Page 44 of A Bond So Deadly

Chapter Sixteen

~ Shade ~

“What are we doing out here? We’ve already searched this section,” Kenzie hisses at me later that night as we walk the silent hallways of the academy.

It had taken some effort to convince my mates to let me spend the night with Kenzie in our dorm, but when I insisted they finally caved, knowing I need time to spend with my besties as well. It had been a long day, especially after what happened with Borshoz, and I also reminded them that my human body needed some actual sleep, which would be easier to get if we weren’t sharing a bed.

Unfortunately for Kenzie, sleep never really was on the agenda.

I think about the oracle’s journals and the section I read on binding. It’s been on my mind since I left Galen’s library, but after the incident with Borshoz I’ve made up my mind.

“Shhh, it shouldn’t be much longer. The shadows must be around here somewhere,” I tell Kenzie, squinting as I scour the walls for my shadow friends.

“What shadows? I thought we were searching for the missing students,” Kenzie says, puzzled.

I stop and turn toward her. I’d intended to tell her the truth about everything earlier when we were back in our dorm, but I’d gotten distracted. I figure now is as good a time as any. I take a deep breath, not sure how Kenzie is going to react to the news. “I’m sorry, Kenzie. We’re not here to search for the missing students.”

She goes silent, and I go on to explain all about Professor Yevar kidnapping the students, and how he’s working with the Xalgrith. When I’m done, she doesn’t speak for a long moment, and her eyes water before she finally says, “So, you think they’re dead?”

“What? No, I didn’t say that.” I rush forward, crushing her in a hug.

“But you think the Xalgrith have them?” she says.

I pull back, staring at her face. “Yes,” I say softly. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t save them. It just means it’ll be trickier for us to figure out how.”

Doubt fills her expression, but she nods slowly. “If I see Professor Yevar, I’m going to kill him,” she says angrily.

I give her a grim smile. “And I’ll do anything I can to help you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what we’re really doing out here.”

She frowns, peering around at the dark hallway we’re in. “And what are we doing out here, Shade?”

I give her a rueful grin. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

She gives me an impatient stare. “You sure? Because at this point, I’m willing to believe almost anything.”

That makes my grin broaden, and I go on to tell her all about Elgen and Tarlaz, and about binding. I don’t mention the oracle’s journals, and I pretend I found the information in one of Galen’s history books. It’s not that I don’t trust her, but my mates are right. The fewer people who know about the journals, the better. If anything, it’s safer for her if she doesn’t know.

“Hold on, so let me get this straight,” Kenzie says, her doe eyes wide with disbelief. “So ever since you arrived at Shadowbone you’ve been able to speak to the shadows on the walls. You were hoping to convince Queen Krosia to free them, but now that you don’t think you can do that, you want to bind them to you instead? Like their actual souls?”

“Okay, don’t look at me like that,” I defend. “You make it sound like I’m crazy, but if I bind them to me, at least they’ll be able to travel wherever I go. That has to be better than being stuck here, right?”

“You’re literally also a prisoner of this academy,” Kenzie points out.

“For now. Besides I’m not the endgame. If the binding works on me, I’m sure I can figure out how to transfer the shadows to someone else one day. Maybe we could even find them their own bodies or something.”

“That’s a terrible assumption, and you don’t know anything about these shadows. Haven’t you heard of stranger danger? You’re talking about linking your actual souls! What if they’re like evil or something?”

I wince, because I know she has a point. But the shadows haven’t ever felt evil to me. “Okay firstly, they’re not strangers they’re my friends, and secondly, it can’t be a coincidence I’m the only one who can hear them, can it?”

Kenzie gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind. “What did your mates say?”

I bite my lip, going quiet.

Her eyes snap wider. “You haven’t told them, have you?”

I sigh heavily. “I just… I feel like this is something I need to do.”

She stares at me for a long moment, and when her shoulders sag, I know she gets it. We’ve been through so much already, but this is my chance to help someone. To feel like I’m making a difference. I couldn’t help Borshoz. But I can still do this for the shadows.