Green shadow, p.26
Green Shadow, page 26
The road beneath us became uneven, and Shadow glanced out the window. “Time’s up. Guess the rest of my tale will have to wait for next time.” Shadow said, and with a wave of his hand, the veil draped over my eyes and the sounds from outside returned.
A short time later, I walked into Dr. Smith’s office. Ben stood off to one side, and he smirked as I passed. Phantom bugs crawled on my skin at his attention, and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. Shadow came to stand beside me.
A door at the back of the room opened, and Dr. Smith strode in. Thugs One and Two followed and flanked her as she sat behind her desk. Her frizzy, shoulder-length brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun. Unusual since the woman went out of her way to present a professional appearance all the time. There were smudges under her blue-gray eyes, barely noticeable behind her wire-rimmed glasses.
Something keeping you up at night? Vindictive glee passed through me. Dare I hope you’re finally developing a conscious and regretting your decision to hold innocent people hostage and have them commit horrors on your behalf. Nah, that can’t be it.
My back throbbed. Before my mission with Shadow, Dr. Smith wanted to test if different branches of magic had a better affinity with the control crystal, the limitations of that control and if someone without magic could use me like a living artifact. Instead, I’d lashed out at the mage wielding the control crystal, and she punished me for the failure.
I did learn something, though. My magic still came from me; I needed to be front and center for whatever mayhem they wanted to perform. The controller also required line of sight to manipulate my energies, and people without an aptitude for magic could not wield the crystal—a small blessing.
“Mr. Allen.” Dr. Smith looked at the mage behind me with clinical eyes. “I’m disappointed that you have not yet mastered using Terra’s magic. With your mental talents, I had hoped that molding her power would come more naturally to you.”
Ben squirmed behind me. “She’s resisting me.” He couldn’t look her in the eye, so he stared at a point above her head.
“Really, Mr. Allen. You have been afforded twice the practice time as the others, and you show a drastically lower rate of improvement.”
I smiled inwardly. I fought Ben ten times harder than I did the others. So, in this regard, he was right. It was my fault that he was failing so spectacularly.
“I’m also disappointed that you haven’t managed to use your magic to make her more malleable. One wonders if you are even exerting an effort.” She made a note on her clipboard.
Ben stiffened behind me, and anger radiated off him. “I’ll double my efforts,” was all he said.
Dr. Smith looked up, nodded, then made another note and put her pen down.
“I’m sure you will. You know well what happens to those who are no longer useful.” It wasn’t a threat. No, Dr. Smith didn’t threaten. Instead, she stated facts and let the real consequences scare the piss out of you.
Ben gulped, his face going pale.
“Good, that’s settled. I do so hate the people management aspect of this position.” She waived to Thug One with a hand.
“We have a guest. Mr. Allen, you are not required for this discussion. Why don’t you head out and see to your duties?” A sharp exhale of breath sounded behind me as Ben fought to control his temper. How long could he take being in the doghouse before he snapped?
Ben controlled himself enough to bow sharply. But that control wasn’t seamless, and his anger was plain to see in his motions. Then, without another word, he turned and stalked from the room.
Dr. Smith tsked once at the slamming door. “And the boy wonders why we haven’t given him more responsibility. He has no emotional control. Such a waste.”
Thug One opened the door they’d entered through earlier, and an unfamiliar male appeared.
He took the chair next to Dr. Smith. Leaning forward, he smiled in our direction, then nodded at her.
Dr. Smith leaned forward and motioned the man closer. When he was close enough, she whispered something in his ear. The man responded in the same calm tone.
Their body language suggested a cordial relationship, though if the lines around the doctor’s eyes indicated anything, she wasn’t happy with the topic of conversation.
While I waited to see if the pair would include the rest of us in their conversation, I worked on reinforcing my mental resistance. Despite Dr. Smith’s chiding, Ben had increased his effort alarmingly since Christmas.
