“I don’t want to die, B,” she shot back. “But this test was pretty damned clear that it’s you or me.” Shadrie paused, swallowing thickly. “The first trial… Those mirrors showed me things, B. I’m pretty sure it was what happens if you don’t make it out of this trial. If I’m right, I’m dead anyway. At least this way I won’t have to suffer.”
Power pulsed from the stone altar, the ground tremblingbeneath our feet.
“I can’t!” My shield flared instinctively as another wave of power crashed over us. “Neither one of us is dying here. You fucking hear me?”
Shadrie gave me a pleading look and took a step back. I channeled strength to my legs and raced toward her, grabbing her shoulder before she could sacrifice herself. The bracelet on my wrist heated against my skin, shooting searing pain through my arm. My shield stretched in response until Shadrie was safely inside it with me. The ground quaked, a violent rush of power exploding from the stone altar and blinding me with white light. My legs buckled as it battered my shield. As quickly as it happened, the light faded, taking the walls of the maze with it. Shadrie pulled me to my feet and wrapped her arms around me as we took in the familiar sight of the cathedral.
“You stupid, stubborn bitch,” she whispered hoarsely, her voice breaking.
“You’re welcome,” I rasped back as I squeezed her tightly.
A throat clearing pulled our attention to the Dean standing on the dais with a soft smile. “You ladies have learned the most valuable lesson,” she spoke. “The options you’re presented aren’t always the only choices at hand.”
I blinked at her dumbly, fairly certain she’d just complimented us on not sacrificing the other and finding a way out for both of us. I bit my tongue to keep from losing my temper and telling her exactly what I thought of the barbaric trial we’d just endured. Dean Femirea waved her hand toward the pews, and I almost thought better of keeping my thoughts to myself.
“If you don’t mind taking a seat while we wait for the trial to come to an end.”
“Come on, B,” Shadrie said, tugging me off the dais.
My eyes stayed pinned to the dean, glaring daggers at her smiling face as Shadrie led me to an empty pew. We took our seats, my anger at the dean steadily rising. Students began to emerge from nothing at her side, some in worse shape thanothers.
With each new student that appeared, my rage twisted into worry for Gabriel and Miles. The cathedral pews were half-filled when Miles finally appeared. He was spattered in blood, his face ashen, and his hands trembling as he clutched his glasses between his fingers. Shadrie slipped from her seat and grabbed his arm, gently leading him to sit with us.
Dread slowly spread through my body, causing my limbs to grow heavy with each new student that appeared. Time seemed to tick by slowly as I waited for Gabriel to appear. A gasp of relief ripped free when he popped into existence beside the dean. His eyes blazed with murderous rage as they scanned the space. Dean Femirea leaned to say something to him, but he stomped away before she could, his eyes finding me. Tension melted from his entire body with each step toward me until he collapsed in the empty seat next to me. His hand reached out and took mine as if to reassure himself I wasn’t a hallucination.
My entire focus moved to where our hands clasped together. The low murmur of the Dean’s voice as more students emerged from the final trial faded into the background. The only thought I could hold onto was that we’d survived. My friends and my mate made it through the last trial. I only needed to know Zypher made it through whatever trial he’d faced, and then I could breathe.
“Congratulations,” Dean Femirea’s voice rang out. “You have all survived the trials. When you step outside the cathedral, you will find your family waiting to greet you. Celebrate with them. Enjoy your victory. Each of you has proven you have what it takes to advance to Second Year at the academy.”
She shot us a final smile before sweeping forward from the dais and floating from the cathedral.
Chapter Forty-Five
Bechora
“That bitch is mental,” I muttered, nodding in the direction the Dean had gone as Gabriel stood and helped me to my feet. “You’d think we all just passed a multiple-choice exam the way she acted.”
“It’s the way things are here,” Miles said softly from behind me.
I looked at him over my shoulder, taking in his appearance once more. “Are you okay?” I asked as we merged into the crush of students making their way to the exit.
“I’m alive.” He shrugged, slipping his grime-covered glasses back onto his face.
“Thank Selir for that!” Shadrie replied.
I shook my head, not sure I could say anything to ease the trauma we’d endured over the last three days. Gabriel tugged me forward with the crowd, and my free hand shot behind me to grab Shadrie’s. I barely heard her say something to Miles over the growing sound of chatter, but a quick glance told me she’d taken his hand in hers. We held tightly to one another as we weaved through the throng of students, and I couldn’t help searching over their heads for Zypher.
The blinding light of midday caused me to blink furiously the moment we stepped outside. Time had moved differently in the third trial, like it had in the second. Students fanned out, moving toward their families as my vision adjusted.
“There’s Zypher,” Gabriel said, pointing through an opening in the crowd toward the far side of the quad.
I sucked down a breath of relief as I took in my other mate.He stood next to a male who bore a striking resemblance to him. Zypher wore an exasperated expression as he gestured wildly at the man’s clothing. I let myself take in the new male and almost laughed as I noted his khaki cargo shorts, the striped polo tucked into them, and the white sneakers on his feet. He was the epitome of the suburban dad stereotype.
“This is not what I meant by casual, Father!” I heard Zypher hiss as we drew near.
The male simply rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he sighed, waving his hand in front of his body. His clothing changed in an instant, leaving him standing in a sleek black suit.
“Thank you,” Zypher drawled just before he turned and spotted me. A smile split his face, and I tore my hands free from Gabriel and Shadrie’s hold. I ran the remaining distance between us and launched myself at my demon, my arms and legs wrapping around him as he caught me.
