Page 35 of Lost and Bound

But when I risk a look at Professor Cane, I see I’m not the only one put off by their behavior. His glare is like a laser, and his disapproval of her, or her attitude, shines like a neon light, making the green of his eyes iridescent.

“You’re wasting my time, and every other member of the faculty and staff at Thales. I don’t care what you do, but you and your group are out of my program.”

He doesn’t raise his voice, but it’s commanding enough that my eyes bug and a tingle rushes down the back of my spine, urging my feet to run. I take a small step away.

“Not you!”

CHAPTER TWELVE

THANKS FOR NOTHING, SIR

His words are shouted with so much expression and menace that it reminds me of wild dogs attacking. My head says run, but I lock up, unable to move an inch.

Did he just do some supe thing to me?

The moment he shifts his attention from me to the crowd watching us, his strange hold releases, leaving me a little pissy because now I’m sure he did something.

“Listen up,” Professor Cane says. His voice is unmistakably authoritative, but it doesn’t have the same power punch as before. “When I say we’re doing real-life simulations, I mean it. It seems a few of you are struggling with the concept. I’m going to talk slowly, so there’s no misinterpreting what I am saying. From this point on, each and every session I take, I expect your best. If we are under attack and you don’t know how to work with a Nom or a Kleis, you are dead. By all means, take as long as you need to comprehend that fact, we’re not messing around here, but don’t do it on my time. What’s the reason we train with Noms?”

His question is aimed at everyone in attendance, and there’s a subtle but noticeable shift now that the girls I was working with have left. I’m not sure if it’s because they’re gone or the fact he threw them out of his session, but either way, everyone acts differently, more disciplined and respectful.

A young woman my age in green steps forward. “Noms are a tool we use to hone skills as a unit. Using them shows us what we need to work on. Defensively, we learn to work around another body when we’re out on the field, and offensively they highlight additional moves required as a unit so when we’re in real-life situations, we always have the upper hand to defeat our enemy. And our Kleis is protected.”

As she speaks, she keeps her eyes locked on the horizon, and they don’t drift anywhere near Professor Cane. All those on her team do the same.

“Correct. So, let’s see you work exactly as you should. The objective for the rest of our lesson is to prove to me that you’re committed to the whole damn reason you are attending Thales.” He takes a steadying breath, looking past all the students gathered to his friends.

They don’t exchange a spoken word, but I get the sense they’re talking to each other because one minute his friends are simply watching what’s going on, and the next the one with the platinum hair smirks and flicks his hoodie up. The other guy in their group responds too, rolling his head from side to side and shaking out his arms.

Collectively, something they do alters the atmosphere. Or it might be their presence amping the other students up, either way, there’s a noticeable shift that sweeps through everyone.

I’m suddenly anxious. Or more anxious.

No one is looking at me—they’re all sizing each other up—but I’m caught in the crossfire because Professor Cane barked like a dog at me again, and my feet are glued to the ground.

Speaking of my feet, I don’t want to overreact, but I can now feel the smallest movement. Like there are tremors. I glance around, but no one else seems to notice the earth swaying more than it was.

“Any group that gets the Nom we are using gets an individual training session with us.”

There’s no additional explanation, but it’s pretty obvious every student knows who he’s talking about.

“Give it your best shot,” Professor Cane taunts, waving on a group of green T-shirt-wearing beings.

“Can we shift?” One of the guys in the group asks. His voice carries, and no one misses the question because they all pause, waiting for the answer.

“If you were attacked in the real world, would you be asking that question or doing whatever is necessary to gain the upper hand over your attacker?”

“Kind of like try before you buy,” someone mutters under their breath.

I can’t figure out who it was because everyone grins while trying not to burst out laughing. Professor Cane either didn’t hear them or he doesn’t care, but his taunt ups the ante and changes the enthusiasm of some students. From all around us, some start moving slowly, indiscernibly, while others are more obvious and hustle, spreading out and using hand gestures to communicate.

I thought I’d felt the air shift before, but now it’s like we’ve gone from a cold, still night to a day heavy with humidity. All around me, things are happening, and it’s hard to know where to look as everyone is eyeing me like I’m a trophy.

By the sound of the exercise, I am.

After another obvious shift under my feet, I peer down and shriek as dirt flies up at the same time as an ear-piercing scream comes from opposite me. I twist to the side, covering my ears while jumping to avoid the vines pouring from the earth and slithering in my direction.

People around me look unaffected; perhaps they’re enthralled by the challenge.