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Then I see them.

Dark creatures with red eyes. Deep, long claws dig into the sand as they snarl, showing me jagged teeth. They crawl on the ground and shriek at the light, scurrying away.

“What the hell are those?” I cry as Arwan places his hands on my hips.

“They’re the distractions. Somehow, they knew you were here and bolted the instant they crossed over, but I got here first.” He growls in my ear, sending goose bumps rising on my arms. “I can’t always be with you, though. So I need to make sure you know how to protect yourself.”

Darkness closes around us again, and this time my breath lodges in my throat.

I have so many questions, but the more immediate concern of survival takes precedence.

“Try again,” he whispers.

Arwan’s weight vanishes, and then I’m left standing on my wobbly legs, wondering what kind of nightmare Arwan has just thrown me into.

And why the hell are they coming after me?

An icy sensation rushes over my skin, followed by a familiar metallic taste in my mouth.

Realizing that’s my cue, I crouch and hurl the whip, flicking my wrist at the end in a horizontal swipe. I’m rewarded with a brilliant flash and the image of two of the shadow creatures far too close to me for comfort.

Shadows burst from them as the whip severs them in half, drenching me in darkness again. The temperature suddenly drops again.

I run.

The training grounds are relatively large, and Arwan had approached from the opposite stretch. If there are more creatures that have come from the same direction, they wouldn’t expect me to dive into the fray.

My extremities go numb as the icy sensation worsens.

“Pull back!” Arwan shouts, but I ignore him. He wants me to learn how to fight off these things? Then I’ll handle this my way.

Pain lances through my leg, making me stumble. I groan as I fall to one knee, finding that one of my legs definitely doesn’t work anymore.

Ice runs up my left side and slices through my arm.

I don’t have time to wonder if one of the creatures got to me. All I can do is react as I take the whip and wrap it around whatever is holding on to me. I can’t feel hands or even a body. The shadow creatures must not be entirely tangible, but damn, they sure do know how to leave a mark.

Light flashes as the whip digs into the neck of one of the creatures. I scream as I come face-to-face with sharp teeth and beady red eyes.

Instinct takes over and I yank.

The whip severs cleanly through the shadow beast as if I’d just sliced it with a knife.

Shadows drench me again, but soon they dissipate, leaving me heaving on the sands.

Dizziness swarms over me as I take in the blood.

It’s everywhere.

Squeezing the whip, I stare at it as it slithers into my wrist. A gold chain is left behind, embedded directly into my skin from the base of my palm all the way to my elbow.

I trace it with my finger, mortified and mesmerized all at the same time.

“That was good,” Arwan praises me as he gently tucks me against his chest. “Very good,” he murmurs, as if the achievement of surviving the shadow creatures is a feat worth repeating.

My eyes roll into the back of my head as he lifts me and carries me away.

For the first time in weeks, I don’t have any dreams.