Page 93 of Radiant Shadows

“Julian?” I asked.

But no response came, and something felt strange about her connection. Like there was darkness on the other side. Panic shot through me for an instant as I feared he might be dead. But no, I could feel him at the other end, and I just intuitively knew he was still living. Could he be sleeping?

As soon as the question crossed my mind, I knew that was the correct answer.

“He’s not answering,” I said, swallowing down my brief moment of terror and trying to play it cool. “I think he’s sleeping.”

Caesar nodded, but he didn’t seem confident about that information. “He always was a weird vampire. Okay, well, we can try again in the morning. He’ll be less likely to be in the company of other vampires then, anyway.”

“Good point,” I agreed, though the idea of waiting so long to talk to him made my stomach knot.

Caesar went over to Aunt Janette’s to get settled—and probably to save Kai from her claws—while I helped Gram prepare dinnerfor everyone. Gram only asked me a dozen or so questions about how the three of us met and came to bond, and I answered them all honestly. It was such a relief to have all of that off my shoulders, to be able to speak freely with her about, well, everything.

But there was a new weight taking its place on my shoulders. Even as food and laughter passed around the table, I couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that something was wrong with Julian. And I didn’t know how I’d last through the night waiting to reach out again.

Chapter 34

Arya

“Again,” Lord Dracul said for the millionth time.

A grizzly growl rumbled up my throat. My ursa nature still seemed to have the reins, despite me having made it through my first shift.

I hated this man. Even more than I hated Tobias, if that was possible. He had wasted no time turning the school into a military boot camp, with me as the star pupil.

Except I wasn’t. Even after all the training I’d done at the school, I still wasn’t the siren everyone wanted. The last twenty-four hours or so had been pure torture at the oversight of the new director. No rest for me last night and no classes this morning, just personal training with him and his constantagains. The only thing I wanted to doagainwas tear something apart in ursa form.

Instead, I was being forced to train my water manipulation abilities.

I concentrated on the ocean in front of me, willing even a portion of its lapping waves to become like an extra limb. It bubbled and gurgled but was otherwise unresponsive.

Like every other time.

Today, the simulation had taken me to the beach. I could almost feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and the sand slipping into my shoes. A soft breeze carried a briny scent, lifting my hair. I was standing far enough away from the water not to trigger mytail—yet another failure that the general was determined to beat out of me.

The setting might actually have been relaxing if it weren’t for the men accompanying me. General Dracul was the only vocal one, but he always had at least two others with him. Which was probably smart, considering what I’d done to the greenhouse—which, okay, I still felt bad about. Given the opportunity, I wouldn’t hesitate to show him a little of the courtesy he’d shown me.

The general scowled at my failed efforts,again—a look that nicked at my heart every time as it reminded me so much of Tobias. Tobias, the traitor. Tobias, the good little soldier. Tobias, the worst mistake I’d ever made.

“It would appear that you need something a little moremotivating.” General Dracul tapped on his watch, issuing some sort of command, and the beach scene faded away, leaving the white walls of the simulation room behind.

The door opened, and a large cylindrical tank full of water was brought into the room, carried on some sort of levitation device. Another one of Mr. Inari’s inventions, I was sure. His absence was yet another blow to the school.

My mind whirled as I considered what exactly the general consideredmore motivating. The tank was odd, but nothing I couldn’t handle.

Moments later, a harpy was dragged in by two more soldiers, begging to know what was happening.Leya. It was hard to forget the girl after her boisterous family had pretty much taken over the avian common room for Christmas.

Christmas.It had only been a couple of weeks since then, but it seemed a lifetime ago. I never thought, when flying with Tobias,that he’d betray me or that Caesar would ever be forced to leave the school.

Or that I’d be so dehumanized by the new director in order to force me to hone my powers.

The general snapped his fingers, and the guards guided Leya up the small set of steps that had been pushed up against the side of the tank.

Dread curdled in my stomach. “What are they doing?”

“Providing adequate motivation for you to use your abilities. This young woman has volunteered to be submerged in the water.”

By the way Leya was kicking and looking around wildly as the guards tried to put her in, she was clearly not a willing volunteer.

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