Page 129 of A Bond So Deadly

“Is it that bad?”

She shrugs. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. I just have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when something’s bothering me. For now, let’s enjoy this.”

I want to keep pestering the information out of her, but I don’t. She’s right. We can deal with that another day, and truthfully, I just want to enjoy this for now.

“So are you going to stay here?” Blake asks me.

“In the palace? No, I don’t think so. I’ve always loved the forest. It’s peaceful, and Thane and the others seem to like that idea, too. We’re planning on building something out there, but I think most of the originals are staying here, and I’m sure we’ll be visiting frequently.”

“Make sure you visit me often, too,” Blake says, nudging me. “I swear, when I first found you, I never realized how stressful our friendship would be.”

“You mean how life-changing?” I correct.

She grins. “Exactly.” Her gaze slides to the celebration. “You ready?”

“Soon. I just need to grab the others, and then I’ll be right there.”

Blake eyes me for a moment longer, then she nods, spreads her wings, and launches off the balcony, landing near her mates in the courtyard below.

I turn, creating a pathway and walking into the shadows.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be time for food soon,” I reassure Elgen and Tarlaz.

I move from the pathway, stepping out onto cleared land. My mates’ shadows curl around me instantly, and I lean against Galen as he wraps his arms around me from behind.

“You took your time, treasure,” he drawls, not upset, but eager to have me again.

“I just had to take care of something,” I answer, staring out at the bare land around us. It doesn’t matter how many times I come here, sadness still filters through me. It’s weird thinking Shadowbone Academy used to be here. My mates and a few of the zenali have cleared away the rubble, and all that’s left where the building used to be is dirt and ashes. Well, that and Galen’s secret library. Galen’s illusion powers helped to protect the underground space, and I’ve been going down there as often as I can, packaging the books and getting them ready for when we’ve created a new library to move them to.

“Are you guys ready for the party?” I ask as Knox, Thane, and Raith close in around me.

“Not just yet. There’s something else we have to do first,” Thane replies, and the look in his eyes makes me wary.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Okay… Is it something fun?”

“You’ll see, sunshine,” Raith replies cryptically, and now I’m positive they’re up to no good.

Knox creates a shadow pathway, and I eye it dubiously. “Please tell me this is leading to the party,” I say, because I’ve been looking forward to celebrating with the others. Blake and her mates will have to leave soon, and I want to enjoy the time we have.

“Just trust us. You’ll want to see this,” Knox says, and he holds his hand out to me.

Galen moves back, and I take Knox’s hand, not sure where they’re taking me. The walk through the pathway is relatively short, and then we’re exiting into a dark forest that smells of pine and moss.

I recognize the forest, and I turn quizzically to my mates. “Here? But why?”

No one answers, and Knox cloaks us before leading me between the trees until we’re just outside a foxret’s den. Then we stop, and my mates tell me to be silent.

It doesn’t take long before a mother foxret appears with three of the most adorable foxret cubs I’ve ever seen. The cubs jump and prance in the moonlight, while the mother keeps watch, constantly scanning their surroundings.

“They’re so cute!” I gush in my mind to my mates, watching as the cubs frolic and play.

“That’s not all,” Thane says with a smile, and I lift my gaze to where he’s pointing.

A ghostly shadow stands between the trees, watching the cubs just as adoringly as I had been.

“Alina!” I whisper, my heart thumping as I move toward her. I’m glad that I’m cloaked so we won’t disturb the cubs.

Alina looks up as my mates and I approach her, and she gives me the biggest smile.