The mage was a cockroach and had probably sensed the subtle changes in the winds. Pre-emptively, he’d stepped up his effort to prove his continued value.
And sadly, those efforts were having an effect. I felt the strain on my mind acutely and hated to admit it, even to myself, but my mental resistance was starting to crumble. Finding the will to hope and fight got more challenging every day, and to my shame, there were times when I almost gave in.
Straightening my mental shoulders, I pulled at whatever strength I had left. You can’t roll over and die yet. Though I was starting to have to pick and choose what battles I fought. How long until the concessions I made betrayed the core of who I was? It was a question I didn’t dare ask.
Dr. Smith said in a voice that was only audible to my ears, “but, Sir, the crystal needs more testing. If we use it now, I can’t guarantee it will function optimally.”
The man said something in a low tone, and Dr. Smith frowned.
Then her demeanor changed. Her face held a hint of false cheer when she looked at Shadow and me.
“Wonderful news,’ Dr. Smith exclaimed, her voice pitchy as she tried to hide her true feelings. The doctor didn’t want any part of whatever they had planned.
Glancing at her companion from the corner of her eye, she said tightly, “You two will be going on a field trip. It will be humanity’s chance to pit your skills against the best the supernatural community offers.”
I snickered in my head. Aww, it’s not fun losing your lab rats, is it?
Her sour expression didn’t fade as the man rose and turned towards us. Around his mid-fifties, he was clean-cut with an expensive suit and haircut. Silvering on his temples made him look wise and approachable. The hair, the clothing, the air of command, he had to be one of the higher-ups in the human government. If I’d pegged his age right, he would have been a child when the Resurgence hit.
Seeing people gaining power around them, his parents probably raised him with the tales of all humanity had lost to the monsters. How unfair life was now.
News flash. Life was never fair. Not to everyone.
Piercing green eyes shined with emotion when he finally faced us. “It’s so lovely to meet the two of you finally. My name is Timothy Duncan. I run the mission operation part of this facility, while Dr. Eliza here runs the research. She has been kind enough to keep me updated on your training. But it’s nice to see my assets in person.”
I suppressed a growl. We were people, not property. But Shadow and I knew the game and remained silent.
“Terra, how have you been acclimating since your return?” He looked at me as if he expected an answer, but he should have known of my silence from Dr. Smith. A test, maybe? “I know it must be a shock, but it’s so good to have you back in the fold.”
When I failed to respond again, frustration flashed across his face.
“That’s right. Eliza tells me you’re being stubborn. Has it been worth it?” There was a tint of malice in his voice.
Had the pain been worth it? Hell yeah. He didn’t deserve to keep his name. I would call him Suit instead. It encompassed everything about the man.
Suit stopped hiding his annoyance. “Perhaps they have been too lenient with you.” He turned to Thug One. “Bring her.”
Shadow stiffened beside me. Those words had struck a chord. And moments later, when Thug One returned, gripping Evie’s small shoulder in one of his massive hands, a glint of anger mixed with panic passed through Shadow’s eye.
Evie’s cat glared at me balefully, unnoticed by the rest of the room.
Shit. Dr. Smith must’ve had her stashed nearby. Suit had known his questions would get him nothing but silence. I’d retained this one small act of defiance for months, and within five minutes, he showed me exactly who had the power in this room.
It took everything in me to keep my face blank. Shame, hopelessness, and an utter sense of failure washed through my soul. I was failing another youngling in my charge, and damn, it hurt.
A featherlight touch brushed against my consciousness. Recognizing it immediately, I dropped my guard.
“It’s alright,“ Evie’s voice echoed in my head. “It’s not your fault.”
Her words were a punch to the gut, especially when I saw the fear she desperately tried to hide.
Orsinus purred and rubbed his head on her arm, trying to comfort the girl. In response, she clutched the overweight black and white animal to her chest.
Resolve filled me along with crushing defeat. They’d won. I wouldn’t, couldn’t, stand by and let this precious child suffer on my behalf.
