Page 74 of Shadow Bonds

“The only way you’re going to kill me is if you smother me with your thighs,”he says, his voice husky.

I choke on air, and Robin looks at me like I’ve finally lost it.

We come up beside the other girls, and I glare at Stacey’s head, daring her to look at me. But she doesn’t even turn around, choosing to look in the other direction.

A couple of older male Shadows walk up to us a minute later.

“It’s been decided that your companions and…” his eyes flicker to mine, “Mates, will continue with your training instead. The obstacle test will still take place in a few weeks. Fall behind and you will keep taking it until you pass it. Dismissed.” He and the other males turn and leave without a backward glance.

Robin looks at me with a shrug. “Looks like we have some free time. Wanna head to the canteen?”

“I ate way too much this morning.” Thanks to my mates thinking I need to be fed on the hour. “I think I better try walk some of it off.”

She chuckles and waves me off, and I turn and head back the way I came.

“Apparently, we’re no longer training with instructors, we’re to train with our men. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this new little rule, would you?”I ask Knox on my way through the forest.

“Not a clue,”he says his voice like honey.

“Liar.”

He chuckles.“Come back and give me another back rub and we can finish what we started this morning.”

“Pass.”

“What could be more important than feeling up one of your favorite mates?”

“Revenge,”I tell him.

He pauses.“Fair. Let me come with? I’ll help you gut them. Or just watch.”

“You’re actually a little psycho, aren’t you?”

“A lot, actually.”He chuckles, as if proud of that little fact.

Shaking my head at him, I open the bond between me and Malakai and look through his eyes to find Knox and Cyrus in the lineup of Shadows around him training, but there’s no Theon.

I haven’t seen him since the dinner the other night either.

“Where’s Theon?”I ask Knox.

“He’s having some alone time.”

“Where can I find him?”I ask, starting to get a little worried about him.

“What will I get if I tell you?”

“One less knife to the thigh,”I warn.

“I don’t know whether that’s a plus or negative.”

“Knox!”

“Fine… On the other side of the forest. There’s a small hill he likes to sit on and waste time feeling sad by himself.”

Knox must have told Malakai about our conversations because a minute later, I feel the bond between us open wide and an image of a big green hill and the directions I need to go to get there slam into it.

Shaking off my shock, I smile to myself, probably looking a bit crazy as I head toward the forest.“Tell Malakai I said thank you,” I tell Knox.

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