Page 63 of A Bond So Deadly

“Yeah, I doubt that. Look, just spit out what you came here to say, otherwise, let me go.”

He clicks his tongue. “Whatever happened to respecting your professors?”

I snort. “Well, when you start abducting students and betraying your own kind, respect tends to go out the window.”

“Betrayal?” He rubs his chin, looking amused. “Well, that’s all a matter of perspective. There is one thing that I agree with Queen Krosia on: sometimes you have to sacrifice a few to save the many.”

My lips thin. “Are you saying the students have been sacrificed?”

He flashes me a cruel smile, and shadows pool around his hand. “Here,” he says. “This may help you to understand.”

He sends the small ball of shadows my way and curiosity has me opening my hands. As the shadows clear, a small object is revealed on my palm.

“Oh crap!” I yell, shaking my hands and flinging the item some distance away. The severed finger drops, clearing a path through the curling fog and landing on the grass. I gape in horror at the appendage, and my heart sinks when I notice the familiar academy ring that’s still attached.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I snap at Professor Yevar, the blood draining from my face.

The professor stares at me like he’s entirely pleased with my reaction.

Sicko.

“Forgive me. I thought something visual might help me get through to you. I trust you know what that is?” he says.

“Yeah, it’s someone’s freaking finger!”

“Ah yes, but not just anyone’s finger. I thought you’d appreciate something personal. That’s from one of your friends.” He taps his chin. “Now, what was his name… Jared? Johnson? No…”

“Jensen?” I rasp, fighting to keep down the bile that’s climbing up my throat.

“Ah yes! That’s it. Jensen.”

I almost lose the battle to keep the bile down.

“You wanted me to be more direct, so here’s my proposal,” Professor Yevar says. “Come with me and fight with the Xalgrith, and I’ll return the abducted students right here to the academy. That’s more than a fair trade.”

My mouth opens and closes like I’m a goldfish struggling for air. I know I should automatically refuse, but how can I? He’s talking about the lives of numerous students. How many did he take over the years? “For all I know, they’re already dead,” I rasp, hardly able to get the words out. “Including Jensen.”

The professor watches me calmly. “I can assure you, they’re very much alive.”

I want to assume he’s lying, but I can’t help but believe him. Are they really alive? I think of Jensen’s easy laugh and the way he has helped me during training. What if I’m the only one who can save them? My mouth goes dry. No, Shade, you can’t. If the Xalgrith have you, they’ll be able to use you. I think of the prophecy and my guys. I can’t make us lose this war. No matter how badly I want to save the students.

“Just because they’re alive doesn’t mean they’re not close to death,” Elgen reasons, and I know she’s right. They might be alive, but for how long?

“Do not let him trick you, child,” Tarlaz adds, and I’m glad the shadows are with me. Even if they can’t really do anything to help.

“I won’t go with you,” I rasp to Professor Yevar. “I won’t be the reason we lose this war.”

The change on his face is instant. “You disappoint me. After what happened at the graduation games, I thought you would hate Queen Krosia just as much as I do. I’d hoped you might be reasonable, but no matter. While I had thought you might come willingly, this will do just as well.” He reaches into his pocket and clasps something, and a sheet of white light gathers at his side. It’s not the same as a shadow pathway. No, it’s more like I’m staring at a foggy floor-length mirror that’s missing the frame. Energy ripples from the portal, and I don’t need to ask to know where the gateway leads. The realm of the Xalgrith.

“Is that the fold?” I say in horror as sweat breaks out on my brow.

“What, this?” He laughs. “No. Though it works using similar magic.”

I use my shadows to test the shadow dome, but my power can’t penetrate the barrier. Damn it.

Two of Professor Yevar’s shadows shoot out toward me, and I yelp, dodging them just in time. He sends out a couple more shadows, and I dart away from them too.

He growls in frustration. “Oh, come now, are you really going to be this difficult?”