Page 33 of A Curse So Cruel (Fated Mates of Shadowbone Academy #1)
I don’t bother pretending I can’t hear them.
That cat’s out of the bag. “Where have you been?” It’s only when the words sound in my head that I realize I’d been worried about them.
I hadn’t seen the shadows at all the day before, and for some strange reason, I’d been concerned.
I tell myself it’s because I’m hoping they’re going to help me out of this mess at some point.
“Contrary to what you might think, we have a multitude of interests,” Elgen replies, sounding a bit snotty. “There’s always something going on in this academy.”
“Always,” Tarlaz agrees, and I swear I can even hear chewing like he’s eating something, though I’m assuming that’s impossible.
“Are you…eating popcorn?” I ask.
Elgen shrieks excitedly in my head. “Ohh popcorn, that’s what it’s called Tarlaz! How could I forget that?”
“So, it is popcorn?”
“Don’t judge,” Tarlaz scolds. “Pretending we can indulge in food is one of our few pleasures. It’s been a delight watching the dishes you humans conjure up, and you can’t blame us for our curiosity.”
My brows lift in surprise. I want to ask them more questions, but students start moving around me. I realize Knox must have already been barking out instructions, and I’d just missed it all. Crap.
“What am I supposed to do?” I hiss in my mind to the shadows.
“You’re not a very bright one, are you girl?” Elgen replies blandly.
“What? You’re the one who distracted me,” I protest.
“Yes, well we’re not the ones taking a class with one of the most powerful men in the shadow realm,” Tarlaz points out.
“Do try to stay alive,” Elgen urges me. “It’s nice to have someone else to talk to. As much as we’ve enjoyed seeing the human food, no one takes the time to describe what it tastes like. In time, we’re hoping you might indulge us.”
I’m staring at them in disbelief when Kenzie’s elbow jabs into my side. “Shade, you with us?”
I smile and nod, even though I still have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing.
Students are busy grabbing weapons from the walls, and they practice with them solo before moving to the side of the room that doesn’t have the mats.
They pair up, taking positions within the different areas that have been sectioned.
A tall girl with muscular thighs takes up a spear and snarls as she jabs at the air.
“Don’t worry, you’ve got this,” Kenzie tells me, then she turns and strides briskly toward a stack of swords.
I wonder then, why I couldn’t have been sent to a different kind of academy.
Maybe one that specialized in culinary classes rather than learning how to survive in battle?
Or maybe a librarian’s guild? Yes, that would have suited me perfectly.
I’m distracted again, and I jump when I realize how close Knox is to me.
“You two pair up.” His hard voice cuts through my thoughts, and at first, I don’t realize he’s talking to me.
Who? My gaze goes to where Jensen is standing not far away. He grins at me, and I wonder if he has been loitering there on purpose, hoping we’d be placed together.
Out of all the students I could face, at least Jensen is a little friendly, but he’s still huge. While he’s not as tall as Knox, he still towers above me, his body covered in more muscle than many of the other students. I can only guess he was a gym junkie even before he came to the academy.
“But it’s my first lesson,” I blurt, stupid enough to argue with Knox. “Are you sure I have to fight? Because I think it’d be better for everyone if I watched.” I point to an empty spot near a wall. “I’ll just sit over there and?—”
My words die in my throat as Knox stares me down, stepping close enough that I have to crane my neck to peer up at him.
“Grab a weapon and start sparring,” he says, his voice icy as he gives me a dark glare.
Despite the threat in his eyes, his intoxicating masculine scent washes over me, and instinctively, my mouth starts to water.
The man smells like steel, citrus, and sweat, and my vagina comes alive like an animal waking from a long winter nap.
Holy smokes. I’m crazy to think Jensen could ever satisfy this itch.
He’s not the one I want, as much as I hate to admit it.
The other students are already sparring, grunting as they dart and move, striking and blocking one another, and I feel their gazes on me. Kenzie is blatantly standing there staring, looking like she’s not sure if she should jog over and defend me or not. I seriously love that girl.