A pleading look entered Shadow’s eyes. It was small, and I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t worked with him for the last several months. He cared about the girl, and I wasn’t surprised. Evie’s vision of them living together had slotted the piece in place. She was as much his Achilles heel as she was mine.
“Psyche, how have your practices been?” Suit knelt next to her. On the outside, his smile appeared warm and interested, but his eyes held a sharp, hard edge.
The poor kid shook slightly but raised her hauntingly clear crystal eyes to meet his stunning green ones. “Okay, Uncle Tim,” she whispered. “It hurts less now than before.”
“See, I told you. Practice makes perfect.” He laid a hand on her head, and I recognized the threat. “Guess what, kiddo. You’ve done so well in your classes were going on a field trip. Shadow and Terra will be in a tournament, and you get to watch.” Suit lifted his gaze to meet mine. “Won’t that be fun?” What he’d missed by taking his attention away from the child was the clouded look that entered Evie’s gaze. A look I knew all too well.
I glared at Suit, needing to hold his attention long enough for Evie to come out of whatever vision she was having. It worked, and Evie’s gaze cleared before Suit turned back to her. She gave the asshole a shy, calculated smile. “I’d like that.”
He looked back at her, a more genuine smile gracing his features, one filled with praise. “Of course, you would. It will be an adventure.” His hand moved from the top of her head to her neck. He gazed at me again, challenging me to continue my defiance.
“Now, Terra, won’t you enjoy that?” There was a smirk on his lips and victory in his eyes.
Because there was only one response, I could give. “Of course, Sir.”
Chapter 32
Lucan
I lurched up from the guest bed in Alec and Quinn’s home and made it to the toilet in the nick of time. Dry heaves wracked my body as my stomach rebelled. I prayed it would decide to stay right where it was.
A cool hand rested on the back of my neck, and with it came a trickling of power that slowly eased the spasming in my abdomen. Sweat cooled on my face, and the smell of vomit wafted up from the bowl. I flushed and rose.
Alec’s blue eyes held concern. The man was dressed only in cotton pajama pants and a tee shirt several sizes too big for him. I tried to smile, to let the healer know I was okay, but I failed. If anything, his look of concern intensified. Clearly, I looked as good as I felt, which was crap.
“Lucan, you are running out of time,” Alec said gently. “The potion I made prevents the threads of the bond from snapping, but that added strain negatively impacts your internal organs. I don’t know how long you can put your choice off before irreversible damage occurs.”
I grunted. This must be my punishment. I thought as I brought a hand up to rub at the spot right next to my heart where my mate bond was rooted. For doubting her.
Now I may never get the chance to show her how I’ve changed. But, if this was a test, I was determined to succeed.
Fussing, Alec shoved a cup of water into my hands.
I took a sip and sighed. “I won’t let go, Alec,” The water had soothed my raw throat. “Too many people have failed her. I won’t add my name to that list. It’s my turn to prove my worth.”
Alec scowled. “You think she wants you to prove yourself by dying?” There was a clipped edge to his tone. “You think she would hate you for choosing to live?”
Ugh, that didn’t come out right. “No,” I said hastily. “This,” I pointed to the toilet, “isn’t for Mackenzie. I need to prove to myself that I won’t take the easy way out. That I’m willing to put it all on the line for what I want.” My dragon came forward, and the dim light of the bathroom brightened with an eerie blue glow. “And Alec… I want her.”
Alec stared at me for a moment before sighing. A deep weariness had the mage slumping, dark bags hanging under his eyes.
“Come down for breakfast when you’re ready,” Alec said, shaking his head and leaving the room. Brooke and Connor had forced me to relocate when Brooke had found me passed out in my ensuite in the cottage three days ago, and I was grateful for the couple’s hospitality.
I came down the stairs twenty minutes later. After showering and brushing my teeth, I felt halfway normal. Brooke and Connor watched me from the table, and Grace and Keenan giggled in the next room.
