Page 42 of Enchanted Shadows
Sam groaned. I reached into the side pocket on my pants and threw a roll of tape at her.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Wrap your wrists.”
“I thought that would be considered cheating,” she argued.
I shrugged. “I don’t think you need it to pass the course, but if it helps you think you can do it, then wrap them. You cannotuse an Enchantment to help you up the course, but if wrapping your wrists helps, who the hell cares.”
“If I tease you right now for this, is it too soon after last night?”
“Yes.”
She smirked. “I’ll save it.”
I barked out, “Move. Your. Butts.” I didn’t care if they were tired from the extra running. They’d done the crime, so they’d put in the time. I was tired too, but we had more work to do.
CHAPTER 14
Iwoke to screeching noises. I wasted no time bailing out of bed, finding pants and boots and moving toward the sound.
It had been a week since the women snuck out to the Savaryn party. Loyalist movement had been quiet, which honestly worried me. If they were quiet, they were plotting. Had they finally gotten organized enough and smart enough to make a move?
I barreled out the door and toward the sound, only to stop in my tracks. It wasn’t an attack. There wasn’t an extra person to be found. But the women were all up. The sun was just rising through the trees around the training ring.
They’d beaten me awake?
I looked up to see Sam nearing the bars she always faltered at.
I moved in closer. This morning was their deadline. If Sam didn’t pass this by morning workout, she was out.
We’d lost two more since Harlow left. Erin and Rose had come to me together after three days of double running wanting out. The team was down to thirteen women. And dammit, I didn’t want to lose another. Especially after losing an asset like Harlow.
“Don’t even think about it,” I barked at Sam.
“Move,”she yelled, half in mockery and half at herself.
But it got her moving. She grabbed the second bar. Locked her legs around the bar and swung upward.
One more bar to go.
She didn’t hesitate this time. She jumped. And just when I thought she’d fall like every other time, her hands found purchase. She let out a yell. In pain or joy, I wasn’t sure.
“You’ve got it,” Zara urged her. “Come on.”
“Get it!” Molly cheered.
Vivian’s magic was running the obstacle course along with Sam, since I hadn’t been here to start it with my own.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Sam as she headed to the third level. Maybe it was the adrenaline high, but the posts and orbs did not deter her at all. All she had left was the climbing wall. She rubbed her wrists, and that’s when I noticed the tape she had wrapped around them.
“This part is mostly in your legs,” I reminded her.
I held my breath as she grabbed hold of the top platform, the final challenge on the course. She adjusted her grip and for a second, I thought she’d fall.
But she didn’t.
My ear drums were not going to recover from the moment she finally pulled herself up, the sun now shining on her at that height as if even it was cheering for her.
