Page 84 of Shadow Bonds

“We got it.” Cyrus holds up the head of the female terrigon. “Let’s go.”

“You can’t,” the winged male says, and they all stop to glare at him.

He stares at them calmly. “All Shadows that pass the first stage must go straight into the second if they want to compete in the war games.”

They all glance at me with a varying expression of worry and fear.

“No females are required in this round,” he says, making them relax. “My men will take her back to her tent.”

“Like fuck they will,” Malakai grits out.

The winged male raises a brow, still as calm as ever. “Would you prefer she meet a terrigon on the way?”

“We’ll take her back.” Seth and the other male I met last night with Arabella appears behind us. “We didn’t make it through the first stage,” Seth tells the guys before glaring at the winged male. “And we look after our own.”

“Go. I’ll be fine,” I tell the guys.

“If anything happens to her…” Theon warns.

Seth swallows hard. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

“I don’t need—” I start, but Malakai gives me a cutting glare.

I roll my eyes at their dramatics. “Go. Or you won’t have to worry about the terrigons kicking your ass.”

My threat gets a smile out of them.Psychos.

They each place a kiss on my head or cheek before leaving.

I thank the winged male again, and he gives me a warm smile before narrowing his eyes on the two men behind me. Bending low, he flies up into the dark sky and disappears among it.

I head over to Seth and the other male Shadow, and we head back in silence. Both keep watch on the way to the portal, but no more terrigons jump out to attack us.

We make it through the portal and outside the tent when my name gets called.

Turning around, I find a tall man with tight, jet-black hair walking toward me.

Seth and the other male spot him and freeze before saluting to him.

“Dismissed,” he glares at them both and they quickly disappear inside the tent.

“Sena, is it?” He gives me a smile. One I don’t trust.

“Yes, and you are?” I ask, and his smile twitches.

“General Reed.”

“How can I help you, General?” I ask.

“There was an incident last night that I need to discuss with you. Follow me.” He turns without waiting for a reply, expecting me to follow.

I groan and wince at the slicing burn in my back. I really should get that seen to. Hopefully this won’t take long.

I follow him through the tents and look up too late to realize I’m walking through a portal. But I relax when I end up in another tent, though one far larger and more extravagant than any I’ve seen so far.

General Reed moves behind the large brown desk at the back of the tent and waits for me to step up to it.

“Can you tell me what happened? I’d like to hear your side of the story,” he says and then waits for an answer. But I haven’t a clue what he’s talking about.

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