Page 75 of Shadow Bonds

“Why does he get a thank you?!”

“I’m blocking you out now,”I tell him.

“Don’t you dare?—”

Sweet silence is all I hear as I make my way through the forest and to the hill Malakai showed me. Theon is sitting at the top with his back to me.

I watch his back tense as I move up it and walk over to him to sit down beside him.

The spot is beautiful with a wide-open view of the lush green trees and fields. You can also see most of the campus from up here.

A few minutes pass before Theon speaks. “Do you want to know why we hate you?” he asks, and I freeze. He glances over at me and frowns. “Hatedyou?”

I swallow hard, already knowing where this conversation is heading.

His dark eyes narrow on me. “We were sent to the Void because of you.”

My eyes burn and blur at the complete devastation in his voice. And I wonder if it’s time for me to pay once and for all for one of old Sena’s biggest mistakes.

But instead of attacking me, he sighs and glances back out at the view. A view I no longer see. Only seeing the devastation and pain on Theon’s face.

“We were barely teenagers. And so fucking scared.” His shoulders slump. “We had to learn how to hunt. To find water. To fight and survive.” He chuckles but there is not an ounce of humor in it. “We got hurt a lot. Nearly died too many times to count. It’s lucky we’re Shadows. Or we most definitely would have.” He sighs. “Ihatedit there.”

My stomach churns and twists as each word becomes a slap. I shouldn’t feel this wretched, especially when I wasn’t the one who sent them there, but I do. I feel horrible they had to go through that. That the old Sena was so heartless even as a child.

“When we finally got out, we thought it would be the end. But they sent us back over and over again because of the lies you told them.” Pain twists his features. “I always wanted to know why you did it.” He frowns and glances over at me. “We never did anything to you.”

“I’m sorry.” There’s nothing else I can say to him to fix this. I don’t know why the old Sena did it. But I do know I want her to feel ten times their pain right now. After I beat the shit out of her.

He clenches his jaw and glances away as if he can’t bear to look at me. “There were days without food. And even more when we thought we weren’t going to make it. When you told us about not eating, it reminded me about my time there.” He tilts his head up towards the sun and closes his eyes. “I wasalwaysso fucking hungry.”

Sadness surrounds us like a thick fog. “I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to?—”

“I know,” he says, making me pause. His eyes soften as he scans my face. “I can feel it. Feel your sadness. And every emotion you feel right now.” He stares at me with an expression full of hope and fear and so much pain it nearly breaks me.

“You really don’t remember, do you?” he asks.

A deep ache pulses in my chest. “No, I?—”

He leans forward and kisses me while dragging me onto his lap and sliding his arms around me.

It’s a kiss of hate and betrayal and sadness. Of the pain and suffering he went through. He gives me everything, and I take it with a promise of making sure it never happens again. With the hope and possibility of a new beginning.

He groans, feeling everything I do. Every sliver of guilt and pain. Every hope and wish. He draws me closer, and then I finally feel it.Hisemotions.

And I nearly break there and then. “Theon…” I breathe against his lips.

“I hope you never remember,” he rasps. “BecausethisSena is already someone that could completely destroy us all.” He pulls me closer, and we stay like that for hours. Just holding on to one another and staring up as the sun slowly disappears.

When it starts to get dark and his grip tightens on me, I realize that they could destroy me just as easily.

CHAPTER 23

Finally! Finally, an actual book on dark beings. It just took searching the whole damn library to find.

Glancing around, I make sure no one is watching before sliding it under my top and heading out.

On my way back, I spot a certain blonde. Smiling down at the Vims beside me, I decide now is the perfect time to enact my revenge on the bitch.

---