Chapter 33
Malakai
Knox hands me a small bag with some broken glass and I look at him like he’s lost his damn mind.
“The dick is up to something,” he says, and I pause instead of flinging the glass back at him.
“What did you find?” I ask.
He dips his head toward the glass in my hand. “Dakson buried that near our little shack the other night. It was glowing at the time, but I broke it.”
I narrow my eyes on the fucker. “You didn’t think to let us see it before you broke it?”
Instead of snapping back at me, he stares at the glass with a slightly disturbed expression.
“The minute I was near it, I felt the energy from it. It was… off.” He stares at it a moment longer before shrugging it off. “Whatever it was wasn’t good. And he went out of his way to make sure it was concealed before slipping off.”
“Did you follow him?” I ask while I inspect the glass a little closer. But there nothing that gives me any clue to what the hell it is. Or was.
“He went to Levington’s office, but I couldn’t hear anything once they were inside,” Knox replies only adding to the frustration building inside me.
We know Levington is up to something. It’s fucking obvious considering the lengths he went to try to keep us apart from Sena. But it looks like we now have to deal with Dakson and his shit too.
“Where’s Sena?” Knox asks, glancing around.
I hand him back the glass. It’s definitely something. We’ll have to look into it on top of everything else. But not today. Today is Sena’s flying test.
“Up above us,” I tell Knox, and he glances up, his brows rising when a second later she shoots past us, staying close to the ground before soaring straight up the huge structure in seconds.
“Woah,” he whispers in awe, and I know exactly how he feels.
Her white wings are spread out either side of her, swiftly curving and twisting, diving, and gliding before shooting forward once more.
Fuck, she’s a sight to behold.
She’s come on leaps and bounds since our last training session. A training session that will forever be burned into my mind.
I glance over at her as she does another spin and twist before shooting up into the sky.
She shouldn’t be able to fly this well. She was getting there, but she needed a few more weeks to manage the power it takes to dive, soar, and shoot upward.
Now overnight, she can complete each move like she was born to do it, and her power and strength is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
But it’s not just her that seems to have gotten a little upgrade. We all feel different and a little stronger since the bond became whole.
There’s also a slight shift in each of us as if something else is waiting to be revealed.
Sena shoots straight for us and lands in front of us with ease.
“You ready for your test today?” I ask.
“More than ready,” she says, and a breathtaking smile crosses her face, making my heart jump.
We wish her good luck, and she heads off over to Levington to find out what tricks he most likely has in store for her.
Cyrus and Theon come up beside us. But before we manage to take another step, a blast of energy pulses out in front of us.
I quickly make sure each of the guys are fine before making a move toward Sena—only to hit against an invisible wall.
Fuck. I share a pissed-off look with the guys.
“He’s blocked us out,” Theon grits out, as he glares around him.
It doesn’t take a fucking genius to figure out who he is.
Levington, the absolute dick.
It makes sense to hide Sena from view, but the fucker just made sure we couldn’t see or sense her.
If anything were to happen…
“I can’t connect to her,” Knox says, and I quickly reach out, my heart dropping when I realize I can’t reach her either.
“It’s the shield,” Cyrus says, his eyes narrowed on the invisible wall.
“Let’s work together and tear it down,” Knox suggests as his shadows start gathering around him.
“If we try to tear it down, we could ruin our chance of figuring out what the fuck he’s up to and Sena’s chance at going to the Hollow.”
“I don’t want her to go anyway,” Knox grits out.
“I’d rather her be by my side than at Levington’s,” Cyrus points out making us pause.
“If anything happens to her…” Theon starts but Cyrus gives him a look.
“She’s stronger than us all,” Cyrus stares up at the mountains as if he can see exactly where she is. “Let’s have trust in our mate.”
Knox slowly reels in his shadows while I try to reel in my worry.
“Besides,” Cyrus says, still fixated on that damn mountain. “If anything happens, we’ll know. Bond or not, we’re true mates. We’d know if she was seriously hurt.
True. A sliver of relief fills me with his words.
But the moment I feel anything from her, it’s over, I’ll rip apart the entire fucking shield and Levington and Dakson along with it.
SENA
On top of the mountain near the ocean, I glance over at the long flying structure and then to my left beside it to the small outline of Levington and Dakson down below.
There’s no one else around, not even my mates.
At least not from view. But there’s no doubt in my mind that they’re somewhere down in the forest, watching and waiting.
I shake the thought of them away and focus on what I need to do. My gaze follows the path I need to take to win Levington’s little deal.
It sounds simple enough… Find the small piece of gold at the top of the large rock column jutting up from the ocean. Weave through the long rock pillars surrounding it and then head to the flying structure that I need to reach the top in seconds.
All while ensuring whatever creature the rock formations belong to remains in slumber and avoid the dozens of drones Levington will have blocking my path to the structure.
I have to give it to him; Levington is nothing if not creative. The dick went out of his way to add a few little tricks in an attempt to stop me from passing.
But I guess he never expected that I would complete the bond with my mates or that I would become stronger because of it.
With my wings spread out around me, I scan my path once more before diving off the cliff and heading straight for the rock columns.
I reach the large rock formation in minutes and hover over it to scan above the crumbling rock arches and jagged walls.
But the rocky walls and arches conceal most of it, making it impossible to find the small piece of gold from up here.
With no other choice, I keep my guard up and wits about me as I land as softly as I can and start my search.
Levington’s reasoning for even thinking up this part of the test was that I would have to find the heart stone in the Hollow and so it would be a skill I would need.
