by KC Kingmaker
Venn was the only one who stayed quiet during our practice session. As the most affable and talkative of the bunch, it was sad to see. He could hardly look at me, and spent most of his time squaring off with Dax. I knew our tiff still tormented him.
I caught the fae peeking at me every once in a while, but as soon as I’d catch him, he’d turn away.
Finally, toward the end of the night, when we were all sweaty and sore, he approached me. His measured, hesitant gait nearly made me balk, because I wasn’t used to the man pussyfooting around. It was like he was scared of my ire.
“I never wanted to get on your bad side, Coralia,” he said, alluding to my jab at Sunny from earlier in the evening.
“I know, Venn.”
He ringed his hands nervously, eyes darting everywhere but me. His voice was tinged with sorrow as he said, “I just wanted to apologize again for—”
“I know. Venn, you don’t have to keep apologizing.”
His head perked up. “What will make you forgive me?”
I thought that over, cocking my head. “Time? Perhaps. We’ll just have to see. You betrayed my trust, Venn.”
His shoulders sank. “I know . . .”
“But you also told me about your spying. You could have kept it a secret. Why didn’t you?”
He shrugged. “I guess I couldn’t stand it anymore—the thought of being dishonest with you. Not after what we’d shared.”
A warm flush came to my cheeks. “You meant it then? That what we did in the woods was . . . true?”
“Every word of it. Coralia, if I had to go back and do it all over, I would. If I never got the chance to get close to you, because I was never told to watch you, then I would gladly be a spy all over. If that makes sense.”
It was endearing to hear, if not a little strange. I wondered if he had practiced that spiel in the mirror, or who had greenlit it. He’d rather be a spy and meet me, than not-a-spy and not meet me. Got it.
I tried to keep my emotions at bay. Staring into his lilac face creased with worry wrinkles, I wanted to hug him. I wanted to press my cheek against his chest and feel his heartbeat against me, and taste his heady, thunderstorm scent.
We had too much riding on the future though. Too much hung in the balance for me to let my emotions get in the way. The next couple days would decide a whole lot about my future at Shadowblade Academy.
If I lived through them.
I put a stern face. “We need to be ready for tomorrow, Venn. Let’s see how it plays out, and maybe we can circle back to this. Deal?”
His face flashed with the first hint of happiness I’d seen all night. With a tiny smile, he said, “Deal, hun.”
I HARDLY GOT ANY SLEEP that night. Thoughts of Venn, Genevieve, and Myria ran wild in my head, living rent-free. I tossed and turned.
By the time I finally felt like I was dozing off, a gray morning shone through my window. Charli was still asleep when I got up and strapped on my gear. I ate a quick, quiet breakfast alone, kissed Bruce Kittenson on the top of the head, and left my dorm.
I made my way to the Gable Training Facility with my head down, venturing through a fogbank rolling through campus.
Inside the dojo, Wrist Hudson was sipping a mug of coffee and talking with the other three Glovemates. Well, I supposed I wasn’t a “Glovemate,” because I wasn’t an official member of Hudson’s Glove . . . but for all intents and purposes, I was today.
I approached them, wondering how the dudes always managed to get to our destination before me. They each wore the pricey fae-tech wetsuit-looking things from training. Jace told me to strap into one in the women’s locker room, and then he’d brief me.
“I thought we aren’t allowed to leave this dojo with those things, because they’re so expensive.”
“We’re making an exception today, Miss Hargrave. We’re trying not to lose any more students.”
I nodded my understanding and went to the locker room. Facing my locker, I recalled how Vivi had bumped into me and talked shit about Charli’s figure when I’d first shown up here. How I had stood up to her. How Vivi had bullied us with her little posse. How the domino effect of our rivalry had begun, all starting with a little accident when my cat spilled some liquids on her in Alchemy class.
And here I was now, risking my life to save her.
What a crazy world we live in.
