Page 106 of Shadow Bonds

The awakened part of my brain slowly goes to sleep once more.

“Sena!” Cyrus shouts out from somewhere close, and relief fills me knowing they’re safe.

I glance down at the long cut on my arm as it slowly heals.

The four of them come around the rocks, and Cyrus pulls me into a tight hug. They ask me if I’m alright over and over, but all I can think about is the cut and how the blood wasn’t red. It was gold.

My mind finally starts to catch up with the fact that I just took out four men. That I moved with skills I’ve never had before.

That my blood was gold.

I open my mouth to tell the four worrying men around me, when a loud blaring horn bellows out, calling them for the second part of the games.

“Talk to us, Sena,” Knox says, ignoring the horn.

“We’ll talk after this,” I promise, but their worried expression doesn’t disappear.

“You were shaking when we found you,” Theon starts, but an older looking male comes over to us and tells them they have to go.

“Go. I’ll tell you everything after. I’m okay.”

“Everything,Sena,” Malakai demands before pulling me into a hug.

“Everything,” I whisper with a promise, finally realizing it’s time. Even if they really hate me this time.

“Stay near the other Shadows,” Theon says. But he doesn’t have to tell me twice. Not after everything that just happened.

Along with my four, all Shadows still in the games move out to a large carved out arena while the sitting area is just raised mounds of hard sand.

I find a spot far enough away from everyone else but close enough that my mates can glance over and see me.

Something they seem to be doing every few minutes.

The groups are quickly paired off with the opposite academy. Another horn bellows out, and they begin.

I wince watching them fight, every single one of them vicious and brutal in their attacks. But Theon, Malakai, Knox, and Cyrus all hold their own.

I can see why Levington was worried about them winning. They don’t even look like they’re breaking a sweat.

I glance over at Talos and the vicious smile he’s wearing, and my stomach churns, thinking about what Levington said.

What if it’s true? What if my mates win this and Talos gets the crystal?

The sky grows gray above us, making my turbulent thoughts feel like they’re coming to life.

A caw echoes from somewhere above, followed by another and another until it’s all I can hear.

Everyone around me pauses and glances up at the darkening sky just as dozens of black birds flee across it. Dozens quickly turn to hundreds and then thousands, nearly covering the sky completely.

I glance over at the fights and find they all have paused to watch the strange occurrence, my men included.

A man stumbles into the arena, swaying on his feet. “The seal on the Hollow has been broken,” he shouts, making everyone freeze.

His words only filter into my shocked brain when darkness seeps across the arena. No, not darkness, beasts. Hundreds of them. And right behind them are terrigons by the thousands.

Chaos erupts as the groups of male Shadows rush to stop them. I glance around me and spot the winged Shadows blocking any of them from getting near me.

Finding Malakai’s gaze, I watch him breathe a sigh of relief when he sees me, the others too. He nods to me with a look that tells me they will be there soon. But a huge group of terrigons appear blocking their path.

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