Page 286 of Shadowblood Souls
But it also means they’d have been less equipped to actually fight the shadowkind they were up against.
“What are we doing here if you’re not actually going to give us anything to do other than train more?” Jacob demands, scowling.
A hint of a smile touches Clancy’s lips. “I said a significant portion. I didn’t sayIfelt that way. I actually brought you in here so we could discuss your first potential assignment.”
Six
Riva
The first moment when I emerge from sleep in my new bed always feels a little empty. It’s comfortable enough, with layers of covers I can bundle under against the cave-like chill, but I’m all on my own.
Sometime over the past few weeks, without even realizing it, I got used to waking up next to my guys. Mostly Dominic, but one time him and Andreas both, and once, after a particularly tumultuous evening, Jacob.
We have more freedoms here, but I’m no longer allowed the simple pleasure of a cuddle to greet the day.
I pull myself out from under the covers, wash at the sink in the corner, and dress with quick movements. I’m just slipping on my sneakers when a knock sounds on my door.
I don’t cross paths with any of my guys at breakfast, but when I’m ushered out to the facility entrance, Clancy is waiting with Jacob, Dominic, four of the younger shadowbloods, and several other guardians.
Seeing Jake, my heart skips a beat. This must be preparation for the mission we agreed to yesterday.
Clancy confirms my assumption with a nod toward the kids, who look to all be from the oldest of their generations, around seventeen. “This group will perform some secondary work as part of your assignment off the island. It should be relatively straightforward, but we want to make sure we’ve covered all the bases before sending you into the field.”
Celine is there, flashing me one of her bright smiles as she teases her fingers through her ponytail, but I don’t know the others by name yet. As we set off down to the clearing and then along a jungle path, she chatters energetically with a couple of her companions.
Here and there, I think I catch glimpses of that sadness I thought I noticed earlier. I feel like I should apologize to her for the last mission the guardians forced her to take on, even though it wasn’t my idea that they should hunt us down across the continent.
Behind them, the three of us “Firsts” walk in silence. I’m too keyed up to make any kind of small talk.
Dominic takes my hand and interlocks my fingers with his. Jacob sticks close to my other side, scanning the wilderness.
Despite the sticky humidity, it isn’t really an unpleasant hike. Birds twitter in the trees, and the hazy sunlight dances between the rustling leaves.
It doesn’t take long before we stop in a small clearing. Three of the guardians direct the younger shadowbloods off between the trees at the far end for whatever they need to work on. Three others and Clancy stay with us Firsts.
Clancy strolls back and forth in front of us, his hands clasped behind his back. “I know the three of you have already been through extensive training, including some missions outsideyour facility. And obviously you’ve added to your real-world skills in the weeks while you were on the run.”
Real-world skills that included killing a whole lot of his colleagues. My skin creeps uneasily despite his calm tone, and Dominic squeezes my fingers reassuringly.
His closer tentacle slips around my wrist as if to duplicate the casually affectionate touch with the gentle graze of its suckers. Both times I’ve seen him since arriving on the island, he’s had his strange new appendages uncovered like he’d started to feel comfortable doing on Rollick’s yacht.
I catch a couple of the younger shadowbloods glancing his way and nudging each other. My jaw sets on edge, and my grip on his hand tightens in return.
They might be like us, but I’m not going to letanyonemake him ashamed of the features that are now part of him. Especially not when he’s finally found a kind of peace with his situation.
“This operation will require a few very specific skills that will need additional testing and training.” Clancy halts and turns to face the three of us. “Riva and Jacob, you’ll be taking lead, which will require immense stealth and speed. Dominic, if your healing ability is needed, time will be of the essence there as well. We’d like to see where you’re currently at.”
He points to a blotch of orange through the trees in the opposite end from where the teens are doing their training. “Start by that marker and run as fast as you can, regardless of the obstacles, to the one you’ll see ahead of you.” His arm swings to indicate the direction we’ll be running.
Then he fixes his gaze on us again. “Please give it your all. I don’t want to waste time on additional exercises that aren’t really necessary.”
I don’t want to hang around here training any longer than I need to either. Less than a week, and he’s already opened up the possibility of getting off the island.
I have no idea how we can make use of that opportunity, but I want to find out as soon as I can.
This once, we have to leave Andreas and Zian behind. But maybe we’ll learn something that could bring us back together, one way or another.
We head toward the marker, Jacob positioning himself between me and the guardians like a shield.
