Page 79 of The Stone Secret
“She doesn’t have a blade,” Shar said, joining us.
“Bullshit,” Farnell spat.
“There is no blade.” I held up my hands. “Just these.” I willed the talons to appear.
Farnell exhaled sharply. “Partial shift…” His eyes narrowed, then his body relaxed. “Impressive. But you should have informed me of this ability.”
“What? And take away the element of surprise? No fun in that.”
He sucked on his cheeks. “You did well.”
Across the room, Dayn shot me evil glances.
I gave him the finger.
“Class dismissed!” Farnell said. “Get some rest before the field test tomorrow.”
Excitement fizzed beneath my skin because tomorrow we’d be going up against real-life threats just as Yarrow and Levi had promised.
Derek had been training almost daily with Yarrow, and I’d made sure to attend as many of his sessions as possible to provide support. But he didn’t need me, not really. Derek could create all kinds of protective barriers—domes, shields, lances of energy that could knock back a threat—and he could do it at will. The only thing we had left to work on was getting him to identify when I was under threat in cases where evenImight not be aware. For example, if I was spelled or drugged and my instincts were compromised.
We were getting there, though. It was about building Derek’s confidence in his own ability to read situations and people, and he was coming along in leaps and bounds.
“We should get some food,” Ginia said.
“Stone Comfort?” Palia suggested.
“Sounds good to me,” Touron said.
“I’ll go get Derek.” Shar shot off before I could suggest I go instead.
Derek seemed to need to nap quite a bit recently, but according to Yarrow, it was because he was developing both physically and emotionally, and those changes required sleep.
We headed toward Stone Comfort as a group, Curi with his arm slung over my shoulders in the easy manner we’d become accustomed to. Our relationship status was solid across campus now. I was Mason’s female as far as all other goyles were concerned, and even Levi had backed off as promised. I was in fit and fighting shape, both in cadet training and elite training.
I’d made it out of the lower level yesterday and even gotten a high five from Orix over it.
The cadet exams were in less than a week, and I was so ready to take that step closer to elite and ultimately getting Romi back.
Everything would have been perfect if not for one large shadow looming over me.
“Isn’t Serath back today?” Ginia asked. “You okay about that?”
Palia nudged her hard in the ribs, and Ginia’s shoulders tensed as she recognized her faux pas.
Curi was with us, and he had no clue about the Serath saga.
“Is Serath giving you a hard time?” Curi asked.
“Nah, he’s just super bossy and uptight. Things are more relaxed with him gone.”
“But you don’t need relaxed if you’re going to pass these elite trials,” Curi said. “He should be here training you.”
I loved that he was so invested in my success. “Selas and Orix have been amazing.”
His stern demeanor softened at the mention of his cousin. “Selas is formidable. If you can’t have Serath, then she’s the next best thing.”
Levi appeared on the path ahead leading to Stone Comfort from the opposite direction.
