Page 54 of Shadebound
Zayden turned from Tyler without a word and dropped to his knees beside me. He pulled me against him gently, his arms solid. Maya brushed sand from my face. Eris hovered on my other side, her eyes dark with concern.
My baby brother, in all his foolish, stubborn love, turned back to Tyler. His hands clenched into fists, and he stepped forward.
“Maya,”I warned, voice rough with agony.
She grabbed Draven’s arm, quickly forcing him out of the arena, Eris in tow. I could barely see their signs moving, with the burn of tears begging to shed.
I refused to let them.Refusedto give up.
Tears meant giving up to me.
“Don’t move,” Zayden gently pulled my free arm, the one still wearing the cursed cuff I wanted to obliterate. “The cuff’ll heal you. Just give it a second. You’re gonna be just fine.”
I nodded once, my jaw clenched as I left my shattered arm hanging limply by my side. The pain was still raw, twisting through bone and blood and muscle like something alive. But I just did my best to ignore it and concentrate on the hatred festering in my gut instead.
“Wait till lights out and I’ll get him back for you, Heartache.” He whispered as he trailed a delicate finger over my cheekbone. “I’ll make him shift and cut his wings off.”
I looked up at him through my lashes, eager for his plan to come to life even though I knew I would have to shut it down. “He won’t be able to grow them back. You know there are certain things shifters can’t heal from, and I think Hightower would punish you for wasting a dragon soldier.”
Zayden just shrugged. “He’ll learn his lesson about hurting my—about hurtingyou. There was no need for him to be so violent. You’re a third of his size and don’t have your magic. Nor are you trained.”
“I presume it’s from lack of a cock.” My head leant against his chest, inhaling his woodsy scent instead of the pain. “Men with fragile egos are often the worst sorts of people. He probably thought beating me would make him feel better about the fact his parents don’t love him or something.”
The cuff activated before Zayden could reply. It hummed low against my wrist, and then an unnatural heat began to spread—slow and strange, like my body remembered what whole felt like and was putting itself back together one cell at a time. Every stage was vicious.
Bone fusing.
Skin knitting.
Muscle tightening back into place. It wasn’t gentle, but it was... it was oddly nice. In a hideous sort of way.
A minute later I tested my fingers. The pain was gone. Completely and utterlygone. Aside from the blood on my faceand hands, you wouldn’t have known I’d been beaten within an inch of my life.
I pulled my head back and met Zayden’s eyes.
“All better?” He smiled softly.
I nodded, mouth opening before I could think about how hard it would be to learn. “Can you teach me how to fight? Without my magic.”
His brows twitched as he carefully helped me to my feet. “You wantmeto teach you?”
“Yes. You’re the only one I like touching me. I can handle it for training.” My hands lingered in his. Neither of us was in any rush to let go.
His mouth curled into a grin. “If I ever say no to you wanting to get sweaty and all over me, you have permission to put me down. One swift silver bullet to the brain.”
I laughed. The sound surprised me, and maybe him too.
Zayden looked pleased with himself.
He leant down, and his arm slid over my shoulders like it belonged there. As though holding me to his side was the most natural thing in the world.
“Let’s get this blood cleaned up and we can talk.” He said as he led me towards the bathrooms. “I reckon I can make you even more of a beautiful monster before the next full moon. Easy.”
Field Journal — Entry #884 - Classified
They say blood washes clean in running water. That the sins we carry will fade if the current is strong enough. But for the shadebound, the stains sink deeper. The river doesn’t cleanse us—it only reminds us how much we’ve bled.
Chapter Sixteen, Spiteful Showers
