“That guy, in the middle, Radcliffe? Every time I pass him, he spits on the ground. Like right in front of my toes.”
His nose wrinkles in distaste. “So?”
“So today, he didn’t. He just walked by and did nothing.”
We take the stairway that leads toward the training room. Luke is my unwanted chaperone, something the guys thought up. They claim they’re worried about the key, not me. I can take care of myself, but since I’m the only one that knows where it’s located I need to be protected as well.
We get to the banner and place our hands on the wall, an instant later we’re in the training room. I’m struck by the scent of sweat and exertion, but that’s not all…that’s the other change since the ransacking.
The room is packed.
It turns out, people do not like the idea of the administration going through students' rooms and invading their personal space. Suddenly, I went from being a pariah, only worthy of cleaning toilets and serving food, to someone sympathetic. Elizabeth, the innocent bystander, is almost a hero.
This led to students revealing themselves as unaligned with Victorine and Roland. People who had been too scared to step up. Students that have been angry and keeping their mouths shut.
And we opened our arms and training room for them to find a safe place to land.
If they pass the tests.
Each person goes through a rigorous process with the Immortals. First, they have to get approval
from Agis, who uses his innate ability to read lies to weed out anyone unsure. Then they go through a round of hand-to-hand combat with Armin, weapons use with Miya, and strategy with Rupert.
Only then do the Immortals converge, discussing each person that wants to join. It isn’t easy, and they must show their allegiance. If accepted, Miya places a mark on their shoulders, one that will burn if they attempt to betray us.
If they aren’t accepted? Rupert utters a spell from an ancient text he uncovered that muddles the mind—erasing everything they learned about us.
It’s manipulative and immoral, both things required during a battle this important. Luke wanders over to the weapon wall—he’s obsessed, each day trying something new. I scan the room and see Elizabeth going through some books with Rupert, she’s better at the intelligence side of warfare, and Darius and Agis sparring in the ring. There’s a group surrounding them, both learning and watching. The mood is positive, and I exhale, feeling a strange sense of stability.
“Hey,” Armin says, walking over. His chest looks fantastic in a gray, tight-fitting T-shirt. “Get here okay?”
I’d be offended if it wasn’t so cute. “Are you really worried about me walking from my room?”
“I’m worried about you all the time,” he confesses.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can, but every leader has a target on their backs and it’s our job to keep you safe. You wanted the role, Hildi, it comes with protection. Something we should have been doing a better job of all along.”
He’s sexy like this, the little lines on his face deep-set and sincere. Guilt and worry are familiar to him. Now it hangs like a chain around his neck, and consequently, mine. I understand what he’s saying. I feel the weight of our alliance more, too.
“Things have been calmer since they ransacked the room. No chores, no punishments, no demeaning tasks…maybe they think I don’t have it anymore.”
His lips form a thin line. “They’re probably just regrouping.”
“Well,” I say, nodding across the room at the students, “so are we.”
At that moment, cheers erupt around the fighting ring and Agis stands over Darius. The God of Death is unlikely to be defeated, regardless of his opponent’s abilities. Darius could transform into a wisp of smoke, and Agis would still get him in a choke hold. I watch as he stretches out an arm, offering to help the shifter off the ground. A few minutes later, Agis walks over, sweat glistening off his chest. I have a strange sense of déjà vu looking at him bare-chested. I glance away, down at his hands, and my body heats inexplicably. If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that Agis’ hands have not been on me.
From across the room, Rupert's eyes drag up from whatever he’s studying and pins me a hard look. Armin shifts on his feet. Shit. Can they feel that? The heat rolling down my skin? Do they just sense my arousal, or does it make them horny, too?
This bond? It’s complicated.
I take a deep breath and exhale. Agis doesn’t seem remotely affected.
“Although there are a few good fighters in the group,” he says, “I’m worried about any of them going up against Victorine and her monsters. They’re just green. They do okay in the ring, but in a real-life situation, things will get tricky.”
We all look over at Luke, who has entered the ring with Darius. They both look so young.