Page 21 of Shadow Weaver
The knot in my chest eased. That left—
“Black, Carmichael, Justice. Join Faraday.”
I sagged in relief, and Hyde’s jaw flexed. Why did he look so annoyed?
“These are your temporary troops. Your troop leaders will help you settle in. Get some rest. We have a week to get you up to speed, but first, you need to make your own weapons. Tomorrow we forge. It’ll be hot, it’ll be exhausting, and you won’t stop until you have a weapon you can wield with pride.”
So, that’s why Vince had asked us to leave our weapons behind.
“Dismissed,” Venerick barked.
I tore my gaze from Hyde’s formidable form and fixed it on Brady as he made his way toward us.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you to our quarters and get you settled.”
“Best hurry,” Lloyd said. “Supper in less than an hour. Meals are served at specific times. If you miss a meal, you’ll have to coerce the hobbloods to get you some food, and trust me, that isn’t easy. They might work for the knights, but they don’t do it willingly. They’re bound by weaver magic.”
“Can you do that?” Thomas sounded wary. “I mean, that can’t be right?”
“Hobbloods are a subspecies of fomorian. They originated across the mist and evolved inside it. The knights captured them centuries ago.”
“Wait.” Thomas held up a finger. “You have fomorian creatures preparing our food.”
“Crazy, right?” Lloyd shook his head.
Brady snorted. “Time, Lloyd.”
“Oh, yeah.” He raked his hand through his blond locks. “Lead the way, big guy.”
It took everything I had not to glance back at Hyde. Ignoring the stupid ache in my chest, I kept my attention on Brady and walked away.
Seven
Lloyd fell into step beside me as we made our way across the courtyard.
“Did you see Minnie?” he asked.
“I … She was with Harper.”
“Did you talk to her?”
“No.”
He gnawed on his bottom lip. “Yeah, me neither.”
What? “You haven’t spoken to Minnie since she got back?”
“No time.” He sighed. “Not that she misses me. I think … I think she’ll be moving out next year. Mother said it was awkward over the break, that Minnie seemed unhappy. In the end, Harper showed up, and the mood lifted a little. I think they’re planning on getting a place together.”
Figured.
Brady had taken us around the back of the building and toward one of the towers. Stairs wound up to a door that opened to a first-floor lounge area with rooms shooting off it.
“This tower is second-year quarters for when we’re at the fortress,” Lloyd explained. “And this floor is our troop quarters. Aidan, Carlo, and Devon are at barracks four. You’ll be joining them next week if you complete the fast track.”
Damn. Into sector two in one week. “Are you staying with us?”
My attention was on Brady when I spoke, and something indecipherable crossed his features.
