just because I’m angry with the four assholes or to prove a point. That’s beyond foolish.
Mentally giving myself a shake, I blame it on the hangover—even though I now feel like I’ve had one of the best night’s sleep with not an ounce of pain across any part of my body—and head into the canteen with Ember by my side.
The canteen is very similar to the one at the Shadow Academy but slightly bigger and a hell of a lot more packed.
Ember and I grab a tray and head over to the line of food. I start grabbing a couple of sausages, a little scrambled egg, and a slice of toast.
Even though my stomach is now feeling great, I don’t want to chance it and end up throwing up and wasting all this good food.
I start moving over to Ember and the seat she found us when my tray is swiped from my hands.
I whip around and Theon glares at me when I try to grab it back. He starts piling more food on it and then heads over to our table with my tray in his hand.
Ember gives me a questioning look but thinks better of it when she sees me glaring at him.
Theon places my food in front of me before sitting directly across from me and watching my every move.
“Eat,” he demands, and I’m so tempted to punch him in the face.
He smirks at me like he knows what I’m thinking, the glint in his eyes telling me he’s hoping I’ll try.
I bite my tongue and turn around to Ember, giving her my undivided attention while I eat. But her attention is on the males around us.
She glares over at one in particular with short, jet-black hair and green eyes while he glares right back.
“What’s that about?” I ask her.
“Someone, actually a lot of someone’s are pissy because we won the prank war.” She rolls her eyes and then ignores them to focus back on her food.
“It’s just a hit to their fragile egos. They’ll get over it. But they’ll probably go hard at the flag competition in a few weeks.” She gives me a slightly worried expression. “We’ll need to be ready.”
“What’s the flag competition?” Theon asks her, shocking her for a moment, but she shakes it off and answers him.
“It’s a team competition that happens every year. Thirty flags are hidden all over the mountains and each team has a few hours to retrieve as many as they can. The one with the most flags wins.”
I’m so absorbed in Ember’s words that I don’t realize I’m not eating until Theon gives me a pointed look, silently demanding I continue.
I roll my eyes and dig in, and the tension in his face quickly smooths out.
“What are the obstacles?” he asks while keeping an eye on me now.
She raises a brow. “Each flag is strategically hidden and hard to reach. We’re talking the edge and side of cliffs, possibly deep into cave systems and near some of the beasts that call the mountains their home.”
“That’s sounds like so much fun,” I say with a deadpan look, and she laughs.
“How are the teams picked?” he asks wearing a serious expression like he’s thinking about joining in.
“We pick our own. Usually four to six, max,” she replies before picking at her food.
Theon nods with a far-off look.
I open my mouth to ask him what he’s thinking when a group of loud, boisterous men enter the canteen. They spot Ember and me and start making their way over but pause when they see Theon.
As if sensing them, Theon turns around to them. Whatever look he gives them has them all blanching before turning and heading straight back out.
“What I wouldn’t do to have that kind of power,” Ember says with a wistful sigh before taking her tray and standing up.
“I’m ready for a nap now,” she says before glancing between me and Theon. “You coming?”
“No—” Theon starts but I grab my tray and get up too.
“Yes. I could do with a nap,” I tell her while attempting to ignore Theon completely. But I feel his stare as it burns a hole in the side of my head.
“Sena—” he starts as he stands too.
I turn to him and paste on a fake smile.
“I’m busy. Just like you all have been these past couple of weeks.
In fact, I’ll be busy for the indefinite future.
Make sure you let the others know.” I grab Ember’s free hand and pull her over to the bins.
We empty our trays before heading out of the canteen and away from the broody asshole.