Once geared up, I stretched to loosen the fabric a bit. It felt like Kevlar and linen mixed, which was a crazy combo. I had a feeling I’d never get used to the oddity of the fae-tech garb. And gods did it cut tight around my figure. I frowned at myself in the mirror in the locker room, hoping that wearing the damn thing wouldn’t get one of the guys killed because they were busy staring at my ass instead of fighting.
I returned to the dojo and joined the foursome on the blue mat. Jace had his shadowmap, which was now blank, on a table in front of him. It was like a diabolical Etch-a-Sketch. Next to the table was the bulletin board where I’d spotted my name, way back when, as a potential Shadowball teammate. The board was wiped clean of any names and Shadowball fields, and replaced with a rough sketch of Asberald City.
A few points were circled in different colors. Two orange circles. Four red circles. Two purple circles. They lined the fringes of Asberald, staying out of the center.
“Entry points,” Jace explained, running his fingers over the drawing. “Passages that should lead to the center facility, based on my shadowmap. You’ll be taking the map with you, which should act as a GPS of sorts.”
“I’m guessing the colors correspond with shadowgates?” Sunny asked.
“Sort of. You’ll have to craft your own path to shadowwalk, Sunny. The shade patches in this city aren’t familiar to you, so they’re basically useless. It wouldn’t do any good to show you which shadows to take to get to the center facility, because you aren’t familiar with their tethers.
“These circles are blind zones—areas my shadowmap can’t see into, either because of obstructions, natural barriers, or fog. The two purple circles are the largest danger areas. The red ones and orange ones are smaller sections that should be avoided.”
“And we’re assuming the Leatherwings will be in the facility you speak of?” Dax asked.
Jace gave him a curt nod. “Once you get there, you’ll wipe the slate clean on the shadowmap and trace it over the facility. It should pick up the interior of the building. From there, bring it back to me and I’ll study the map to see if we can figure out what the Leatherwings are up to.”
“You don’t think we’ll know what they’re doing right when we get in there?” I asked.
“Honestly, I have no idea what to expect. That’s why you guys have to be on high alert at all times. Dax will take the vanguard position, acting as scout. I’ve already set up a fae mind-link with Venn. He will liaise with me, and he’ll also act as secondary support on the right wing. Sunny will be the primary striker. Coralia, you’ll be left wing support and rover.”
“Just like my sister during the Ghost final.”
“Yes. Keep your eyes on the guys at all times, if you can.”
“Yes sir.”
Professor Hudson let out a sigh. For a moment, his stern expression softened as he studied me. “Coralia, you’ve been thrust into this position ahead of your time. You’re still a Ghost. While my Knuckles have experience doing this sort of thing, you’ll be flying by the seat of your pants.”
He didn’t need to say “just do your best” or anything like that. If I didn’t do my best, we’d all die. No big deal. “Is there a point to you saying that, Professor?” I asked, a roguish smirk close to my lips.
Rather than get angry at my insolence, he smiled viciously. I had a feeling he appreciated my audacity and grit. The guys all bowed down to him because he was their Wrist and leader. But he wasn’t my Wrist. Not yet. I felt like it afforded me a little leeway to talk to him without mincing my words, similar to how he talked to others.
He said, “Just keep y
our head on a swivel. Don’t look back, always move forward. We don’t know how many of these bastards are going to be there.
“To all of you: If there are too many, and you feel another ambush coming on, flee. It’s better to live to fight another day than to go out swinging. Remember, this is supposed to be your final assignment. You aren’t even full-fledged shadowblades yet.”
“This will be another mark toward that endeavor though,” Dax said.
“Quite right, Dax. Are there any questions?”
We all shook our heads. Our game faces were on. My Oblyx Steel sword was sheathed in a leather scabbard, which I strapped around my back for easy access.
“All right,” Jace said. He opened a portal next to him, which would send us to the outskirts of Asberald City without us having to be secretive. This time, it was Academy-sanctioned.
