Page 112 of A Bond So Deadly

“But we have to save her!” Kenzie says.

“We will. But for now, we need to stay hidden.”

“Well, would you look at this,” King Malgur calls out toward us, beaming at his fallen warriors that litter the ground before him, like he’s pleased to see them like that. “I’m impressed! I had thought you’d surrender easily, seeing as it’s clear your shadow queen has left you here to rot, but you’ve surprised me. And here I thought Commander Yevar was overreacting, when he said taking the academy would not be as simple as I believed it would be.”

My mates still stand on the other side of the spikes, but they’re no longer cloaked as they face the Xalgrith king.

Raith rests his bloody sword on his shoulder. “Well, that’s funny, because we were just sayin’ a similar thing. See, I was the one sayin’ you wouldn’t be stupid enough to attack us after seein’ what we did to your warriors back home.”

King Malgur’s eye twitches, but he holds onto his smile. “Stupidity can be so subjective. Just as you think I’m stupid for bringing my army here, I could say you’re stupid to risk the lives of your students when this could all be over with a simple discussion. You know what I’m here for. Give me the girl and the power you’ve found, and I’ll be on my way.”

“Shade, what power is he talking about?” Kenzie asks.

I shift uneasily on my feet, feeling exposed even though I’m still hidden in the forest.

Raith gives the king a humorless smile. “Now why the fuck would we do that? With that power, you’d take over us all.”

“Perhaps,” King Malgur agrees. “But I could spare this academy and all those within it. I’m not unreasonable. One of your own has already come to our side.” He motions to Professor Yevar. “Join us, and you will be spared. This is your best option. After all, your own shadow queen has already forsaken you. You must know you can’t win. I have over a hundred thousand warriors, and you have what? A few dozen humans who can do some shadow tricks.” He lets out a cold, mocking laugh. “Hand over the girl and the power, and let us end this pointless battle. Either way, this night ends with her in my grasp.”

I shudder at the king’s words. I know that handing myself over wouldn’t make a difference. King Malgur would still slaughter everyone, especially when he finds out I can’t give him the power he seeks, but guilt still makes me uneasy.

Shadows wind and twist around my mates as their power fills the air. I feel the magic ripple through our bond.

“Over our dead fuckin’ bodies,” Raith replies with a menacing smile of his own.

King Malgur’s answering smirk is way too smug for my liking. “As you wish. Professor Lankin. If you will.”

The air rushes from my lungs. I’m sure I’ve heard him wrong. I must have. Professor Lankin has been doing everything she can to teach the students to keep King Malgur out of their minds. But my stomach drops when the professor leaves the cover of the trees. Her smile is a grim slash across her face, and it tells me everything I need to know.

I remember what Professor Yevar had said during the graduation games. How he’d continuously said we rather than I when he was talking about working with the Xalgrith. Then I think about how Professor Lankin had defied Queen Krosia and stayed within the academy barrier. She’s working with the Xalgrith!

“Shade!” Kenzie’s worried cry whispers against my ears. “I can’t keep him out anymore!” Her cry cuts off, and I notice King Malgur is glowing. His power fills the air, and I know he’s after the students.

Oh, hell no! “Hold on!” I tell Kenzie, trying to reach out to her with my power as I scramble down the tree, but it’s too late. By the time I reach her, the Xalgrith king has already seized her mind. The students abandon their places and descend from the forest, walking like wooden puppets toward King Malgur.

I catch up to Kenzie and shake her, but she simply stares ahead, like she can’t hear the words I’m saying. Nellie, her animali, appears and tries to stop her, but Kenzie uses her shadows to push Nellie away.

“We have to do something!” I plead with my mates.

“I can’t penetrate King Malgur’s hold,” Knox replies. “They’re gone.”

“Hide, mate,” Thane orders me. “You’re not going to want to see what happens next. Go to Galen’s secret library and wait there.”

I’m so tempted. So tempted to run like they’re telling me to, and to find a spot to curl up and hide until it’s all over, but…I can’t. Not when the students are within his clutches, and my mates are facing off the Xalgrith king. I refuse to believe it’s too late for the students.

“So this is why you stayed,” Thane growls at Professor Lankin as she takes her place close to Professor Yevar. “Why would you turn your back on this academy?”

Her eyes flash with emotion. “You mean like Queen Krosia turned her back on us?” Professor Lankin says wearily. “I’m tired of the fighting. There was never any chance of us winning this war. All we’ve been doing is delaying the inevitable.”

“We have your friends!” King Malgur shouts out at the forest. “All I want is the power, Shade. I’m sure you know where it is. Hand it over to me, and your friends can live.”

“Run, mate,” Thane rumbles in my mind, but I can’t.

My boots are glued to the spot as my mind tries to figure this out.

“The prophecy,” I say to Emorie desperately. “The prophecy that the zenali keep talking about. Do you know what it is?” I think of the strange song I’ve sometimes heard whispering through the trees. Is that the prophecy?

Emorie doesn’t answer me. Where is she?