Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
The shadow falls back into position, and Loran gasps for air.
“I’m either completely in love with your boyfriend or utterly terrified of him,” Ridoc says under his breath. “Not sure at the moment.”
“Both,” Cat answers from his left. “You can be both. Trust me.”
“You shouldn’t be either,” Trager mutters.
Ridoc glances my way and rolls his eyes.
I bite back my smile. “I’m never scared of him.” Xaden’s eyes find mine, and my pulse skips. “And he’s not my boyfriend.”
Rhi snorts and Ridoc offers me a sarcastic thumbs-up.
“Agreed,” Xaden says. “That’s far too casual a term for what we are.” His gaze drops to Loran, who’s still heaving for breath on the mat. “Get up.”
Loran staggers to his feet and runs his hand over the purple bruise forming on his throat.
“I have two swords and four daggers strapped to me,” Xaden tells him. “And you didn’t think to heat them? Twist them? Manipulate them in any way?”
“I used my sword—” Loran starts.
“Foolish choice. Get back to your squad.” Xaden dismisses him, and Loran retrieves his weapons before retreating. “I’m sure you all noticed the weather ward we have in place to keep you nice and comfortable for these first few lessons, but what you don’t see is that the area of the mat has been protected by the best ward-weavers in Navarre.”
He flares his hands and shadows run from his feet, expanding in every direction in a cloud of darkness that flies toward us, only to slam against an invisible barrier and flow upward. They withdraw with unnerving speed, clearing the air in front of us in a matter of heartbeats.
“With only a couple of exceptions”—he glances my way—“whatever you wield will stay between the opponents on the mat, and I’m assured your signets will not leave the amphitheater or endanger the campus, so when I tell you not to hold back, I mean it, because the venin won’t. Next?”
One by one, he sets just about everyone on their ass.
They put a fire wielder against him, and he dodges the flame, her own shadows taking her out at the knees with a flick of his wrist.
Quinn steps up and creates two versions of herself, and when shadows tug her feet from under her, the real Quinn falls and the projection dissipates.
Rhiannon has her own blade plucked from her grasp and lifted to her throat by a wisp of shadow.
Caroline barely gets her hands up before Xaden knocks her backward with a stream of shadow that propels her across the mat and forces her onto the stone.
Neve steps onto the mat gripping her daggers, then uses lesser magic to levitate them.
“Now that’s fun,” Xaden says with a grin as they race toward him, only to be grasped by shadow and returned with their tips poised to strike above her collarbones.
She puts up her hands, and the shadows fall, dropping the blades to the mat.
“Point made?” Xaden asks as Neve retrieves her blades and steps back into line. “I never need to draw a sword because I am the weapon. I’m just good with blades for the fun of it.”
“No,” Loran says, his voice still hoarse. “You handing everyone their ass on the mat isn’t anything new from last year.”
“Correct.” Xaden lifts a scarred brow. “Up until now, when we spar or challenge, our priority has been to beat our opponent at all costs. That means we train in private, we find an edge—” A corner of his mouth lifts. “Like poisoning our opponents.” He slides his hands into his pockets. “And we keep our tactics secret because we need that edge on the mat. The difference between my position as a cadet last year, even as a wingleader, and now is that as your teacher, I want to give you my edge. I want you to learn, not just from me but from one another. I’ll help expose the weaknesses in your signet so that when you come up against a dark wielder with such a power, you will have already practiced how to defeat them. Each of you has something to learn, and I’m here to keep you safe while you do it.”
“And what about the ones who can’t wield signets?” Caroline asks. “They’re just the practice dummies?”
Cat scoffs. “We’re far from helpless.” She turns a withering glare on Caroline. “You can try your water wielding on me, but I’ll already be in your head, turning your own emotions against you.”
“She’s good at it, too,” I admit, shifting the majority of my weight to my right leg.
“You’ll find that mindwork can be just as deadly,” Xaden agrees. “And if you haven’t learned how to shield, I suggest you spend some time with Professor Carr before facing off against a flier or anyone wearing a classified patch.” He glances at Imogen.
“And you’re going to teach us how to defeat you?” Aaric asks from behind us.