Page 17 of The Stone Secret
He released me reluctantly and headed to the mats with her.
For the next few minutes, I watched Selas use her smaller frame to her advantage, slipping past Serath’s defenses several times to land a hit, managing to evade his grasp over and over. She didn’t have the height and bulk of the elite leader, but she was faster and lighter on her feet, her moves like a mesmerizing dance, and wait…It was a dance. Her moves were the kata she’d shown me but amped up. Damn…
Selas did a flip and landed in a crouch just as the door at the back of the room opened.
“Looks like time’s up,” Selas said as Farnell strode in.
“You’re not booked in for another hour,” he said to Serath.
“It was empty,” Serath said. “Don’t worry. We still have enough energy for the initiates.”
Goyles started to file into the room.
Farnell’s jaw ticked as his gaze fell on me, raking me over as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “You’ve got some big shoes to fill.” He shook his head. “If you even survive.”
“She can do it,” Selas said firmly.
Farnell exhaled through his nose. “If she makes it, all she needs to do is hold the position until a full-blooded goyle comes of age. Just in case the alpha emerges. With your help, she might just do it.”
It was obvious that he didn’t know about Romi and the real reason I was being pushed into elite.
“I’ll walk you out,” Selas said to me. “Serath is on initiate training today.”
Serath avoided my gaze now that Farnell was in the room, outwardly aloof and disconnected from me. He was protecting me, of course, hiding our connection, but it still stung.
It was only when we were outside and past the group of initiates heading into the room that a thought hit me. “I’m the only Basque who can take an elite spot and get Romi back, right?”
“Right.”
“So if they find out I’m Serath’s fated mate, won’t that stop them from killing me? They need me now.”
“Yes, they need you, but Serath can be replaced. There are other Halles who can take his spot.”
“Wait…what…They’d send him away?”
“No. Cam, they’d probably just kill him. Rather him than you. After all, you’re the valuable one now.”
My blood ran cold, ice pricking at my nape. The threat of my own demise was nothing compared to the threat of Serath’s.
Our secret could never come out.
Levi could never know, which meant any kind of friendship, any connection we’d ever had would have to end.
CHAPTER8
The gang were in the kitchen making food when I got back. Touron fried steaks while Palia pulled baked potatoes out of the oven and Shar tossed a salad. Ginia was busy setting the table.
A cadet popped his head in the door, took one look at the scene, and backed out again.
Shar chuckled. “It looks like we’ve claimed the kitchen for the evening.”
“Oh no.” Palia looked up guiltily from the potatoes. “There’s plenty for everyone.”
She hurried to the door and almost walked right into Curi.
His blue hair was damp and tucked behind his ears, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. His dark eyes brightened for a moment at the sight of us all, then a shutter came down, dimming that light.
He snorted and turned away.