“You, okay?” Connor asked around a mouthful of eggs.
“I’ll live,” I replied. For now.
“Well, you look like shit.” Connor gave me a stern look. “How the hell do you plan on competing, let alone winning, if you can barely stand?”
The boy thought I was setting myself up to fail. In this room, only Quinn and Alec knew I’d initiated the bonding process. The others only assumed the potential was there. I wondered if they knew the truth, they would find this illness the better alternative over breaking the bond.
“Trust me. You don’t want me curing myself just yet.”
Connor threw up his hands.
“Leave it alone, Connor. Lucan will tell you when he’s ready.” Alec said as he entered the room carrying a plate stacked high with bacon, eggs, and toast.
A growl worthy of a dragon shifter came out of the metal mage. “I want what Mackenzie would want. And that’s for him to stop hurting himself on purpose.”
Alec glanced at me but stayed quiet. He placed the food in front of me and moved to sit further down. Quinn came out of the kitchen and sat next to his mate.
“Please tell us why you’re so sick.” Brooke’s words were soft, but a tremble echoed in her tone. She was scared and desperately trying to hide it. My collapse the other day frightened her more than I anticipated.
It was time, I decided. Then, running a hand through my hair, I started to explain. “What do the two of you know about mate bonds?”
“For someone as powerful as you, the possibility may only come about once in your lifetime,” Brooke offered.
“Once initiated on both sides, only death can break it,” Connor added. I opened my mouth to correct him, to tell them about Annabelle but closed it again. That was a topic for another time.
“Yes to both, mostly,” I said and nodded to the pair. “There are other ways to break a completed bond, but they’re so rare no one talks about them.” I took a bite of food. When I finished chewing, I continued. “Shifters don’t normally advertise this, but if one side accepts the bond before the other, they can sever it before it’s complete.” I took in a deep breath. “However, if they break it, the potential for the completed bond dissolves. The pair will no longer be compatible.” Brother and sister stared at me with rapt attention.
Quinn ran his hand over Alec’s shoulder, and Alec leaned into the gryphon. A pang of longing stabbed through my chest.
Turning back to Brooke and Connor, I kept going. “I’ve known Mackenzie was a potential mate since our first meeting.” A rueful smile crossed my face. “Not that I accepted it at the time. I thought it was a mistake, a divine joke.”
The kids chuckled. They’d told me the version Mackenzie had spun after our first meeting. Our dislike had been mutual.
“When I fought Clare, we did massive structural damage to the warehouse. Your sister overreached herself to make sure Quinn and the others got out safely.” My voice softened. “Her shields began to fail, and I didn’t have enough power to save her.” The fear, acceptance, and heartfelt thanks splayed over her face, caused a fresh wave of fear to wash over me. Mackenzie had been so grateful not to be alone. It was the moment I’d decided to explore the connection between us. “When shifters mate, we can take or share power with our other half.”
Connor’s face shuttered, his eyes hard with anger. “So, let me guess, you initiated your half of the bond and used Kenzie as a battery.” Resentment radiated off the boy in waves. “You used her for her power, just like everyone else.” He stood, ready to storm off.
“Do you really think Mackenzie wouldn’t have shared the power willingly to save her own life?” Quinn’s voice cut through the tension. Connor frowned but sat back down.
I held up a hand. “I did form the bond on my end and used her power that one time to speed up my shift. To save her.”
Connor still glared but made a motion for me to continue.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Fatigue pulling at me. “The bond isn’t meant to be one-sided for long. As more time passes, it tries to force one of two outcomes. A completion or a rejection.” I sighed, letting my weariness show. “Normally, this partial state would send a shifter feral long before this point, either the man or the beast wanting to sever the bond, the other intent on keeping it. The animal tries to separate from the man when the two become so at odds.” I ate another bite of food. “My dragon and I are on the same page. Alec and Tollas have created a potion that prevents the bond from severing naturally. It has side effects. And they are killing me.”
