Page 93 of Shadow Bonds

Knox smirks, his eyes trailing up and down my body. “I could use a shower. Might as well clean it while I’m there.” He nods, and his eyes find mine, the hunger and heat in them unmistakable. “But I’ll need someone to oversee my work.”

Theon shoves him with chuckle, and I shake my head.

“You were all supposed to help me train not distract me.” I try to glare at them but there’s no real heat to it. Even though they ruined my training session and haven’t helped me get any closer to cutting down my time, I had fun. And it’s the first time I’ve felt this light and happy in a long while.

Malakai leaves me where I am on his shoulders, and I don’t object, already feeling exhaustion setting in.

Knox shrugs as we get moving into the forest. “Well then, you shouldn’t have taken off your top. Next time, wear old baggy clothes if you want us to act all serious.”

I laugh and roll my eyes at his thought process.

“When did you learn how to create the shield outside of yourself?” Cyrus asks.

“Just now,” I admit, and his brows raise.

“Fuck, that’s impressive,” Knox says and looks like he means it.

“Really?”

He nods. “It took us years to learn how to control our shadows. Those first few months were frustrating as hell.”

“Well, I guess that’s one thing. You’re all able to move through that obstacle course like it’s nothing to you.” I start thinking about how I’m going to need to come back here later to get in some more practice when Malakai squeezes my thighs trying to get my attention.

“We’ll help you,” Malakai promises.

I glance over at the others as they watch me.

“Properlythis time,” Theon says with a smirk.

Knox turns around, walking backwards. “But when you win your privileges, we’ll be the ones taking you out of the academy.”

I smile. “Deal.”

The day of the obstacle test comes way too quick. The guys stuck to their promise and trained with me every day. By the third day I hit ten minutes, and by the seventh, I hit nine.

When they’re not trying to distract me or piss me off, they’re actually not bad instructors.

Feeling more than ready for this obstacle test, I stand beside Robin and wait to find out when I’ll be taking my turn but wince when I hear my name called in the last group when I was hoping I could get this over and done with soon.

Moving to the side, I watch the other girls move through the obstacle course. None of the guys are here or anyone other than the small group of instructors and girls.

All Shadows were told its off limits, to prevent any distractions. I guess that’s a good thing in my case, considering any one of my four walking into a room now distracts me.

Releasing a deep breath, I focus on the obstacle course and why I need to pass it today no matter what.

I can’t let the guys down. They still don’t know about the new little rule of us all having to pass our tests for them to qualify in the war games.

Hopefully they won’t kill me when I tell them after this either.

The first couple of girls pass while the next three barely make it. The fourth and fifth fail by two minutes and the six by three.

Robin is right before me. She starts heading through them with a fierce look of determination on her face. She heads onto the jungle rope and gets through it quicker than I expected but slips near the end, snapping the rope completely off.

My stomach drops but eases when she holds on tighter to the rope and swings the rest of the way before climbing down the steps.

Rushing through the last couple of obstacles, she passes the finish line and glances up at the timer with a wide smile on her face.

9:01. She made it. And now hopefully I will too.

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