Chapter 25
Sweat drips down my back as I glance between Ember, Remi and Maia as we silently move through the forest.
A dozen of our group from the training class were divided up for the flag competition at the crack of dawn this morning before being left at the edge of the forest.
But my mind keeps drifting to last night and Cyrus’ little visit in my dreams. His touch still lingering in my body and burned into memory.
Apparently, I accidentally connected to each of my mates on and off when I was completing the bond to Knox yesterday. They quickly figured out that I was no longer pushing them away and Cyrus was the first to make sure I knew how happy he was about it.
“Morning, baby,” Knox says into my mind. “Malakai wants to know what time you’re meeting up for your lessons.”
Shit. I forgot about that. “Something came up,” I tell him. “Tell him I can’t make it today.”
A minute later I feel Malakai brush against our connection, and I internally sigh before opening up to him.
“Why are you in the forest?” Knox asks more than likely at Malakai’s request after him seeing where I am through our bond.
“For the flag competition,” I tell him while glancing around searching for the next flag. We have three so far but the farther we move into the forest and nearer to the mountains, the harder the flags are to find and reach.
“I never heard anything about a flag competition,” Knox says.
“They apparently do it every year,” I tell him. “The team with the most flags win.”
“What do you win?” he asks, and I pause before answering him.
“A chance to try out for the royal guard.”
I grind my jaw as I hear his laugh bounce off the inside of my brain.
“You’re joking?” he says, the laughter still in his voice. “You do know that a royal guard’s main duty is to protect a royal. Meaning you babe.”
“I’m aware,” I tell him. “But my roommates don’t know who I am, and it seems like it’s important to them.”
His laugh quickly trails off. “How many flags are there in total? And how far are they placed into the forest.”
I smile at the quick switch in his tone, going from humor to serious.
Maia points over to a tall tree where a little peak of red is visible. Right at the top.
Great.
“There are thirty flags placed all over the forest and up into the mountains,” I tell Knox. “I’m looking at one right now, but it’s up the top of a tall tree.”
“We’re on our way,” Knox replies immediately and I still. As much as I want to spend time with them, I can’t fuck this up for the girls.
“I’m with the girls,” I tell him, hoping he’ll take the hint.
“I’m glad you made friends here but none of the three very human females beside you can protect you should anything happen.”
I narrow my eyes on the flag up high in the tree. “I don’t need them or anyone to protect me. I can protect myself.” A rush of annoyance floods me and seconds later the flag flies out of its spot and falls to the ground.
Shit. I glance between the girls to find their eyes wide with shock before smiles slide across their faces.
Ember reaches down to pick it up. “I guess the wind is on our side today.”
I sigh with relief as Ember places the flag inside her bag.
“Sena—”
“No outside influence is allowed,” I tell Knox. “And I don’t want to be the one who gets them disqualified all because I have four possessive mates.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the rules. Your life is more important.”
“All I’m doing is playing hide and seek with some flags,” I tell him, playing it down. “I’ll be fine.”
“Sena—”
“I’ll keep the connection open,” I promise.
He sighs. “Fine. But with all of us.”
“Deal,” I tell him as I move up a steep hill toward the mountains with the girls. Within minutes, the thick trees around us become dense, making it harder to spot the little red flags.
“What are you guys up to?” I ask, trying to keep him distracted.
“We’re trying to decide what to do with Levington. I vote with string him up by his legs, rips his wings off and torture him for a while before killing him.”
I wince at the description. “That’s a little—”
“Ingenious?” he says.
“More like psychotic,” I reply.
“It’s the least he deserves for keeping you from us and making it look like none of us wanted to see you. I missed weeks of holding and touching you because of that dick. He’s going to pay,” Knox promises.
“Agreed,” I tell him. “But I have a feeling he’s up to something more than just keeping us apart.
Willow, an Alita I met told me that there’s something wrong with all Alitas.
That they can’t use their powers without the crystal’s help and that Levington broke small pieces of it off to give to them. ”
Knox groans in annoyance. “I thought you’d be safe here. But I’m starting to feel like we’ve just stepped into another fucking world full of traps and dickheads… Maybe the five of us should just leave.”