Knox and I stare at one another, neither of us backing down, and it’s Jensen who breaks the tension.
“Of course, professor,” Jensen mutters, jogging off to find a weapon.
“Oh sweet souls of the shadow realm, how can he deny that sexual tension?” Elgen rasps in my mind. Her voice is enough to make me come to my senses, and I finally remember how to breathe.
Oblivious to her comment, Knox snarls low, his shadows flicking in the air around us, and his breath hot on my face.
“This is an academy for shadow warriors. Either act like you belong here and pick up a weapon, or you know the words to say.” His lips form a dark smirk, and I think of the two words that could end all of this: Korsinus Aleia.
All I would have to do is say them, and Knox and the others would return me to the human realm.
But what would be the point in that? Knox would wipe my memory, all so I could die in the human realm without knowing who I am? Yeah, no thanks.
“The only one who doesn’t belong here is you.
” I don’t know why I say it. The words tumble out of my mouth, and Knox looks as surprised as I am.
Before he has the chance to retaliate, I slip away from him, heading toward a row of really nasty-looking swords.
It’s only when I reach them that I realize there aren’t any training weapons.
Nope, not a single wooden sword in sight.
Of course, there isn’t. Still putting on a brave face, I grab the closest sword and yelp when I accidentally drop it.
By some miracle I manage to catch it by the hilt before it clangs to the floor, and a shaky smile breaks out on my face. I try not to think about the fact that I almost just cut off my foot. Not to mention, I could have sliced my hand…
“Heavier than they look, aren’t they?” Tarlaz says in my mind.
“Yeah,” I agree.
“You need to find one that feels balanced for you,” he instructs. “You don’t want it to be so heavy you struggle to lift it, but it can’t be too light either, otherwise you won’t have enough force behind your blows.” There’s a pause. “Why not try that smaller one with the round pommel?”
I frown. “And a pommel would be…?”
“The knob on the end of the hilt, girl,” Elgen huffs. “Though, I’m not sure why we’re bothering.”
I spy the small sword they’re talking about, and I return the weapon I have before taking that one instead. It’s noticeably lighter than the other sword, but still heavy enough that it takes a concentrated effort to lift it.
“It’s better,” I say, clumsily swiping the blade through the air. “Thanks.”
When they don’t reply, I add, “You should try caramel popcorn. It’s even better than simply the buttered stuff. It tastes crunchy and sweet, with a smoky, nutty, and burnt sugar flavor.”
Of course, they can’t actually try it, and I have no idea if the description even makes sense to them, but Elgen makes a sound of delight at my comment, and I hurry over to where Jensen is waiting for me.
He’s wielding his own sword, and it’s much larger than mine, made of thick steel and with an eagle on the hilt.
“Sooo you and me, huh?” I say as I face him.
He gives me an easy smile. “Looks like it.” He indicates to the long gray lines marking the floor around us. “We’re supposed to stay in this area.”
Okay, stay within the marked boundary. Got it. I nod at him. “Good to know. Anything else?”
He swipes his sword through the air, flicking his wrist so it curves as he brings the blade down.
“We’ve been practicing the basic techniques of different weapons for weeks now,” he tells me.
“I’ll take it easy on you. Try to memorize the different moves and patterns I make.
If you remember them, then you can replicate them. ”
It’s solid advice. “Thanks,” I say with a grateful smile. I realize then how lucky I am that Jensen hung around instead of me being paired up with one of the other students. “You know what, I’ve changed my mind,” I tell him. “We can definitely have sex.”
It takes him a moment before his lazy smile grows bigger. “Well, all right then, new girl.”
Knox’s gaze burns against my back, and an uneasy feeling twists through me, but I ignore him.
Aside from Kenzie, Jensen is the only other student who has been nice to me, and I deserve this.
Okay, so fine, the guy isn’t going to fulfill my tentacled fantasies or make my monster smut lover dreams come true, but hell, if he can make me feel something other than pain for two seconds while I’m in this place, I’ll call it a win.