I had to stop myself from mentioning that none of the other Winged Shadows had to perform this test. Since I didn’t want to rock the boat, I bit my tongue and decided to prove that his dick-move wouldn’t stop me.
Glancing around I make sure there’s no creatures or beasts waiting and hiding, but there’s too many large jutting rocks and overhanging arches that could conceal anything.
With soft footsteps, I listen out for any sound before making my way to the center while keeping my wings out just in case something tries to ambush me.
Relief slowly fills me when nothing jumps out from behind the rocks, and I finally make it to the center where lots of small glints of light catch my eye.
I move toward it and under a curved rock wall and come to a small dip in the ground where a wide space is filled with all kinds of trinkets. From small gold pieces of jewelry to gems and sparkling rocks of every kind.
They’re all placed in the middle with a lump of gold the size of my hand at its center.
I didn’t expect it to be this easy but I’m not about to look down on my good luck now.
I move toward it when I hear the scrape of claws along the ground.
Whipping around my stomach churns as I watch a large Griffin walk out of the shadows, followed by another and another until there’s at least a dozen surrounding me.
Just because the Griffins in the War Camps and those in the academy’s forest accepted me, doesn’t mean these will. Especially if the look in their eyes is anything to go by.
I mentally kick myself for jinxing the situation and speaking of ‘good luck’ too soon, while also trying to subtly search for a way out. But the curving rocks block me from flying right out of here, and the Griffins move closer closing any path I might have had available a moment ago.
Fuck. I glance around again trying to figure something out when I finally realize where I am and what this is.
It’s a Griffin’s nest. And I’m standing at the very center of it.
Levington had to have known it was here. He had to have known he was sending me directly into danger.
The dick has really gone out of his way to try to make sure I don’t go to the Hollow.
The Griffin in front of me steps forward with a look in his eyes that tells me he’s the leader. I take a step to the left but stop when the other Griffins around me crowd closer, stopping me from taking another.
I’m about to call on my sword when a feeling stops me making me pause. Seconds later the Griffin leader steps in front of me. Only to brush up against me and… purr.
A shocked chuckle slips from my lips and relief instantly fills me knowing I’m not about to be eaten.
The rest of the Griffins close in around me, all trying to be near me and every ounce of tension finally leaves me, making me relax.
“So, here’s the thing. I need favor,” I tell them, and they all pause as if actually listening to me. Just like the Vims do.
I turn and point over to the gold rock. “I don’t suppose I could borrow that piece of gold?” I turn back around ready to try and convince the Griffin when I feel movement from behind me and a moment later another Griffin moves over to me with the gold in its mouth.
He drops it into my hands before tilting its large head and sliding up against me.
“Thank you,” I whisper, and he dips his head to me as if saying you’re welcome.
“I’ll come visit again,” I promise them and, as if that’s all they wanted to hear, they immediately backup and clear a path for me.
With one last grateful look, I move under the arches and shoot upward before weaving in and around the rock columns and heading straight for the flying structure.
With the gold safely in my hand, I move lower and lower, my eyes set on the end of the structure and my final target.
I’m so focused on it that I don’t notice the dozens of drones flying up beside me until it’s too late.
One drone moves quickly and swoops upward, slicing its blade along my arm.
I start to dip and lose focus as the burning pain shoots up and down my arm.
Before I get the chance to call on my sword, the Griffin leader appears beside me, grasping the drone that attacked me with its long claws and tearing it to pieces.
Seconds later, more and more Griffins appear, all destroying the drones to clear a path for me.
Pushing the pain to the back of my mind, I silently thank them and grip the gold in my palm tighter before rushing forward straight for the structure.
Moving closer to the ground, I dive down before shooting up along the enormous white curving path, pushing my wings as hard and as fast as I can.
Soaring upward, I reach the top in seconds and for a moment I just feel… free. Like there’s nothing that can touch me from up here. No worry or doubt or fear. It’s just me, my wings, and the clear blue sky that seems to go on forever.
Taking a deep breath, I let the cool air fill my lungs and with one last look, I drop backward and dive down, slamming into the ground in seconds.
I glance up and find Levington’s gaze on me and quickly conceal my little smile.
He’s not happy. Not even a little. Which means I fucking aced his little test. Even with his shitty tricks.
“You’re injured,” he says but his angry expression doesn’t change the slightest.
Dakson’s eyes widen as he rushes forward. “Let me take you to the healing center.”
I shake him off and step past him, my eyes not leaving Levington’s. “I’ve passed your test.”
“You have,” he says, his jaw clenched. “Our deal stands,” he sighs.
“But—” Dakson starts but Levington cuts him a look before glancing back at me while trying to rein in his anger.
“Sena will go to the War Camps with everyone else the day after tomorrow and then onto the Hollow with the team.” He dips his head to me and then turns and walks away. Dakson hesitates but after a moment he follows him.
It’s not until they’re out of sight, that I finally relax.
A pulse of energy shoots out around me, and I feel it when the shield comes down and my bonds slam into me.
“Why the fuck are you hurt?” Knox grits out into my mind and I wince, realizing the shield must have blocked them from reaching me.
“I’m killing someone if there’s even a scrape on you,” Knox warns, his tone murderous.
I glance down at the blood dripping from the deep cut on my arm and wince to myself.
“Fuck it. Everyone’s fucking dying tonight,” he growls just as the four of them come into the clearing looking angry as hell.
Damn it. How the hell I’m going to convince my mates not to start a massacre?