“Stop what?”
“Whatever it is you’re thinkin’,” he clarifies, walking over to the couch and reluctantly lowering me onto the soft cushions. “You’re wounded, and you damn near fuckin’ died.”
I blink dumbly at him. “I did?” It takes a moment for my mind to catch up, because something is definitely aching, but I’m not so sure it’s because I’m wounded.Though, I guess if he wants to call it that…
“How’s your hand?” Thane growls, all business-like as he moves close and grabs my hand, inspecting my palm.
Oh, that.I’d roughly bandaged the wound, but when Thane unwraps the gauze, the cut starts weeping again. He curses and rebinds it, then he lifts my left leg and turns his attention to my ankle. I hiss when he moves my foot, testing the joint.
“Ouchhhhh, do you mind?” I complain.
“I don’t think it’s fractured. Probably just sprained,” Thane comments. Using his power, shadows swirl beside us and a footstool appears, topped with a cushion. Gently, Thane props my foot on it.
“Thanks,” I say with a tight smile. “Look at me, surviving another day.”
“Barely,” Thane growls. “You’re lucky to be alive.”
I quirk a brow at him. “We both know that wasn’t luck. I thought you said you wouldn’t give me any special treatment?”
“I said I wouldn’t favor you in front of the other students,” Thane replies. “Never said I’d watch you die, little mate.”
My heart warms like he’s just said something incredibly romantic.
“Besides, that was sabotage,” Raith snarls, running a hand through his cropped dark hair as anger simmers in his gaze.
“Sabotage?” I frown in confusion.
“Your palm,” Galen says, like it’s an explanation.
Still puzzled, I fiddle with the bandage on my hand. “Yeah? I guess I should have been more careful where I grabbed?” My brows lower as my expression becomes thoughtful. “Though, it’s a pretty dick move to put blades at the top if you ask me.”
Thane shakes his head, and I notice my mates are looking at me strangely.
“What?”
“There aren’t any blades at the top of that climbing wall,” Thane growls. “At least, there shouldn’t have been.”
My mouth opens and closes as I process what he’s told me.
“Like I said, sabotage,” Raith rumbles, and I understand now why he looks like he wants to kill someone.
“Hold on, so you’re saying I would have made it through the course if someone hadn’t messed with it? Sabotage or whatever?” I perk up.
“Well now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, you still had to make it down the other side of the wall without falling,” Galen drawls, teasing me.
I shoot eye daggers his way, and he smirks, lifting his hand to smooth his snow-white hair.
“I’ll find out who did it, mate,” Thane growls, pulling my attention back to him. “They’ll regret tampering with the course. But first, we need to tend to this.” He gestures to my palm and ankle, and lifts his hand, inspecting the gash on my scalp. “How are you feeling? You fell a fair distance, even before my shadows caught you.”
My heart skitters as I remember falling from the wall. It’s not so much the actual fall that has an unsettling feeling creeping over me again, but the memory of those strange bumps I’d seen peppering my skin. I think of the power that had pulsed through me when I’d thought I was going to die. The guys haven’t said anything about the bumps, so I’m guessing they didn’t see them, and I’m not ready to bring them up. My power has been less-than-impressive so far, and I’m not in the mood to point out how broken my magic is. Not yet, anyway. As far as I know, there aren’t any shadow powers that cause lumpy skin, and I can’t help worrying that maybe, I’d been about to turn back into a crow. Not that I hated being a crow, specifically, but I do hate the idea of being trapped in that form again.Nope, I’d like to stay in my human body please,I think to myself.
“Whoever did it, I suppose this was a good lesson,” Galen says, interrupting my thoughts. “Training for the graduationgames isn’t just about honing your abilities, little shadow. It’s about being able to handle what the other students throw at you as well.”
“Just tell me I’m going to die already.” I say it as a joke, but Thane, Galen, and Raith all glare at me.Oops.“I’m kidding,” I say quickly, throwing my hands up in the air. “You know, mostly.”
Raith shakes his head at me, but a grin threatens to break free on his face.
“You’re going to survive the games,” Thane growls at me like it’s an order. “Now, it’s time for you to heal yourself.”