Warmth seeps into me at the thought of just being with the four of them and going off and doing our thing. But I don’t think I could just leave an entire race of Shadows to die when there’s something I can do to help.
“This is my world now as much as it is yours,” I tell him as the other girls and I climb up a steep hill. “I’m going to protect it even if it is a little fucked up.”
With the mountains at my back and lush green trees below and around me, the view from up here is stunning.
Knox sighs. “Tell me what you want to do.”
“You’re actually going to listen to me?” I ask, smiling to myself in quiet shock.
I probably look like a damn lunatic, so I make myself busy searching for another flag.
“You’re my mate,” he says. “I’d slice every main artery in my body if you asked me to.” There’s not a lick of humor in his tone only reverent awe and vow.
I swallow hard against the lump forming in my throat.
The thought of anything happening to them makes me physically ill.
“I’d never want anything bad to happen to you or any of the others, Knox.
” I sigh. “For now, let’s just keep an eye on Levington and play along.
I want to find out what his game plan is and why he wanted to keep us apart. ”
“You want me to follow him?” he asks.
“I thought you were good at stalking,” I remind him.
“Yes, but I only enjoy stalking you,” he says, his voice growing husky.
I chuckle and the girls stare at me. Clearing my throat I point at a random direction. “I saw a squirrel.”
They give me a look like they think I’ve lost my mind. Sharing a glance between themselves, they shake their heads and get back to seeking out another flag.
“You’re distracting me,” I tell him.
“Good. I like distracting you,” he purrs. “Hurry up and finish your game and then come find me so we can play one of our own.”
“What kind of game?” I ask a little intrigued.
“The kind where you run and hide and when I find you, I get to do whatever I want to you,” he promises.
Heat thrums through my veins. “Knox…”
“Theon says you feel like you need a little… relief? Are you sure you don’t want me or one of the others to slip by and… help you out?” Knox chuckles. It has a smugness to it that quickly snaps me out of the little heated spell he’s trying to pull me under.
I clear my throat and ignore the worried looks the girls are giving me. “Later,” I tell him and try to focus on the actual world around me instead of listening to him in my head.
“Later…” he promises. I feel him pull away but also feel the connection sit at the back of my mind, wide open for anything. Just like the others.
Shaking off my thoughts and desire to see them all, I focus on the forest and mountains around me and finally get to work.
Once I focus on the flag competition, we find more flags. One is hidden beneath rocks at the side of a small pool of water. Another is between a thick bush that scraps my skin leaving it raw. But the look of joy and happiness on the girls’ faces makes it all worth it.
They’ve kept me sane this last while. Took me under their wing and helped me when they didn’t have to.
Helping them with this small task is the least I can do.
We move onto the next spot and quickly find another flag hanging on a tree that’s positioned dangerous low over a large pit.
Before we decided who’s going to get this one, Maia quickly drops her bag and starts climbing up the tree.
My stomach dips when the tree starts to curl and bend over the pit as she reaches out to grab it. But the tree holds, and she’s soon climbing back down.
I keep my eyes on her until she’s down and handing the flag off to Ember so she can place it with the others.
“That’s seven,” Ember says after counting them. “Hopefully the others aren’t doing as well.”
“Where should we try now?” Remi asks as we move further up into the mountains.
“Every year, there are at least three flags placed in really hard to get places,” Ember says.
“Like up in a tree or in a prickly bush?” I point out, still feeling the burn from those scrapes.
“Like at the side of a cliff,” she says, making my stomach drop.
We keep moving until we come to an open area that divides off into four paths.
“There are a few cliffs in this area. Let’s split up and check them out,” Ember says. “We’ll meet back here if anyone finds anything and work on getting it together.”
We all agree before we get moving. I take the nearest path to me while Ember, Remi and Maia take one of the other three.
The path I’m on curves up and around sets of dense trees before slowly bringing me up to the top of the mountain side. By the time I’m a few feet from where the cliff sits, I’m sweaty and out of breath.
Now I understand why Ember wanted to train so much for this. I definitely need to work on my endurance and stamina.
I pause and smile to myself when I realize I have four willing participants that will be more than happy to help me with any endurance or stamina issues I may have.
A twig snaps from somewhere behind me, and I curse myself for getting distracted as I whip around.