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The conversation dwindles as we come to a halt. Professor Flik smiles ominously at a large door, arched at the top and made of a fine wood. His light brown hair is curly and freckles are sprinkled across his nose. “Best of luck,” the instructor says lightly. He doesn’t care one bit if we’ll return or not.
Flik opens the door and we step through single file. When the blinding lights fade, we’re standing in the shade beneath a canopy of trees. They aren’t pines and the air is considerably warmer here. Leaves flutter on the branches and the scent of pollen on a spring wind tickles my nose.
We’ve been sent to another faraway location.
Before I can even fully survey our surroundings, a serpent the size of a building tunnels around us and creates a black wall of smoke. Its head rests above the coils and looks around our team for predators.
“While I keep us safe, someone with high marks make a plan,” Frederick says with a smug grin, ordering us around already. That didn’t take long.
I swallow at the sheer size of Frederick’s Shadow. I thought he was dangerous before, but it’s much worse than I could have imagined.
Kai better stay hidden. I pray that Terra and Corvus can keep him safe.
50
Terra
Kai is having a full-blown heart attack.
There isn’t much to say to him. So much for going down fighting; he’s already given up.
“There’s no way you guys can protect me. Oh my gods. I’m going to fucking die,” he says over and over until Corvus smacks the back of his head.
“Shut up. We’ll keep you safe,” he growls.
“Are you kidding? You didn’t see what Shadow magic does to a human body… It’s awful,” Kai snaps back at him. I think back to Noctili and the absolute weight of magic and blood in the air there.
Corvus narrows his eyes at his friend. “I saw what was left of Edgar as clear as day.”
“You didn’t see everything else, including what Elias did to the Fernestians.” Kai visibly pales and my stomach churns at the memory as well. It was much worse than that day in the field when we were traveling to Barkovah. It was in Noctili that I realized how starkly different our powers are. He’s a god.
The three of us are the last to step through the portal on the second floor. This one isn’t nearly as intimidating as the one in the basement. We’re plunged into darkness for a few seconds before blinking through narrowed eyes at the harsh light.
We’re in a forest. The trees are an unfamiliar species and the growth on the brush makes me assume we are in Cyprin or Lamnah. Their springs yield plants faster because of the warmer southern temperatures.
Branches beneath our group’s shifting feet is the only sound as everyone takes in their surroundings. They slowly turn their heads to Kai. My eyes linger there too. The awful gilded crown atop his head glows dreadfully. It might as well be shouting to all around that we’re here and waiting for an ambush.
“Well, don’t just fucking stare at me!” Kai snaps at us and a cold fire I haven’t seen blaze in his eyes before ignites. “You three, run a two-mile perimeter to see who’s near us. Terra and Corvus will stick with me. The rest of you figure out who among you will make a barrier to protect me,” he orders boldly.
Everyone stares at him with wide eyes, the stench of fear heavy in the air.
“Now!” Corvus shouts to back him up and it breaks their shock; they all scatter to their roles.
I frown. The three patrolling students look like they might fall over at the sound of a branch snapping. “I think I should go with the patrol. Corvus will protect you, just make sure to stay hidden,” I mutter and start walking away to join them.
Kai sighs and whispers, “Fine, but hurry back. I have a really bad feeling about this whole thing.” I hold his gaze and nod grimly.
The dense forest stretches out in every conceivable direction. Visibility is low with all the shade, brush, and tree trunks. The three other students in our patrol are from the Polaris and Tauri Houses, so I’m glad I tagged along. If they ran into Cosmos students, they’d die swiftly without someone stronger to protect them.
I ride on Amser’s back with the Polaris girl sitting behind me. My Shadow is the spitting image of Velis—if it weren’t connected to my soul, I’d get the two mixed up. The other two students ride on a tall stag-like Shadow. Its horns are spindly and dissipate at the ends in a constant shadowy wisp. As demented as the Shadows are, I’ll admit they are beautiful in their own dark way.
We’re about to turn west to check the last side when the trees finally break and a large meadow opens before us. I signal to stop and we dismount our Shadows to huddle behind a bush.
The clearing is vast and empty, a terrible place for any group to congregate unless they’re trying to bait others into attacking first.
“There’s movement over there,” the male student from Tauri whispers. His eyes are incredibly perceptive; I don’t see anything. I glance over at him. His pupils have shifted into mere slits, like a cat’s.
“Should we get closer?” the Polaris female asks.
