Page 21 of A Shadow of Betrayal

Lennox’s face turns an angry shade of red when my hands move and shove at his muscled chest, needing space from this arrogant prick who thinks he can dictate my life all because my blood had made the weird water in that bowl a blue color. He takes a deep breath and opens his mouth to respond, but I glare down at his hands that have moved up and hold onto my shoulders, making him curse as he willingly lets me go and then takes a step back.

“I will assign someone to help you catch up with the rules and expectations of your new position, and your education on our world will start tomorrow. Senior Axford has made it clear that you are to have all the information needed to complete your trials and not be at a disadvantage to the other Rangers.”

“How kind of him,” I retort, my hand moving up to rub at my hurt shoulder. It's still burning, and I’m worried I might have caused some severe damage when I fell on the stairs. I take a small amount of satisfaction when I see a hint of worry in Lennox’s eyes as he tracks the movement, but it's gone in the next moment as he glowers at my response.

“You can’t show weakness, Mey—Ranger Smith. The Regalis line is the most lethal and proud of the original six bloodlines. The other Rangers will annihilate you if you show them weakness,” Lennox bites out, his green eyes shifting to the large doors to our right before looking back at me. “I can only do so much,” he says with an annoyed shake of his head.

“Why do you even care?” I whisper shout back at him, my shoulders rolling in as a bleak sense of foreboding washes over me. “Why all this fuss for someone you obviously don’t like? You don’t even know me,” I choke out, feeling more than a little defeated. I already wanted to go home, and after hearing Lennox’s warnings about the other Rangers in my bloodline…

I swallow and let my head fall forward, my strength leaving me fast. I need a shower and a bed to sleep in for the night. Then maybe I can make sense of this crazy world I have found myself thrown into.

“I don’t… and I’m not doing it for you. Elaine has taken you under her wing for some outlandish reason, and I owe her a debt. And what she wants is for you to be kept alive, but she didn't specify how I do it,” Lennox snaps, moving to stand directly in front of me again, his big booted feet coming into view before rough fingers grab my chin and yank up my face so that he can stare me down. “When I owe a debt, I always repay it, Ranger, and I will not let you get in the way of that. You will succeed in the Umbra courses. You will train, and you will pass those damn trials even if I have to drag you through the damn Demon pits myself. Because you don’t have any other option,” he growls, the threat hanging heavily in the air as he glares down at me.

I briefly wonder how a woman like Elaine collected a debt from a man like this. How did she manage to get such a hold over him? Perhaps they are secret lovers? With a husband like the dickwad, I wouldn't be surprised. Elaine is a beautiful woman, and Lennox… I look the man up and down and hate myself a little at the odd sense of disappointment I feel at the thought of him being with Theo’s mother.

Lennox’s fingers tighten on my chin, and his eyes flash in anger, long black hair falling over his shoulders like a heavy curtain, blocking the golden light the candles cast. An odd sound draws my attention, and I move my tired eyes to the small braid Lennox has woven into his hair and spot three small silver beads with odd markings on them.

“Am I understood, Ranger?” Lennox growls out, dipping closer to me and doing nothing to distract my out-of-control mind that is urging me to go up on my toes and claim those soft looking lips as my own.

Fuck! I shake my head and grimace in pain. I must have hit my head too many times over the last two days.

I wait for the outrage and anger that I have felt all evening to come boiling back to the surface, but it never does. I simply stare at Lennox, not saying a thing, while trying to convince myself that I still have a choice in this situation. That I haven't been kidnapped and forced into this weird world where I have no say about my future—one where I will have to train and learn how to be an Umbra Hunter.

Damn… I don’t even know what that means! How the crap did my life spin so out of control?

