My entire body hurts, and I wish I could lie down and refuse to move, but something tells me the queen’s punishment for insolence wouldn’t be nearly as fun as Thane’s methods of discipline.
I frown, not sure what Satine is asking about. “Do what?”
She shuffles uncomfortably on her feet. “Why do you keep saving me? When I’m always horrible to you.”
Oh.I shrug and wave my hand dismissively. “What’s a little stabbing and mean words between friends.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m serious, Shade. The first time you saved me I thought it must have been poor judgement on your part, but now…” she trails off, shaking her head. “I just don’t understand you.”
I shrug again. “Neither do I,” I say, and I mean it too, because my head is pounding and it’s such a confusing mess in there right now.
She lets out a frustrated hiss and turns from me impatiently.
Before she leaves, I add, “You needed help.”
She twists her head back. “What?”
“You needed help, so I helped you,” I explain.
Her brows lower. “You make it sound simple, but it’s not. Not here. Not if you want to survive, anyway.” There’s a haunted look in her eyes when she says it, but it’s gone a moment later.
“I guess it is to me,” I say. “Thanks, by the way.”
She regards me for a moment, still looking puzzled by my answer, but then her expression hardens and the Satine I’m used to comes back to the surface. “Don’t think this makes us friends, Token,” she snarls. “I’ll still kill you if I need to.” Then she turns, sprinting to the next obstacle.
Thane’s rumbling growl begins to sound in my ears, but I speak before he can.
“Don’t say it,”I tell him.“Yes, I almost died. Yes, I should have listened to you. No, I can’t promise that I’ll listen next time. Yes, I would still save her again if I had a do-over. I couldn’t just leave her there, okay?”
The growling stops.“I was going to say…are you all right, my mate?”Thane asks, and I can feel his smile through his words.
“Oh.”I blow out a long breath.“Not really.”
“Good,”he replies.“Remind me to punish you later.”
I grin, my gaze sliding to the ceremonial box.“I look forward to it, daddy.”
Raith’s dark chuckle is devoid of warmth.“My monster almost fuckin’ took over so he could save you. Get your ass movin’, sunshine, before the queen decides to give you more motivation.”
And that has me jogging after Satine.
Chapter Forty-One
~ Shade ~
Imanage to tackle the next few obstacles with minimal injuries, thanks to the instructions of my mates. As much as I’m pretending to be brave, almost dying back at the pit really rattled me, and I cling to their voices like they’re a lifeline. I contemplate trying to use my magic to heal myself, but I’m already feeling drained and exhausted, and I’m afraid to deplete myself further.
By the time I make it to the last obstacle, I can barely walk. My muscles are shaking, and my fingers tremble as I stop and peer up at the giant climbing wall before me. Satine completed the course a little while ago, going by the applause, and now it’s just me out here.Lucky last, I guess.
“You’re almost there, my love,”Knox says soothingly, and it doesn’t even feel weird having him call me that anymore. Huh. My mind is slowly adapting, the old memories falling into place and accepting the new ones.
I can feel more memories teetering on the edges of my mind, but I try to push them back as I focus on the climbing wall. Spikes move out of the wall at seemingly random intervals, and I try to remember the paths I’ve seen the other students take. Fear curls around my neck, but I clamp down on it, trying to control my breathing.
My bestie, Blake, was always the brave one, and I think of how she would feel in this moment. The half-demon has had to fight her whole life, and knowing her, she’d see this as simply another challenge she had to overcome. I attempt to channel that energy, but there’s another pit with spikes at the bottom of the wall, and I make the mistake of looking down and seeing the students who didn’t make it.
“That’s it. I’m going to die,”I tell my mates dramatically.“You should probably say your goodbyes now.”
“You’re not going to die, treasure,”Galen drawls.“We’ll lead you through this just like we’ve helped you with the previous obstacles.”
