“Too easy.” He laughs, his foul breath hot on my face. “I have to give it to you, Token. I didn’t think you’d make it this far.”
The crowd goes quiet, watching with bated breath, but a deafening roar shatters the silence. I know that roar, and I turn my attention to the ceremonial box.
Raith is on his knees, his body half man and half monster, but his roar is cut off as the queen’s shadows wrap around him. Knox, Galen, and Thane, begin to fight, but more of the queen’s shadows shoot out as she restrains them. My mates almost break free of her power, but the queen shouts something to theother originals, and it looks like she draws on their energy to strengthen the binds around my mates.
Aside from Germain, the other originals look confused. They’re not sure why my mates are acting this way, but I’m sure the queen finally realizes the truth of who I am.
Ian laughs again. “Oh, this is even better than I’d hoped.” One of his shadows circles my neck, and it squeezes, restricting my airflow.
Dark spots soon appear in my vision, and as I start to lose consciousness, I’m thrown into another memory.
The same cell from before materializes around me again, and the cloaked figure is pacing just beyond the bars. There’s something wet on my hands, and I peer down to see my fingers are ruined and dripping with blood. Scratches line the walls and the floor, and my clothes are torn and filthy.
“I don’t know why you keep fighting this,” the figure snarls, clearly at the edge of his patience. “I had hoped you’d be more reasonable like the other students have been.”
“Please,” I beg, lifting my broken hands to my pounding head. “Make it stop. Please make it stop.”
The figure’s top lip curls with disgust. “You’re pathetic. I thought you’d be all powerful, and so far, you haven’t shown that you can wield a shred of magic.”
“I told you,” I cry. “I’m just human. I’m not who you think I am, and I won’t be this destroyer or whatever you’re hoping for.”
“I’ll admit, though, I’m still surprised I haven’t been able to break into your mind,” the figure muses as if he’s speaking to himself rather than to me. “I suppose that in itself shows you’re more powerful than you’re letting on. Most of the students have been easy enough for me to manipulate.”
Another sob escapes me. I have no idea who these students are, but going by what he’s saying, it didn’t end well for them.“I’m not powerful,” I tell the figure. “Please just send me home. He—he’ll come for me.”
“He? Who Knox?” The figure stops pacing and stares at me as he laughs humourlessly. “From what I hear, the queen has your mate restrained at her shadow palace. She wasn’t too pleased to hear Knox and Raith had found their mate who could make us lose the war. As you can imagine. No, dear. He’s not coming. And he doesn’t want you. But I do. You’re the weapon we need. But perhaps…I should try a different approach. I had thought if I infiltrated your mind, I could simply control you and force you to carry out what is necessary. But it looks like I’m going to have to break you the old-fashioned way.”
Before I can reply, he laughs and his power crashes into me, his shadows sliding over my skin like suffocating tendrils. Agony tears through me, but unlike earlier when I felt his power trying to burrow into my mind, this time the pain is accompanied by images that appear in front of me.
I scramble backward as a man forms in my cell. Someone I was so sure I’d killed a long time ago. He’s holding a kitchen knife that’s dripping with blood, and he lifts it in front of him as he walks toward me.
No.
I curl up, because this can’t be happening. I tell myself over and over that he can’t be real. That he can’t be here, but it doesn’t stop the fear. It doesn’t stop the way my heart races, adrenaline spiking through me.
As the man comes closer, power zaps from my ring, racing through my veins, and I scream as my skin ripples, my form changing shape.
One after the other, I become different beings. A selection of animals and people as that man slowly comes toward me. It’s only when he stops directly in front of me, that I notice hisskin is slightly translucent, and he disappears into a cloud of shadows like he had never been there.
“So you’re a shapeshifter,” the figure outside my cell muses. “An unusual shadow gift, and one that could be most useful. But I feel your power still has more to offer. Don’t worry. I’ll get it all out of you in time.”
Magic still flows through me, and I’m not sure how to control it. My form changes from a wolf to a bird, my fur morphing into silky black feathers as I become a crow standing at the back of the cell. I’ve always loved crows.
“Mmm so much potential,” the figure comments.
I still don’t know who this figure is, but it’s obvious I need to get out of here and away from him. But how can I do that if I’m a bird?
I eye the cell bars, realizing my current size could actually be an advantage. Could I slip through them and escape before this guy catches me? Logically, I know my odds are slim. I should probably wait until he’s gone, but he’s been standing outside my cell for hours, and I don’t know how long it will be until he leaves.
I decide to go for it, and while he’s busy muttering to himself, I start walking using my tiny bird feet, moving along the cell. I’m clumsy and nearly trip a couple of times, but before long the cell bars are not far in front of me.
I can do this. I’ll escape this weird evil villain, and I’ll find Knox. Wherever he is. Maybe he can explain this whole crazy situation and send me home.
Holding onto that thought, I peer tentatively at the cloaked figure who still hasn’t noticed what I’m doing. Even when I’m through the bars, I’ll have to make sure he doesn’t catch me.
My heart flutters, and I stop before the bars, staring out at the empty cells around me. I’m just about to hop through the bars when pain, even more intense than what I’ve felt before,explodes inside me. It feels like my entire body is being torn apart, piece by piece, and every nerve has been set on fire. The scream that comes from me isn’t human. It’s a screeching, high pitched noise that fills the air. My gaze snaps to where the cloaked figure is, but he looks as shocked as I am.
“No!” he bellows, rushing forward as he fumbles with the cell lock.
