Page 107 of Wrath

He whirled on me, his hand raised, shadows striking towards me?—

But he froze when he saw who it was. His hand lowered, and the shadows that were inches from my face dissipated as quickly as they arrived.

“Z.” Shame flavored my name, though I still couldn’t see his expression, not with the pulsating shadows surrounding him. “I’m sorry?—”

“What the hell was all that?” I demanded, gesturing towards the groaning soldiers.

Some of them had already walked off the ring, while others had to be carried off. And there were a few who weren’t even moving; the only indication they were still alive was the steady rise and fall of their chests.

“Training.” Something dark entered Ryland’s tone—something I’d never heard before, at least not from him. “If they can’t handle fighting one nightmare, then there’s no way they’ll survive in the battle to come.”

“Then we teach them, not hurt them,” I snapped.

Fuck, calm down, Z. Fighting isn’t going to get you anywhere.

I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyelids shut, and worked to gather control of my turbulent emotions. When I was certain Icould have a conversation with Ryland without losing my damn mind, I opened my eyes and took his hands in mine.

He instantly tried to pull away.

What the fuck?

“What’s going on?” I desperately wished I could see his expression. “Why are you acting like this?”

“Like what?” He tugged again, and this time, I let him go, allowing my arms to fall back to my sides. “Are you embarrassed of me or something?”

“What?” I staggered back a step as if he’d physically punched me. “How the fuck did you jump to that conclusion?”

“All I’m trying to do is train our troops—be useful—and you jump down my throat,” Ryland snapped. “Maybe that’s why I haven’t been able to undergo Lilith’s trial. Because you don’t trust me.”

“What?” I stared at him in disbelief. But then, once that emotion faded, I felt mad. Really, really mad. “Is that what this is about? Are you pissed that you still haven’t completed your trial yet?”

The shadows rippling around Ryland began to dance and writhe in tandem with his agitation. “Is it because you don’t want me as a mate, Z? Is that it?”

“You’re being absolutely ridiculous!”

“Of course I am. Because it’s everyone’s fault but your own, isn’t it?” Ryland barked.

What the fuck was even happening?

“Why are you acting like this?” I demanded.

But that was the wrong thing to say.

Ryland remained still for a few seconds longer—eerily still, almost as if he was holding his breath and the world was too—before he disappeared in a swirl of darkness. One second, his shadowy form stood directly in front of me, and the next, he was…gone.

My stomach moved in riotous swirls as I stared at the spot he once stood.

What. The. Fuck?

“Z!” Mali hurried towards me, concern finding a home between her brows. “Are you okay? What the hell was that all about?”

“I don’t know,” I responded. Ryland had never talked to me like that before in his life. Fear scraped up my spine and knotted in my throat. “He wasn’t acting like himself.”

“No, he wasn’t,” Mali agreed, her frown deepening. “Are you okay? You’re looking a little?—”

I turned away from her and vomited, my stomach cramping painfully.

“—green,” Mali finished lamely.

---