Page 16 of Enchanted Shadows
“What?”
“Why do you keep looking around like you’re looking for someone?”
“I—” she put her arm under her and back out. “I just thought I felt a presence.”
“Wolf?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No.”
“Water break,” I called, some girls sighing with relief.
I reached a hand down to help her up. “Show me the direction.”
She took my hand. “What? You believe me?”
I pulled her up to standing. “You haven’t seen the things in this forest I have. Show me.”
She pointed. “I first felt it that direction, now I feel it near the barns.”
I looked at her a moment. “You sure you don’t have Iron Will?”
She nodded immediately. “I’m sure.”
I used my magic to sweep around her, and sure enough, her hair blew back. My magic could work on her, so it wasn’t Iron Will. She looked uncomfortable enough with my magic around her that I wanted to apologize, but the truth of it was, being around magic on this team was part of the job description. She was just going to have to get used to the Enchanted. If Jorah could do it, so could she. “Regardless, you should trust your instincts, Zara.”
“You don’t think I’m paranoid?”
“No. I think you’re in tune to your surroundings. It’s a good thing.” I began walking for the barn, wondering what was over there.
She fell into step behind me, as did a few others, clearly wanting to know what was going on.
We had barely made it twenty paces, when a man stepped out from behind the barn.
I knew who this man was, and I wasn’t truly concerned I couldn’t handle him. I turned to Zara. “Like I said, trust your instincts.”
“What does he want?” Jessina asked me.
“No idea,” I told her, but internally I was building my magic to the surface of my skin. I didn’t really know the man well, but I knew he was a loyalist to Theon. There wasn’t a logical or good reason for him to be sneaking around watching our training.
“So itistrue then, General,” Dixon Hill stated.
“Get out,” I snapped.
“I was just going for a walk,” he tried.
My patience was not having it. I used my magic to clamp downon his hands before I brought him to me, dangling him in the air at eye level. “You are not to be here, Hill. And you know it.”
“Just had to see it for myself. A team of allwomen.”
The rest of the women were waiting, some stayed back at the edge of the training ring, but all of them were listening in. “Watching a team of women train is a bit low, creepy as hell, even for you, don’t you think?” My voice was calm, but I was feeling anything but.
Owen,Jorah snapped down our bond.You okay? Sensing your rage.
Dixon Hill was just caught spying on the women.
What?
Handling it,I told her back.
