Page 16 of Shadow Bonds

I get lost in my own thoughts, thinking about the four males I’m living with and what I should do about them. When I finally zone back in, I catch Robin frowning at me. Well, notatme. Even though her stare is directly on me, her look is somewhere far away.

“I’m really not looking forward to going to the war camps in a few weeks. Or being forced to watch the war games with the other academy at the end of this semester,” she says with a fearful look in her eyes.

The fork in my hand freezes halfway to my mouth. But Robin doesn’t notice my shock, too absorbed now in something behind me and the information she’s sharing.

“Being close to the Hollow actually helps the Shadows stay sane for some reason, and they keep it from seeping out further,so I guess it’s win-win,” she says but doesn’t look too convinced by her words.

“But we’re expected to go and fight?” I place my fork back on my plate, my stomach now twisting and churning.

I’ve heard there are hundreds of terrigons there, considering it’s right beside the entrance to the Hollow. And many other dark, horrifying beasts.

Robin finally looks at me and nods. “We won’t have to participate in the war games. But we will need to stay near our Shadows, and sometimes that means joining them in a fight. Other times there will be tests setup specifically for us.” She gives me a look full of frustration. “They may see us as something special and rare, but they also do not want weak females.”

She scans my face for something, but her frown only deepens. “Technically, you should have been doing some form of training since you were younger. When you found out you were a companion to Shadows.”

I lean back in my chair and glance down at my body. No wonder this body is strong. It’s more than likely been training for war these last few years. But to go to the war camps… That’s not something I expected.

Robin shrugs. “Hopefully your muscle memory will win out. If not, your Shadows will keep you safe.”

I scoff, very much doubting it. They would soon rather throw me to the terrigons and laugh about it than ever save me.

“Come on. I’ll give you a tour of this place, so you don’t land yourself in any more trouble,” she says.

I give her a questioning look, and she gets up and rolls her eyes.

“Cora and Sage already have it out for you,” she says.

I frown. “Who?”

She glances over at me and smiles. “The blonde and the other half of her braincell.”

“Ah.” I chuckle. “I’m not worried.”

Robin shows me the layout of the main building, where the males’ dorms are—and a place I will be completely avoiding if the looks I’m getting are anything to go by—before bringing us outside to a huge field that’s lined into different sections.

There’re small group of males already training in the different sections with groups of other males watching and waiting for their turn.

I immediately spot the four assholes, and Robin chuckles at the look on my face.

“Is it Malakai or Knox giving you trouble?” she asks, and I give her a confused look that makes her brows practically hit her hairline.

“You don’t know their names?” she asks with complete shock in her voice.

I shrug glancing over at them. “I’ve been calling them by their eye or hair color, and when they really piss me off, they get demoted to bastard, dickhead, or asshole.”

Robin barks out a laugh and then points at Hazel Eyes. “That’s Malakai. He’s a Shadow shifter. He can transform into most prey animals and beasts.”

She points to Dimples next. “That’s Knox. They call him the assassin because he’s able to slip in and kill without you ever realizing he was there.”

She finds Indigo Eyes next, he’s standing against the wall, observing everything and everyone around him. “That’s Cyrus.” She shivers, and I glance at her as she frowns.

She gives me a look full of worry. “He’s a little different. He can literally create nightmares with his Shadows.” She glances back over at him but then looks somewhere else just as quick. As if she’s a little frightened to stare at him for too long.

“They use him when they want to torture someone. Most end up killing themselves.”

Damn.“And him?” I point to the white-haired asshole.

She follows my line of direction and nods. “Theon. He can cause pain.”

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