“Then let’s get you in and get you out,” he said. “Show these bastards what Hudson’s Glove can do. I would wish you luck in finding Genevieve, but I don’t want to jinx it.” His beard split on a wicked grin. “So . . . happy hunting.”
Chapter 40
Coralia
MY HEART THUMPED IN my chest as I followed Sunny from a distance. He weaved through streets and tight alleyways, managing to stay in the shadows the whole time, where he was most comfortable.
In the daylight hours, Asberald City was somehow even more bleak and dismal than during nighttime. There was a foreboding sense of despair and desolation in the air, which made the dystopian atmosphere of the city stark and noticeable.
The buildings were dilapidated, rusted, crumbling in on themselves. Vines, undergrowth, and moss grew on everything, with Mother Nature taking over the city in full force. The cement was cracked everywhere we stepped, weeds tumbling forth, sometimes in huge patches that stretched for blocks.
It was almost unnatural, seeing a metropolis reduced to an abandoned shell of its former self. If I closed my eyes, I could have envisioned the streets bustling with businesspeople and morning joggers walking their dogs. I noticed the faded green logo of a Starbucks on one of the buildings.
I couldn’t believe only a year or so had passed since Asberald had been completely deserted. The rate of decay seemed too fast, as if an unnatural rot suffocated the place.
Because of the multistory buildings, which hemmed us in on both sides of the street and gave our trek a claustrophobic feel, the morning sun hardly hit our backs. Its breadth was light and patchy, dappling the shadows we walked across—shadows cast by buildings, telephone poles, hollowed light fixtures, and foliage.
We had a lot of room to work with, being shadowblades-in-training.
For a fleeting moment, I wondered what would happen if none of us returned. If four students—three of whom were well-respected and somewhat renowned among the student body—just died on their final exam.
There was no Better Business Bureau to report to; no wrongful death claims to file in a magical academy humans didn’t even know existed. Would there be a trial of some kind? A magical suit against Jace Hudson for leading us to our deaths? Would the Academy be sanctioned, and would they retaliate in full force?
I supposed what I was really wondering, was, If this is such an important mission to Headmaster Cane and the donors of the school, why aren’t they sending more of us? We’re just four lowly cadets. I’ve heard the name Finley Winston whispered around campus. Why not send that person?
With a sigh, I had to steel myself and get that line of thinking out of my head. We were sent here because Myria and Genevieve are our people. Whether we like it or not, this is our mission, and as Jace said, we take care of our own.
I had to imagine, if we were somehow successful and everything went according to plan, that we’d be lauded for our loyalty, expertise, and skill.
The alternative was bleak.
We just have to succeed. For the sake of everyone involved. That’s all there is to it.
Sunny rounded a street corner and I temporarily lost sight of him. My throat hitched and I scurried across an alley adjacent to where he’d gone, sticking to the left. For a minute, I felt completely alone, without eyes on any of my Glovemates.
When I burst free from the mouth of the alley, I caught his cloak rippling in the wind out of my peripheral. His cloak had been turned inside out, showing matte black instead of its usual brilliant red, so he could remain stealthy.
I felt a heady sensation around me, like I was being watched, and the presence of my Glovemates gave me a warm, rich feeling.
Venn was somewhere behind me, keeping contact with Jace Hudson and the rest of us through the fae mind-link. I had no idea how the ability worked—only that I’d felt a ping of something in my mind when he had first placed a palm on my forehead.
Dax was far ahead of Sunny, out of sight, scouting for us. His voice seared into my mind: “Coming up on the first red circle. Avoiding down the eastern street.” A second later: “Wait, never mind, it’s a cul-de-sac. Going down the northeastern street. It’s a four-way crossing.”
I furrowed my brow and picked up my pace to try and get closer to Sunny.
The deeper we carved into the city, the more the shadows seemed to coalesce. The darkness was spreading, sunlight overhead becoming more blocked. I had to squint to see Sunny in the distance, and for a moment I wished he’d been wearing his cloak red-side-out.
A scuffling sound peaked in my brain.
