Page 27 of A Shadow of Betrayal

“What's wrong with you? Why are you lightheaded?” Lennox asks, his voice calm and steady, not exactly friendly, but not cold like it had been moments ago.

“I think my blood sugar is low,” I answer, not in the mood for an argument. “Wait, how did you know I was lightheaded?” Lennox grunts again, then walks away, returning in under a minute with another protein bar and a water bottle.

“Drink,” he demands, handing me the water and waiting for me to take several swallows before he yanks it from my hands and tosses the bar at me. “Eat,” he snaps, and I glare at him as I rip open the blue package of the protein bar and take a big bite. I try not to grimace as the taste of honey and something weird fills my mouth.

Gross.

Jordan’s protein bars are much better than this.

Not wanting to be dizzy or pass out, I choke down the bar, ignore the weird taste, then look back up at Lennox, who is looming above me like some overlord. “How do you know Drakos and Jennings so well?” he asks, his eyes narrowing when I blink up at him in surprise and confusion at his offhanded question that I wasn't expecting.

“W-what?”

“Theo and Jordan,” Lennox snaps, making me flinch when he leans closer to me, his anger growing by the second, filling the space between us. “How do you know them so well? They were touching you like they have known you for years. I’m starting to think you may know more about us than you originally let on,” he accuses, and I shake my head.

“I met Theo before his asshole of a father kidnapped me, and Jordan was the guy I helped Theo get the Demon off of. Plus, Jordan is the only one in our bloodline who has cared enough to be nice,” I hiss back, not sure why Lennox is so upset over this. “Am I not allowed to make friends?”

“No,” Lennox snaps, and I shake my head in exasperation. “And you will show respect to Senior Drakos at all times. Am I understood?”

“You’re kidding me, right?” I bite out, rage filling me as I stare at the infuriating man in front of me. “I didn't ask to be here, Len-Umbra Regalis! Senior Drakos took me, kidnapped me, and now I'm being forced to do shit I have no idea how to do! Why the hell would I respect that man?”

“Careful,” Lennox growls, his voice gravelly as he tilts his head in a predatory way.

I take a step back in response, making Lennox’s eyes flicker with excitement before they darken once again, and his lips thin at my outburst. He takes a deep breath, almost like he’s trying to calm down, before he takes a step back, adding to the distance I created, and glares at me. I meet his eyes, unwilling to back down, and watch as his lip twitches just the smallest amount, and he shakes his head and sighs.

“You’re not scared of me, are you?” he mutters, more to himself than to me, his hand moving up to rub at his bearded jaw. He gives me a disappointed look before shaking his head.

“Why would I be?” I reply, hoping he doesn't pick up on my lie. To be honest, this man terrifies me, but more because I don’t know what he’s going to do next. One moment he’s somewhat nice and helping me through the bloodline testing, then the next, he’s glaring at me and mad that I can’t heal the cuts on my hands.

“This is not a social school, Ranger Smith,” Lennox suddenly says, raising his voice so the Rangers walking behind us from another bloodline can hear him. “You are here to learn how to kill Demons and survive in the harsh weather conditions that will often come with your job. It is in your blood, and you do not have a choice in the matter. You are not here to make friends.” Lennox snaps. “Now, go do the obstacle course, then follow Jordan to breakfast. I still need to talk to Senior Axford about your study work since you never attended the academy. Check back in with me before hand-to-hand combat.”

I tear my gaze from him and look at my feet, anger and helplessness flooding me with his words. Then I nod robotically while trying not to balk at the whole hand-to-hand combat thing he just dropped on me.

Does that mean we are going to be fighting each other or Demons?

Shit, it doesn't really matter. I’m going to get my ass handed to me either way.

The idea of facing off with one of the soulless monsters so soon makes a shiver of dread course through me, and I can feel a cold sweat run down my spine. Lennox nods and moves to step away before pausing again.

“And Ranger?” he adds, making my eyes flick back up to his face, meeting his eyes and making him give me a contemplative look. “Please, for the love of God, don’t embarrass our bloodline anymore than you already have this morning. There are eyes and ears everywhere, waiting and watching for weakness to be shown in order to snuff it out. I will not have you destroy all the work I have completed over the last year,” he growls, his hands fist at his side as he strides away from me, his black hair shining in the sun that streams through one of the narrow windows nearby.

“Don't embarrass our bloodline anymore,” I mock, watching him walk away, lowering my voice to mimic Lennox's while crumpling the wrapper from the protein bar in my hand. “Fucking Viking thinks he's so cool when in all actuality he's a bearded jerk,” I mutter, keeping the stream of name-calling in hushed tones as I twist on my heel, then squeak in surprise when I slam into a hard chest.

Stepping back, I move to apologize to whoever I just crashed into, but the words freeze in my throat when I look up into a set of black-green eyes and wild black hair shadowed under the hood of a black cloak.

Oh, fuck.

“Razar,” I whisper, my blood chilling when his eyes widen just the slightest amount. “Crap, sorry. I mean, Umbra Regalis?” I question; pretty sure that's the right title for the man.

My heart skips a beat when the man keeps staring at me, and I can't help but lean forward, the need to be closer to him suddenly filling every molecule in my body. Razar doesn't move, and I study him a little more. His face is hidden in the shadows, but I’m close enough to make out sharp cheekbones and dark eyes shadowed by thick lashes.

My gaze rakes over him, and I realize he’s leaner than his brother, not by much, but definitely not as bulky as Lennox, taking up less space in front of me.

“Oh shit, sorry, I think I got some crumbs on you,” I mutter, clearing my throat when my voice comes out all squeaky while darting a hand out to brush off the crumbs on his shirt that I must have left from the protein bar wrapper.

Before my fingers can come in contact with his black tunic shirt, Razar darts back, avoiding my touch. A sneer on his lips and a look of disgust cross his features as he flicks his dark eyes up and down my body like I'm the ugliest thing he’s ever seen. I swallow and take a step back, unsure why the look he’s sending me hurts to see, and I shake my head.

“Sorry,” I mutter, remembering Jordan's warning about the man standing in front of me, and decide to turn and walk around the Umbra Hunter, avoiding eye contact as I hurry over to the obstacle course. I find Jordan about halfway through it and groan, eyeing the twenty-foot wall in front of me with a rope hanging from the top that I’m supposed to use.

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