Page 78 of The Stone Secret
My throat pinched. Outpost Ten, where the female he’d fucked was. “Right. Okay. Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about him needing to acclimatize to my scent during battle. He’ll have another female’s scent on him to counter mine.” My smile was cold and bitter. “It’s a win-win.”
She looked like she wanted to say something—argue maybe—but she settled for a tight-lipped smile and a nod. “Yes. It is. It’s for the best.”
After all, what more could she say?
“Whatever. Let’s get this over with. I have somewhere else I want to be too.”
* * *
I managedto get to the ladder three times and even made it partway up the third time, but the triumph, the pleasure in the achievement, was a dull throb in my chest.
Serath was at Outpost Ten with another goyle. He’d allowed her to touch him. He’d touched her. Kissed her. Fucked her. The thoughts played over and over in my head.
Training over, I took my anxiety riddled body to the dorm, but its vise-like grip slackened at the sight of my friends sitting around the table and Derek flipping steaks on the grill with Shar. The room was filled with laughter, joy, and love. It washed over me like a magical balm.
The hollow place inside me that Serath’s betrayal had left didn’t shrink, but the energy in this room filled it somewhat.
Serath and I had been doomed from the start. We couldn’t be together, not without hurting each other. Maybe he’d done us both a favor by putting this distance between us. Maybe this was for the best.
From now on, my focus would be on becoming the best guardian I could. I’d use the space from Serath to build a wall around my heart, not just for me, but for him too. I’d get my brother back, and in time, the pain would be less.
It had to be.
I exhaled, fixed a smile on my face, and joined my guardian family for supper.
CHAPTER31
“Come on!” Curi yelled from his position on all fours a few feet away. He punched the ground. “Cam, come on!”
Touron joined him on the floor, both guys cheering me on. I couldn’t see Shar or the twins. They were blocked by Dayn’s bulk as he tightened his arm around my neck.
“Tap out,” Dayn growled almost in exasperation. “Just fucking tap out.”
Like fuck! I’d worked too hard the past two weeks—sweated, and trained, and pushed my body to the limit too many times to lose at a mere grappling match.
My weight and size were against me when faced with a goyle, and that would always be the case, but I had other assets. Other skills. One in particular that I’d been cultivating over the past couple of weeks.
Time to test it out.
I pressed my fingers to the arm choking me and released my talons.
Dayn’s bellow of pain and shock battered my ear drums, and I was free to roll away and come up with a neat kick to the side of his head. He went down, clutching his bleeding arm.
My talons had already retracted. “Oh shit, Dayn, looks like you cut yourself a little.”
“You bitch! You fucking bitch.” But his gaze was wary, and he didn’t attack. Instead, he backed away, nursing his sliced-up forearm.
I caught Farnell’s look of shock a moment before Curi swept me off my feet and into a bear hug.
“Fuck yeah! That’s my girl.”
I fell into the hug, wrapping my arms around him and relaxing into him. Being around Curi—touching him, hugging him—no longer felt awkward. The more time we spent together, the more our friendship grew.
He set me on my feet and kissed the top of my head.
“That was fucking awesome,” Touron said, handing me a water bottle. “Great use of the assets.” He wiggled his fingers.
“What was that?” Farnell demanded. “What did you do? I said no weapons. Where’s the blade?”
