Page 69 of The Stone Curse
I tried to catch his eye, but he kept his gaze on the contents of his coffee mug, even though I was sure he could feel me watching him.
He obviously didn’t want to engage.
“Make sure you’re up with the sun,” Levi said. “The council has prepared a port for us, but it’s time sensitive.”
“The port will take us to a secure location,” Orix said. “There you’ll activate an orb to take you into the trials.”
“And this orb is safe?” Palia asked. “Willowman is gone, so who prepared it?”
“It’s a standard orb used by the council for the elite trials,” Orix said. “It leads to one location and is set so it cannot be tampered with.”
“What about switched?” Touron asked. “Like the last orb?”
“He’s right,” Palia said. “We can’t ignore the fact that every time Cam has left campus, she’s been attacked. Someone wants her out of the equation, and the best time to do it is outside the campus wards.”
Orix nodded. “That’s true, and it’s also why Lionel took charge of the port and the transport of the orb. He refuses to take any risks where Cameron is concerned.”
“There is another possibility,” Shar said. “Maybe they think we’re no longer a threat. Newbies with no experience againstgraynites. Or they could be too caught up in their own war, graynite against graynite.”
“Either way, we’re not taking any risks,” Orix said.
My gut tightened. I’d done my best not to dwell on what was to come the last few days, and sleep had been my salvation, but now there was no avoiding it. Tomorrow would decide Serath’s and Romi’s fate because if I failed, there would be no elite team.
If I failed, there would be no way to take down the alpha, no mission to punch through the wards. Nothing.
If I died.
They died.
CHAPTER 29
The twins and Touron had initiate training with Orix, and Levi had a meeting, although he didn’t elaborate with who or about what, and I didn’t feel it was my place to ask. But Shar, Curi, and Derek were free to accompany me to Yarrow’s to see Melanie.
By the time we headed out, the campus was quiet, as most goyles were in class or on the training field. My gaze went to the dome of the omega den, off-limits to everyone but the omegas that lived there. These females’ purpose was to find mates among the strongest, most promising goyles—those who’d made it into the academy. Their goal was to procreate. Their omega moon coincided with the sidhe moon, and as my luck would have it, I’d entered the academy at a time when there were two sidhe moons in a row.
Two omega runs, two chances that Curi would miss finding his mate. The first my fault and the second fate’s.
Up ahead, Shar and Derek chatted easily, walking side by side, the backs of their hands brushing now and then but neither making the move to take the other’s hand.
“How long do you think before they take the next step?” Curi asked.
“I don’t think it’ll be too long.”
“I envy them. They get to choose.” He was silent for several seconds, then, “Do you think…Do you think you could have ever chosen me, if you’d had the freedom to do so?”
My heart climbed into my throat. “Curi…”
He exhaled raggedly. “I need to know, Cameron. I need to know that I’m not fucking crazy.”
Our pace slowed, and Derek and Shar pulled ahead.
“I can’t answer that, Curi.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“It wouldn’t be fair to?—”
He gripped my shoulders and propelled me off the path and up against a tree, his large body dwarfing mine. My heart lurched, throat pinching at the wretched conflict on his face.
