“I just didn’t want to be alone.”
Something flickered across his face — a crack in all that cold steel — before it sealed shut again.
“It’s fine. Hurry up and get dressed. You’re with me this morning.” He clipped out. I rolled my eyes.
“Fine.” I ducked into my bathroom and quickly dressed. When I came out, Slade was dressed in his fighting leathers and was adjusting his shoes. All four of them stared at me as I emerged.
“Nice outfit,” Leo smirked.
I glared down at the fitted white tank and black stretch pants clinging to my frame. “It’s all I’ve got, okay? Unless you’d prefer I train in glittery skirts and corset dresses.”
“I wouldlovethat, actually. Beautifulanddangerous? Yes, please.” Leo’s grin was shameless.
Slade smacked him in the side without looking. Leo just laughed harder.
“Someone’s feeling prickly today,” he stage-whispered to me, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I actually feel pretty good,” Slade said, surprising everyone with a full sentence. The others blinked at him. He met their stares like a dare.
Phoenix just shook his head with a faint smile.
“Don’t you have recruits to train today?” Thorne asked dryly, arms crossed.
Slade turned to him, nodded once, then looked back at me.
“Make sure she eats,” he said to the room—and to Thorne, pointedly—then gave me a brief nod before heading out.
Leo let out a low whistle. “Told you he likes you.”
I flushed, the memory of the night before burning behind my eyes. Leo caught it and winked.
Phoenix rolled his eyes, grabbed Leo’s arm, and tugged him toward the door. “Come on, before Thorne murders you.”
They disappeared into the corridor. The room fell quiet.
Thorne waited a beat, then flicked his hand toward the door. “After you, little shadow.”
I squared my shoulders, let out a breath, and started walking.
“Fine. Whatever.”
When we reached the mess hall, most of the trainees had already cleared out. In one corner, Leo stood over a cluster of red-shirted Sentinels, gesturing animatedly as he gave instructions. His lion’s mane of hair caught the light, golden and bright, even in the dim hall.
I blinked in surprise. “What’shedoing?”
“Leo’s a captain of the guard,” Thorne replied, his tone neutral. “All of us Shades oversee certain groups. He’s been working with the Sentinels on their combat technique.”
“I thought that was Vasquez’s job.”
“Technically, yes. But this is grunt work. Vasquez is a general. He doesn’t like to get his hands dirty.”
“So, Vasquez outranks Leo?”
“Not exactly. Think of Leo like a contractor. He answers to me when it comes to training, but if we were in a real war? He’d take orders from Vasquez — because the Sentinels are underhiscommand.”
“And Slade? Phoenix?”
“Slade, yes — same deal. Phoenix doesn’t command anyone. His skills are more… specialised. Think of him as our battle mage. He’s always working on new spell work, channelling enhancements, testing limits. He prefers being in the lab.”