“Ranger Smith!” Lennox shouts, making me wince when the loud sound makes my head throb. I feel my stomach turn in response, which isn't good since I already threw up everything I had in my stomach, and I haven't eaten in almost two days. “Meyer, answer me right now,” Lennox shouts again, and I’m pretty sure one of the doors opens next to us, but my head is spinning, and my vision swims with black spots. My hands and shoulders ache, and I know I’m about to pass out, but my lips won’t move to warn him.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Lennox growls, stepping forward and leaning into my space as his hand moves to my neck. He mutters a few words, and I feel a weird tingling sensation lick down my spine, making me cry out in shock, my heart jumps in my chest, and my eyes widen at the sudden burst of energy I now have at my disposal. Lennox steps back as my hand moves to my chest, where my heart thunders, and I cough a little, leaning forward as I try to regain control of my body.

“What the fuck did you do?” I groan as I slowly stand back up and look at Lennox. He eyes me in confusion and shakes his head.

“Guess that clears up any doubts about your bloodline results,” he mutters almost disappointedly.

“Umbra Regalis?” a loud voice comes from the open door, and I stifle my groan at the sound, moving my hands up to my ears and wincing in pain.

Whatever Lennox did to me gave me the energy not to pass out like I thought I was going to, but my body still aches like no other. In fact, I think this weird over-energized sensation I'm now stuck in almost intensifies the pain I do have while taking away the blessed release of sleep.

“Do you need anything, Sir?” the deep voice asks again, and I turn my whole body to look at him, too afraid to move my neck and pull on the hurt muscles in my shoulder. There is a guy there, looking at me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve before he turns his attention to Lennox and dips his head respectfully when Lennox finally tears his gaze from my face.

“Yes. Find Ranger Smith a bunk and make sure the lights are out before the evening bell. Conditioning starts at sunrise, and I want everyone there early in order to maintain our lead on the scoreboard,” Lennox says in a calm voice, never once raising it above a polite tone as he talks to the guy standing in front of us. I’m almost relieved when I find this guy is nearly average height. He is closer to six-foot than anything else, and his shoulders are the same size as a normal man’s. “And find Ranger Smith a pair of training sweats until her personal items can be delivered,” Lennox adds, the demand clear but delivered respectfully.

“Of course,” the man says, dipping his head again, but lower this time, and I shake my head. I’m not bowing to any of these assholes! They can kiss my—

“Ranger Smith,” Lennox snaps, cutting off my mental tirade with a stern look like he knows what I was thinking. Good asshole, I hope you heard that. “You will follow Ranger White to your bunk and listen to him until your tutor can be selected in the morning, am I understood?” he asks in a no-nonsense voice, the warning clear as he stares me down.

I glare at him, our eyes connecting as I contemplate what I should do. After a drawn out moment of silence which makes Ranger White shift awkwardly on his feet, I decide to play nice and nod, refusing to talk to him, but figuring it best to wait Lennox out before I do anything rash.

“Good, I will have Ranger White report on your behavior in the morning, and that will set the tone for your first day,” Lennox adds, and I roll my eyes in response, making him clench his teeth, his hands snapping up to grab my face between strong fingers, drawing a surprised squeak from my lips. “Behave, Little Hunter,” he grinds out, his body brushing against mine, making me wonder how the hell he moved so quickly.

Un-fucking-likely! I mentally shout back at him, my eyes narrowing on his and a smirk tugging at my lips when his frown deepens. “Of course, Umbra Regalis,” I drawl in a sickly sweet voice, then smile, hoping he can hear the fake sincerity in my tone.

Lennox’s hand drops from my face like I burnt him, and he steps back, muttering something about me being trouble before he nods at Ranger White and turns, storming down the hall, his black hair fanning out dramatically behind him.

“Big baby,” I mutter, facing the wide-eyed Ranger White and offering him a small smile. I already made an enemy of my Senior, and I really don't want everyone here to hate me. So, I offer my hand out in greeting and grin when he accepts it. “Hey, I’m Meyer.”

“Robert, but the guys call me Billy,” Ranger White says in a level voice, his eyes moving up and down, no doubt wondering why I’m standing here in a hideous diner dress.

“So, can I come in?” I ask, pulling my hand back from him and nodding to the open door, where I see a few sets of curious eyes peering around the door at us.

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