Page 45 of Shadow Caster
My body leaned toward him as he passed, but then the heat of his hands was gone. He stepped around me, leaving me staring at air.
I looked over my shoulder to see raised welts edged in puckered scar tissue. They crisscrossed his back, telling a horrific story.
Were these wounds from the attack that had taken his leg? And if so, why hadn’t they completely healed? My attention dropped to his legs, and there it was—the glint of metal, gold and silver entwined into the shape of a powerful limb. It didn’t look mechanical, but then it was feytech, so …
He stopped and turned his head, offering me his profile. “Had a good look?”
“I’m … I’m sorry.” My voice cracked.
“Don’t be. Survival is nothing to be sorry about.” I caught the corner of his mouth lift slightly. “And a feytech leg is better than two flesh and bone ones.” He strode off, taking his bionic limb and his compelling scars with him.
But he took my breath with him too and left me standing there with my heart in my mouth and my body blazing with the heat of desire.
The bathroom door shut firmly behind me, and I leaned up against it. His citrus scent was infused in the steamy air. His scars were burned into my mind. He was damaged, but he was far from broken, and that, to me, was beautiful.
Fuck. I’d need to take my shower cold.
* * *
The shadow cadetquarters were an open lounge space with several corridors shooting off from it. The lounge also had a small kitchenette area with a counter that ran around it to separate it from the seating area. My feet dragged me across the wood floor, lured by the smell of coffee that permeated the air.
A golden-haired figure stood with his back to me at the coffee pot.
I’d recognize those broad shoulders and slender hips anywhere.
Lloyd looked over his shoulder, sensing my approach. “Early bird?”
I crossed my arms, not sure how to gauge his tone. It sounded neutral enough, but Lloyd had never been anything but dismissive and derisive of me, so waiting for the other shoe to drop was standard procedure when it came to him.
I hung back, keeping the counter between us. “I was hoping to check on Harmon.”
Lloyd spooned sugar into his mug. “He and Thomas left a few minutes ago. I assume they’re heading to the med bay before training.” He turned back to his coffee-making task.
I cleared my throat. “How did he look?”
“Tense, worried.” He turned to me and leaned up against the counter behind him. “All the things a brother might look like if his sister had just lost her memories.” He ran a hand over his face. “I’m not sure I’d be as calm as he is.”
He turned away to pour milk into his coffee and then carried his mug into the lounge area.
I took his place at the coffee pot and poured hot, fragrant wonderfulness into a mug. “This smells amazing.”
“Yeah. Larkin gets it imported from somewhere or other. Specially for the shadow cadets.”
I took a sip and couldn’t help the involuntary moan of pleasure that escaped my lips. “God, that’s good.”
Lloyd’s attention was on my mouth, but he looked away quickly when my gaze flicked to his face.
He and Minnie had the same almond-shaped eyes, but whereas hers were a warm jade, his were a cool blue. There were very few similarities between them, aside from that. Lloyd had sharp, harsh features that some would find compelling, but I’d always found haughty. But the way he was studying me now was devoid of his usual contempt. In fact, there was a spark of interest there that had my insides squirming with confusion.
“What?” I held my coffee mug like a shield. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He shook his head and took a gulp of his coffee. “Nothing. You better get to the dining hall.” He jerked his head toward the corridor to my far left.
“You have your own dining hall?” That would explain why I rarely saw shadow cadets in the Nightwatch Academy dining room.
“Grab a bite. You have your oath, then sector one orientation today. You’ll probably be late for lunch.”
Master Hyde had mentioned sector one last night. “What is that? What is sector one?”
