Chapter 35
Covered from head to toe in black, I stand with my mates, Zane, and the rest of his group as we wait for the portal to open for the War Camps.
There’s a large group of Shadow males from the senior camp joining us, along with a handful of royal guard.
I glance over and my stomach churns when I spot Ember, Maia, and Remi standing beside Brooks and his men.
Apparently, they’re going to act as our distraction so we can get to the Hollow unseen by Talos and his men.
My mates move closer to me as we step through the cool portal and out to a familiar setting.
A dead, stagnant heat hits me, immediately making me want to strip off a couple of layers.
I glance around at the familiar desert and its endless beige sand, already wishing I was someplace else.
With my mates by my side, I follow Zane’s group as we pass the dark red rocks and dozens of black and beige tents to a large tent in the back.
It’s familiar but not. Finally I realize it’s because the portal brought us directly to the winged side.
Dropping my gear off on a random bed near my mates, I keep my face covered and move back outside, heading in the direction of where I hope the other academy is. Maybe Robin is—
“Where do you think you’re going, babe?” Knox asks rounding me and blocking my path.
“I just want to see something,” I tell him and try to move around him but Malakai appears and blocks my way with Theon and Cyrus on either side of me.
“Sena—”
“Please,” I beg and they still before sharing a look between one another.
“Fine,” Theon says taking my hand and filtering my worries and fears. “A quick look and then straight back here.”
Relief fills me as we quickly make our way through the tents avoiding the main paths before coming out to the edge of the Shadow Academy’s side.
The minute I see it, I freeze.
There’re barely half the tents that were here when I first came with most of them torn apart or completely destroyed.
“Shit,” Knox mumbles. “I guess Talos wasted no time in cleaning house.”
My stomach churns and my heart completely drops when his words hit.
Robin. I let go of Theon’s hand and rush around the small path to the tents and destruction, only making it a little way before my mates block me.
“We can’t be here,” Theon says while glancing around.
“What if something happened to Robin?” I ask as my eyes find the tent beside me. The one with the large hole and red paint… red blood splattered across it.
Nausea rolls in my stomach as I look to Theon, and his eyes soften.
“We’ll look into it later but right now we can’t do anything about—”
Long red hair catches my attention a few tents down from us and I move quickly, following the female figure.
My heart races as I send a silent prayer to whoever will listen, pleading and begging that this is Robin and she’s safe and well.
My mates are about to block me once more when the girl turns and my hearts thumps loudly in my ears as I find myself staring directly at her.
Robin.
Her eyes are a little sadder, her face a little thinner and more guarded. But she’s alive.
I take my hood down and watch her freeze when she notices me. But a second later she stiffens and turns around before going out of her way to avoid me.
I swallow hard trying to push down the hurt I shouldn’t be feeling.
She has every right to want to avoid me. She’s probably been going through hell here while I’ve been in the other academy. And I can only imagine what lies Talos has been telling her about me and my mates.
“Sena…” Theon starts but I pull my hood up and turn around.
“Let’s head back,” I tell them before nearly running into Zane.
“Levington has called a meeting for the Hollow team.” Zane looks between us. “Let’s go.”
Theon grabs my hands and starts filtering my emotions again and I give him a grateful look as we follow Zane to Levington’s tent where Ajax, Colton, and Theo are already waiting.
Just like before, once I enter it, I can’t feel any of my bonds with my mates. I notice they quickly realize it too when they start outright glaring in Levington’s direction while subtly moving closer to me.
Levington is oblivious to any of the animosity in the room as he steps around his desk and places his hands behind his back, appearing ever the leader.
“Tomorrow night you will head into the Hollow to find and destroy the heart stone.” He gives each of us a grave look and I try not to roll my eyes.
Even though my face is covered, my eyes are not. And his gaze seems to dart over to me every few seconds.
“The royal guard and senior camp will act as your distraction to help get you to the Hollow unseen.” He gives me a pointed look. One I haven’t a clue how to decipher but I couldn’t care less about.
“I don’t have to remind you how important this is,” he says glancing between us. If I didn’t already know how fucking manipulative he is, I wouldn’t be able to see through his fake ass expression in this moment.
He seems to have nailed each one, making it seem like he actually cares.
“We only get one shot. One shot to end the war and suffering for good,” he says.
His tone drops, and I wonder if he’s had to practice this little speech in front of a mirror a few times before talking to us or if he’s just gotten so good at lying that he can’t tell the difference between truth and fiction anymore.
Dakson walks into the tent and heads straight for him. He whispers something into Levington’s ear that immediately gains his interest. He gives him a nod and Dakson sends me a smile before heading out.