“Dax, what’s going on?” Sunny asked.
I didn’t know how to talk through the mind-link, so I just listened. I thought I was gaining on Sunny, but then he put on a burst of speed and I had to sprint down an open street to catch up, which scared the shit out of me. My boots thudded and echoed hollowly across the walls of the buildings to my right and left.
“Coralia, slow down,” Venn urged, having eyes on me from behind. “You’re moving too fast and reckless.”
“Shit,” Dax grunted.
My head swam with voices, which disoriented me. I had to slow down, not because of Venn’s suggestion, but because I felt like I was getting vertigo from the conflicting, floating voices.
“What is it, Dax?” Sunny growled. “Report.”
“Scent. Rot and sewage. I missed it on my first pass because of the forest undergrowth and strong smell of oil.”
“Where is it coming from exactly, Dax—”
“Coralia! Alley. Three o’clock. Now!”
Venn’s voice pierced through stronger than the others. My heart soared to my throat and I glanced right and dove into the opening of an alley, landing on my hands and knees. I crawled to a nasty industrial dumpster and hid behind it, then peeked over.
A second later, a whoosh caught my attention overhead. A Leatherwing flew lazily through the sky down the street I’d just been running across.
It landed on the road and raised its blackened face, sniffing the air. Its massive wings snapped shut, folding across its back. The thing was huge, muscled, and grotesque. Its wings seemed to leak some sort of goo, and I’d never get used to its masculine, rotting presence. It trudged naked, black fur covering its leathery hide, with its junk out on full display—a sight that made me grimace in disgust.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins.
It wasn’t moving.
Then it turned toward the alley and its eyes flared red, cutting through the darkness.
I inhaled sharply.
For a moment I tried to stay stone-still, but the fear and adrenaline made me jittery. I stumbled back and stepped on something crackly. A piece of trash.
“Fuck,” I breathed.
The Leatherwing perked, spread its wings, and charged. I raised my hands to call upon a spell, terror clamping down on me.
A growl cut through the street, reverberating off the walls.
The Leatherwing squealed, its dichotomy of voices rasping high and low as it turned to the side. I didn’t have an angle to see what had happened—what had stolen its attention—so I scooted out from behind the dumpster.
<
br /> Sunny squatted behind it, Oblyx sword buried in the demon’s thigh. He pulled back for another strike, trying to dislodge the weapon.
The Leatherwing reeled and swatted at Sunny, backhanding him a few feet away. Sunny’s sword clanked to the ground.
The demon turned and trudged toward Sunny’s prone body, claws extended.
A black blur streaked across the mouth of the alley. Dax tackled the beast going full speed, blowing the Leatherwing off its feet.
Though much smaller than the monster, the panther shifter managed to stay on top of it thanks to his low center of gravity. He swiped a couple vicious paws at its face.
The Leatherwing hissed and put its arms up to defend.
Venn came careening out of nowhere just as I reached the mouth of the alley.
Sunny staggered to his feet and joined Dax right as the Leatherwing managed to toss the panther off. Before the demon could sit up, Sunny hacked at it and struck it in the chest.
The red eyes went wide. Wings unfurled and beat hard, billowing dust and grime off the ground as it tried to take flight.
I called on my powers and extended my arms out. Shadows leapt from the ground and curled around the demon’s wings, pinning them to its body.
Venn charged in behind Sunny, just as Dax took a chomp out of its shoulder on the other side.
The three of them were a straight-up mob, working in near-perfect cohesion.
Venn’s Oblyx sword stabbed into the demon’s neck. A corrosive green hue that smelled like rotten eggs immediately started spreading across the demon’s neck, face, and collar. Its dark veins lit blue.
The Leatherwing’s squealing turned into a gurgle as Venn’s poison seemed to wreak havoc through its system.
Pulling back on my shadow manipulation, my mouth fell open as I watched the monster writhe, bare its dripping teeth at Venn, Dax, and Sunny, in an angry display, and then slump sideways.
It didn’t move.