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“That’s why it’s so crazy that I can actually say that truthfully now,” Jordan continued, both his expression and his voice amazed. “It’s like… as impossible as it sounds, Iamokay. Iamgood. Or—I’m getting there, at least, which is more than I thought would ever be possible.”

His awe remained visible as they trudged through the snow, following the path Soraya cleared for them with her leaps and bounds.

“I had nightmares that whole first week,” he admitted quietly, and suddenly Alex understood the reasons for his and D.C.’s late night visits to the lake. “Horrible nightmares that made me wake up screaming. I scared the life out of Bear. But—and I know it hasn’t been long—but it’s like time has helped. Every day that I wake up in control of my mind is a reminder that I’mmeagain. That I have control over my body, over my life, and Aven can’t get to me anymore. There’s strength in that. And I feel like if I dwell on what happened, then I’d still be giving him power over me. Power that I willneverallow him to take again.”

Jordan shrugged off his intensity and finished, this time grinning widely, “Plus, having a hot girlfriend for when I need a distraction is an added bonus.”

A laugh escaped Alex and she gave Jordan a playful shove, his last words proving more than anything else that he truly was as okay as he claimed to be.

“While I doubt Dix would appreciate being labelled as ‘hot’ora ‘distraction’, I’m glad you have her, and I’m glad you’re doing so well,” Alex told him. Her voice gentled as she added, “I’m really proud of you, Jordan.”

Pulling her close as they walked, he smiled down at her. “Couldn’t have done it without you, Alex. My life changed for the better the day Bear and I found you in the forest. You know that, right?”

Warmth spread through her at his kind words, and she whispered, “My life changed for the better that day, too.”

Jordan, surprisingly, snorted. “Wasn’t that when you first met Aven?”

Alex made a choking sound of laughter and corrected, “Okay, so most of my life changed for the worse that day, but some parts changed for the better.”

“Ah, the relentless balance of life,” Jordan reflected. “We can’t know good without first knowing bad, we can’t see anything without first being blind, we can’t feel heat until we’ve been cold, we can’t hear sound until it breaks the silence, we can’t hold—”

“Is this going to last a while?” Alex interrupted when it appeared like he was going to continue being a walking, talking fortune cookie.

Frowning at her, Jordan said, “You cut into my monologue. People pay for that kind of wisdom.”

“People should get their money back,” Alex said bluntly.

Thankfully they reached the dorm building then, and they parted ways before Jordan had a chance to argue—or, worse, continue soliloquising again.

It was in the early hours on Saturday morning when the summons came. Alex was sleeping soundly, but when Soraya started growling a deep, warning sound, she shot up in bed and gasped when she saw something move in the shadows.

“Be at ease, human,” Shirez said, quiet enough not to wake D.C. who had managed to sleep through Soraya’s warning. “I’m here to pass on a message.”

Heart pounding from the instant hit of adrenaline, Alex could only stare at the Shadow Walker while wondering what the point was of the bio-sensor security for their dorm rooms if the other races were able to come and go as they damn well pleased.

“Thevatali targohas come to a completion,” Shirez said, causing Alex to sit up straighter. “A victor has been named.”

Alex’s already thumping pulse ratcheted up a notch.

“The elders have since announced publicly that the victor will face a final battle—a battle againstyou.” Shirez paused. “There has been much protest to this announcement.”

Alex was hardly surprised.

“The victor, however, has agreed, which has helped calm the outcry. By all accounts, it would seem as if she is eager to fight you again.”

Licking her dry lips, Alex asked, “Again?”

“The victor was Trell Roven,” Shirez said. “She was one of your combatants the other day.”

Trell—the one who had sucker punched Alex before she’d known the match had started.

With a sinking heart, Alex drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, not caring how uneasy she must look. “When do I fight her?”

“Today,” Shirez said. “Noon.”

With a shallow inhale, Alex nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Shirez nodded in return and, just as she was about to leave, quietly said, “Unlike last time, today you will use weapons. Trell Roven favours a double-bladed staff. She is one of our finest warriors.”