Page 78 of Shadebound
“Today’s lesson will be slightly different. We’ll be diving into your memories again, but this time it’s timed. You have three minutes to break out, and if you don’t, then you get to have a taste of my magic.”
There was no hesitation in him before he started to my left, picking a random student whose name I hadn’t bothered to learn. I only knew he was called Oscar three minutes later, when Varl said his name as he zapped him with a vicious jolt of lightning strong enough to make Oscar scream as he was yanked back out of whatever dark memory he hadn’t been able to escape himself.
The poor, scrawny bastard collapsed onto his knees, face-planting in the sand. As thousands of volts coursed through his veins, he flipped and rolled, still screaming. Screams that would have normally been music to my ears did nothing but make me wince. I’d had enough of listening to screams.
After a few seconds of pain, Varl seized his magic, and Oscar—tears streaming down his tawny cheeks—stumbled back to his feet.
The professor moved on to the next in line. Over and over, he made his way around the circle as the minutes progressed. Each time, the students were zapped. Each time, they dropped to their knees, crying or screaming, some even begging for it to end.
With each student that had their turn, the rest of the group’s spines stiffened more, hands clenched tighter into fists, and any semblance of joy or calm quickly vanished into tensed jaws and trembling bodies.
Truthfully, I was amused. I didn’t actively seek out harm for strangers, but I also didn’t actively discourage it. They were all fine in the end, even if it hurt, and I was sure that a tiny bit of electricity jabbing at their flesh would make them stronger, harder, less prone to being weak in the war we would all inevitably face together.
At least, thatwasmy reasoning—until Varl got closer and barked out,
“Maya, you’re next.”
It wasn’t so fun and carefree when it was a friend of mine about to get hurt. I wasn’t nearly as relaxed or nonchalant when Varl placed his hands on Maya’s long sleeve and her eyes rolled back in her head.
My fists clenched hard enough for nails to dig into my palms again, the crescent moons there almost a permanent fixture. I kept my eyes locked on her, watching the way she shivered and shook.
Three minutes had never been so long in my life. I counted every single second, and right as I started the final countdown—with five seconds left on the clock—Maya wrenched herself backward, sucking in a sharp gasp.
She spluttered and coughed, her hands trembling. Tears burned behind her eyes when she glanced at me, fingertips grazing along her long sleeves.
But seeing as Varl said, “Excellent. You managed to get out of that quite well, Miss Cordeaux. You may return to your space in the line.” I couldn’t be too unhappy. At least she wasn’t screaming in pain.
At least she wasn’t being tortured for the sake of strength.
I blew out a breath as Maya stumbled back beside me, tugging on her dark blue hair with a wobbly pout. Then I remembered who was next and sucked that bitch right back into my lungs.
“Miss Draconis.” Professor Touchy-Feely drawled my name long enough to make Zayden growl under his breath.
The thought of him shifting and eating our professor alive was the only thing that allowed me to take a few steps forwards, close enough that the older man could put his gross hands on me again.
“You can have an extra minute, because you are new.” Varl smiled, hand lingering on my flesh. Smiting thoughts rushed to the surface, only to float away before they could tether too hard.
I felt like I was burning. I’d havepreferredburning. At least it was fun when the flames turned blue, and made those little popping noises.
At least I got smores when I usually had a fire.
“No thanks.” I replied, spine stiff, jaw firm. “I don’t want special circumstances. I’ll take the three minutes.”
It had nothing to do with me not wanting to be trapped in my own head for any longer than necessary. Nothing at all.
He cocked his head, hand squeezing as my world flipped upside down. “As you wish.”
The world snapped and I opened my eyes in the woods again. Rain hammered down in sheets, stinging my face, soaking through my clothes until every inch of me was heavy and freezing. The ground was a mess of mud and snow, roots jutting up sharp and slick, tripping me with every step. My breath tore out of me in gasps, my chest burning, but I didn’t stop.
“Bells!” My voice shredded against the storm. “Bells!”
The trees closed in, black shapes thrashing in the wind. Water sluiced down my neck, filled my mouth when I shouted again. I spit it out and kept going, branches snapping acrossmy arms, whipping at my skin until it stung raw. Every shadow looked like her. Every corner of the forest I turned, I thought I’d see her—but it was nothing.
Just the dark.
Just the storm.
I pushed harder, lungs screaming, legs numb from the cold. My boots slipped and slid in the slush, my knees slamming into the ground when I stumbled, but I scrambled back up. I had to reach her. She had to be here.
