Four days had passed since the Noctus Vigil, and Nox was still nowhere to be found. Everett had reappeared, although he dodged any question I asked about their whereabouts.
I tried casually bringing it up with Arowyn at lunch one day, but all she did was shrug. They must be used to his sudden disappearances. But I thought he’d send word. Especially when he was putting so much hope in this plan.
Especially when he promised not to leave me.
One of my shadows that had taken to wrapping around the pinky of my right hand squeezed tight, and I flinched. “Just anobservation,” I grumbled under my breath. The dragon Shifter could do whatever he wanted. It didn’t concern me.
“Who are you talking to?” Thecae asked as he planted his feet across from me.
“No one. Come on,” I said, summoning shadows and lifting my hands in front of my face in a defensive posture.
He raised an eyebrow. “We’ve been going nonstop for almost four days, girl. I may be a harsh trainer, but evenIsay you need to rest.”
“I don’t have time to rest,” I argued. We only had three days leftin Tenebra before we had to head back to Drakorum, and then it would be a whirlwind turnaround to the ball with Scarven and the Mysthelm contingency. I’d made progress ever since I learned how to connect with my shadows, but the most we’d done was defense and sparring. It would help me in a fight, yes, but spying? Not so much.
Thecae sighed. “You’re more stubborn than your mother and father combined. Alright, fine.”
His shadows moved before he did. I barely had time to breathe before they leaped, creating a sharp blade of darkness. My own shadows formed a wall without the slightest hesitation, seeming to know what I needed.
His false blade bounced off the barrier with a hiss, and the force vibrated through my ribs. Fates, he wasn’t holding back this time.
Another lash came, this time from the opposite side—sleek shadows whispering through the air like a knife. I ducked and raised my barrier to soften the attack. Sweat broke out across my forehead as I concentrated. A cloud of shadows peeled away from me and reared up, striking Thecae’s next attack mid-air. A thunderous sound rippled over us.
“Better,” he said, impressed. “You’re adapting.”
I smiled and straightened, thinking we were done, when he melted.
Literallymelted. Into a puddle of shadows.
“What the?—”
He burst from the shadows at the edge of the training grounds to my left, balls of thick darkness blasting from his hands.
But I was ready.
My shadows caught them, two in each hand, and I faced them toward each other. The spheres slowly molded into one enormous circle, growing and crackling as I forced my own magic into it. Slamming my foot on the ground, I shoved the mass back at him.
He raised his own shadow shield with a lazy smile. I merely smirked back. I knew he’d expect a counterstrike. But after days offocusing, of diving into my bitter emotions and blending them with my shadows, I was getting better.Wewere getting better.
I twisted my finger in the air, and the ball of shadows flattened right as it met his shield, then forked into a hundred tiny branches up and over the barrier. They crawled along his arms and down his torso and legs, covering every inch of his body.
With a snap of my fingers, they froze, and him with it.
For a moment, there was silence.
And then a beam broke out across his face. He threw his head back and laughed, the sound rich and booming in the empty training grounds. The sun had set rapidly as we sparred, leaving only the torches scattered around the perimeter to light the way.
“Very good, Devora. We’ll make a fighter of you yet,” he said.
I let out a breath and dropped the shadows from his body, exhaustion seeping into my bones. I matched his grin. It was the first time I’d bested him.
“What was that thing you did? The shadow melting?” I motioned to the spot he’d reappeared from. “When do I get to learnthat?”
He chuckled. “Do you think you’re ready?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Wasn’t it just yesterday you said I was one of your quickest trainees? I think I can handle it.”
“Be careful, darling,” a familiar drawl said behind me. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