It takes a moment, but Levington finally gives us his full attention once more.
“You will all only have a small window of time to get through the Hollow,” he reveals, leaving me shocked silent.
“And you’re telling this now?” Knox says, voicing my feelings. “A few hours before we’re all supposed to go into it?”
Levington sighs while attempting to give him a patient expression but, looking closer, I can see the frustration seeping from his eyes.
“The rift into the Hollow mostly flows one way when it’s unstable.
Out,” he says. “It’s how the Terrigons and Dark Beasts are able to get through it.
A small part of its energy can be shifted slightly to enable you to get in and once again when you’re done.
But Cassius will only be able to hold each for a few minutes max. ”
“Cassius?” I ask as shock slams into me. “He’s back?”
Levington nods. “You’ll go with the senior teams with the excuse that you’re all helping to push back the Terrigons. They will then act as your diversion to get you near the Hollow, and Cassius will hold the rift for as long as he can.”
Levington pulls out a small black bag from his pocket and hands it to Zane. “This will help you find the heart stone in the Hollow. Like attracts like,” he says.
Zane frowns down at the bag before emptying its contents onto his palm.
A small, jagged crystal the size of a nail falls out, and Zane’s head whips up to stare at Levington with wide eyes. “It’s a piece of the crystal?” he says in awe and Levington nods.
“Talos is growing restless. He knows we’re up to something. We’ve only got one shot. But I have complete faith that you will do your Commander proud.” His eyes soften as they take us all in, but I don’t believe his innocent expression for a moment. Not after everything he’s done.
“We won’t let you down, Commander,” Zane says, placing the crystal in the bag, and holding onto it like it’s the most precious thing he’s ever touched. His team dips their heads to him in respect, and it takes everything in me not to flip him off or roll my eyes.
Instead, I look to my mates and nod. The guys play along, and nod which Levington takes to mean they’re agreeing with him and his little speech.
But really, I’m reaffirming our plan to figure out his game plan before absolutely destroying it and fucking it up.
The manipulative dick won’t know what hit him when I’m finished with him.
That is, after we destroy the Hollow.
The boys are checking out the Shadow Academy side while I walk around the winged camp like a lost fucking soul.
They’d only agree to leave if I promised to stay on this side and, for some stupid reason, I did.
It’s not like I have anyone to really see on the other side. And the one person I did want to see doesn’t even want to look at me.
I start trying to think up ways to make it up to Robin when someone grabs me and pulls me into the nearest tent.
I turn, ready to kick their ass when I spot red hair and freeze.
Robin rushes forward and wraps her arms around me.
“I thought you hated me for leaving,” I tell her while trying to shake away the shock.
“Are you serious?” She pulls back to stare at me. “I’ve missed you like crazy. I’m just so fucking glad you’re okay.”
“But earlier…”
She glances around us, before dropping her voice. “Talos has been slowly going crazier since the War Games ended. We barely leave the War Camps, spending most of our time here.”
“Why?”
“He thinks it will make us all stronger and wants to get rid of the weak.” She gives me a sad look. “So many have already died.”
I grip her hands hoping to comfort her in any way I can, and she gives me a soft smile.
“Most of the Shadows are brainwashed and believe every foolish thing that comes out of his mouth. They all believe him when he told us that you’re with the enemy now so that makes you our enemy too.
” She rolls her eyes, and I see a spark of the old Robin I knew.
“I had to wait until it got dark to even meet up with you. That’s why I couldn’t come up to you earlier.
” She tries to hide her smirk but the spark in her eyes only grows.
“I’m literally risking my life for you, you know. ”
“What are friends for?” I bump her shoulder, and she laughs making me feel lighter.
“I missed you too,” I tell her, and she immediately pulls me into another hug.
“You’ve been safe?” she whispers, and I nod.
“You?” I ask and she finally pulls back to look at me.
“I’ve been fine,” she says, and relief instantly fills me. “Cade has been taken care of me.”
“Good. I—”
“So, this is where you sneaked off to,” Ember says as she, Remi, and Maia walk into the tent. Her eyes flicker from Robin to me. “Cheating on us, I see.”
Robin scans her from head to toe before narrowing her eyes on her. “I was her first.”
I bite my lip trying to hold my laugh in, but Robin quickly catches on to what she said and winces before breaking out laughing and I join her.
The girls move over to us and introduce themselves to Robin, instantly accepting her as one of their own. Happiness fills me seeing the group of people that have slowly become like a family surround me.
It’s something I never had but always wanted. And now I do.
I glance between them, quickly realizing I would lay down my life for any of them.
But I also have this horrible churning feeling in my stomach that tells me the other shoe is about to drop.