He luscelered away.
“Cheater!” I yelled.
Exhaustion tugged at my eyelids, tempting me to lusceler after him, but I couldn’t.
For one, I’d probably would pass out if I did, running on the little energy I had left. For another, I needed to accomplish this. The groaning trees and their shadowed depths might’ve unsettled me, but it didn’t matter. This was Hell, yes, but I had Rune—and my powers, as a last resort, if things went wrong. I wasn’t stopping. Ten miles. No shortcuts. Even if I had to crawl.
By the time I reached the bottom of the hill with two miles to go, my run had turned into a hobbled shuffle, and dawn crept upon us. Rune pressed close, like she thought I’d collapse, and though it sounded like it with my ragged breaths, I didn’t stop. About halfway up the hill, I stumbled, almost going down. Rune whimpered, her illuminated eyes twisting to me.
The general was watching.
I put on a burst of speed, my vision clouding with dots and ice, but I refused to collapse in front of him with only one more mile to go. I pushed, giving everything I had to that last stretch, ignoring the agony. When I reached the arena door, I couldn’t summon enough energy to smile. My vision blurred, and my knees buckled just as the door swung open.
Strong arms caught me and slowly lowered me to the threshold.
“Dammit, Lucy, I thought you’d follow me,” Oliver said, his voice laced with concern, and sounding farther away than expected.
“I can’t—lusceler—without passing out—cheater.” My words came out in broken gasps as I rested my head against his sternum, blinking to clear my vision.
“So running until your fucking body collapses is the next best thing, Hellion?”
I stiffened. That wasn’t Oliver’s voice.
Slowly, I tilted my head back—and there he was. The general. Holding me in his arms.
I found myself kneeling between his legs, my hands resting on his solid thighs, his hands securing me in place.
His expression was impassive, but his gaze burned with something darker. I swallowed, my throat tight, and quickly averted my eyes. My heart raced, and I shot a pointed glare at Oliver, who stood frozen behind us.
“You took too long,” Oliver said, grimacing. “So I had him check on you through Rune.”
I fought the urge to shake my head. He could’ve luscelered back to meet us if he was so concerned. I didn’t like the idea of the general seeing me struggle—or worse, giving him more proof of my ineptitude.
I lowered my head, pretending to catch my breath, when really, I was hiding. Giving myself one fleeting second to bask in this accomplishment before the general could ruin it.
Six whole miles of straight running. It wasn’t the full ten. But it was progress.
I smiled. Hopefully, by the end of the week, I could reach eight.
“You didn’t have to stay,” I said as my breath finally evened out and I dropped the smile. I pressed against the general’s hold to stand, but he resisted.
“I did,” he said, his voice tight. Shadowy whisps swirled within his gold irises, giving away his displeasure.
My palms turned clammy against the rough leather of his thighs, heat from his skin seeping through the fabric. His gaze burnedthrough me, consuming. The world around us fell away. All I could smell, hear, and feel washim.
Surrounded by his delicious, spicy, balsam scent, it became harder to tear myself away from the overwhelming need to know him. To unravel the thoughts that hid behind those molten depths. To see the male beneath the general’s mask—to know all of him.
It wasn’t about getting under his skin for Aspen’s sake. It was something deeper.
His eyes called to me in a way nothing else ever had. They pushed Aspen—and the unrelenting need to get to him—to the furthest reaches of my mind.
I leaned forward, holding my breath, not sure what I was about to do. His arms and legs tensed, startling me back to reality.
Heavenly Hell!
I jerked back, rubbing my hands against my pants, desperate to shake off the feel of his warmth. “I’m fine,” I insisted, shoving at his hold.
Finally, he released me. But when I struggled to stand, his shadows wrapped around my legs, lending their strength, while Rune pressed against my side, steadying me.
