“Your shadow powers and abilities will only get you so far,” Raith says to the students. He’s standing in the middle of the arena, in the training amphitheater situated in the academy forest. “But your animali is one of your greatest assets. Not only are they a partner who can help you take down your enemies, but when you bond, they’re able to lend you some of their abilities. For example, a heightened sense of smell and sight. Trust me, you’ll need these things durin’ the games, especially as you progress further through the challenges.”
Like he’s showing off, Kazer prowls behind Raith, coming to stand by my mate’s side, and the animali’s slitted gaze finds me in the stands. Raith glances my way as well, and there’s a snicker from the other students sitting around me.
“Teacher’s pet,” Kenzie mutters from beside me, jabbing her elbow into my side.
“Shhhh,” I hiss under my breath, bumping her shoulder back, but I don’t deny it. I’ll happily be Raith’s pet any time. Or you know, he can be mine. The other students probably think I’m being singled out because I still don’t have an animali, and a few even stare at me with pity.
“You ready to find your animali, sunshine?”Raith’s whisper reaches my ears, and my stomach clenches at the sound of his voice.
“Yep. I already left pretzels and toffee apples in the forest. Bring it on,”I reply, sounding pumped.
He groans.“That’s not how you’re goin’ to find your beast, mate.”
“Okay, well unless you have a better idea you don’t get to comment. So far nothing else has worked, and desperate times call for desperate measures.”
His lips quirk up, but he doesn’t respond. Shadows swirl beside him, and my brows lift when Thane strides out of a pathway onto the sand.
“You’ve all made great progress with your animali over these past weeks, but we’ve received word that this will be your last Creatures, Critters, and Tracking class before the games,” Raith says, continuing to address the students. “Which is why I’ve asked Professor Thane to join us. Durin’ today’s lesson, half of you will remain on the ground to continue bonding and practicin’ combat with your animali. The other half of you will be takin’ to the skies.”
Whispers erupt amongst the students, but one stern look from Thane and they all quiet.
My spine snaps straight.The skies?All of the animali have wings, but this is the first time Raith has suggested a flight lesson.
Kenzie looks just as shocked as I am. “How can this be our last lesson?” she mutters under her breath. “I…I haven’t…”
Reaching across, I squeeze her hand. “You’ve got this,” I whisper to her. She doesn’t look convinced, but she gives me a grateful smile.
“Yeah!” an older student, named Hanlen, jeers as he lifts his fist into the air. He has the biggest creature in the academy. A muscular white bear with paws the size of my head and an impressive wingspan. “I’ll finally get to see what Fraz can do!”
I whisper to Raith under my breath,“What do you mean this is our last class?”
“Don’t worry. I have a good feelin’ about today,”my mate answers.“There’s still time to find your beast and bond with them.”
Kenzie calls out, “But what if our creatures aren’t within the academy walls?”
That’s followed by more snickers, and Satine shoots my friend an ugly look. “Talk about desperate. If an animali wanted you, they would have revealed themselves by now. Face it, reject, you’re gonna die.”
Izzy and Paiton laugh, snickering at my friend.
“Well, maybe, but so could any of us,” I muse casually without thinking. “You know, with the games coming up I thought you’d be more concerned with your own survival, seeing as your animali doesn’t exactly seem to like listening to you. I suggest treats by the way, to help with that. Everyone like snacks. But it’s sweet you care so much for my bestie’s future.”
Kenzie presses her lips together, stifling a laugh, and Satine glares at me like I’ve just ruined her breakfast. Before Satine can come up with a response, Raith’s calm voice sounds around the ampitheater. “The animali have the ability to cross the barrier around the academy walls,” he says kindly to Kenzie. “If your animali is out there, it knows where to find you.”
My mate then continues with the class, and I ignore the eye daggers Satine keeps shooting my way. Honestly, I don’t knowwhat I did wrong. Offering snacksmighthelp her with her animali but hey, if she doesn’t want to listen…
Thane soon divides us into two groups, with half of the class spending time on the ground with Thane supervising, before they get their chance to fly during the second half of the lesson. Students from all years are in attendance, and I watch with rapt attention as the students assemble on the sand and call their animali to them. When the amphitheater is filled with creatures, it’s only Kenzie and me standing by ourselves.
Raith instructs the students in the first group to mount their creatures, and I stare at them with longing. How long has it been since I was in the skies as a crow? Weeks? It feels like it’s been years.
My mate continues to bark flight instructions to the students, teaching them how to use their shadows to bind themselves to their animali. Before they launch into the air, Raith leads Kazer over to me and peers at me from his animali’s back.
“Ready, mate?”he whispers.
My jaw drops.“What? You want me to ride with you?”Kazer snorts, and I have to fight hard not to reach forward and scrub my hands over his furry head.
“The only time we’ve seen your creature is when it has been soarin’ above. I think it’s worth tryin’ to take you closer.” Raith says this part out loud so the students around us can hear him.
Before I’ve really processed what he has said, his shadows reach out and deposit me on Kazer’s back, seating me behind him and keeping a small respectable distance between us. There are a few grumbles from the students as I sit there awkwardly, and I get multiple eye daggers from different girls.
