Page 90 of Shadow Bonds

After the first time, the ropes are too slick with mud, and the obstacle is nearer to the end, making it harder to finish with exhaustion setting in.

While trying to slow my breathing down, I sip on some water and try to figure out a way to make myself faster on the other obstacles. Maybe if I?—

“Why are you pushing yourself so damn hard?” Knox shouts over to me, making me jolt.

I glance over, spotting the four of them heading my way, and keep my groan to myself.

They reach me in minutes, all staring from my sweating body to the obstacle course behind me.

Theon frowns. “You’ve been at this for hours every day since we came back. Why?”

I shrug not wanting to tell them. I still need to pass this to get my privileges, but if they knew the real reason I was pushing so hard, they’d just freak out and it will only bring us more trouble.

“I want to pass it.”

Knox is the one to frown now. “You want those privileges this bad?”

“I didn’t grow up in the academy. I feel like I just woke up here one day without a choice. I want to see the normal world. So yeah, I want those privileges.”

Malakai must see something in my expression, because instead of blowing up like he normally does, he nods. “Okay.” He turns and heads over to the start of the obstacle course. “Let’s go.”

“What are you doing?” I ask as they all start heading towards the start of the course.

“Let’s do it together,” Cyrus says. “Technically we’re supposed to be training you anyway.”

“I don’t know. The last time you all told me you were going to train me, I ended up in a pit of mud and left alone in the forest,” I remind them, making sure they never forget.

Instead of feeling any type of remorse or regret like they should, they smile like it’s a fond memory. While Knox outright laughs.

I move over to them just as a mischievous expression spreads across Knox’s face. “I find the best way to stay motivated is with rewards. So, let’s make it interesting.” His eyes flicker to the others before finding mine. “What do you say, Sena? Up for a little game?”

I narrow my eyes on him. “Depends. Are you going to trick me again?”

Cyrus smiles. “We promise you the only tricks we have up our sleeve are those you’ll enjoy.”

I was probably going to regret this. But… “Fine. What’s the rules? Also, you have to make it harder for you four. I’ve seen you work through your obstacle course. And this is like a baby in comparison.”

Knox thinks on it for a minute. “You get a head start. And we have to do it twice.”

Okay. That seems doable. I nod. “What happens if I don’t beat you all?”

He tries to hide his cocky smirk with the others. But fails miserably. “You have to spend two hours with whoever wins and do whatever they want.”

That could literally be anything.

“It won’t involve anything that would hurt you. Or anything we think you wouldn’t enjoy,” Cyrus amends, making me feel slightly better about the mistake I’m about the make.

“What do I get?” I ask.

“What do you want?” Malakai asks.

“How about two hours from each of you, to do whateverIwant?” I have four mates; it would be unfair of me to only choose one.

They all give me an amused look but agree to my terms.

“Fine. Any other rules?” I ask.

“Nope,” Knox says with an excited expression on his face.

---