20. Raven

RAVEN

It really shouldn’t be this hot watching Brax lash out at Sebastian, but fuck me, I can’t deny the effect it has on me, and if I tried, the lies would be written clearly across my face.

Students watch our every move once Brax shakes himself off, and Zane pulls me into his side before guiding me toward the changing rooms for our first class of the day. I’m desperate to look back over my shoulder but I manage to hold it together. A quick glance in Brax’s direction confirms he’s eager to get ahead of me and pretend he didn’t just do that in front of a crowd of spectators.

Eventually, this man is going to learn that his actions speak far louder than his words, or lack of them most of the time. That doesn’t stop everyone looking, though, waiting for another outburst, but they’re not going to get one.

Creed falls into step on my right as Eldon purposely keeps himself a step behind, the four of them effortlessly guiding me while I enjoy watching Brax’s neck muscles clench, bundled tight as he moves.

All too quickly, we’re in front of the changing rooms and Zane tightens his hold around me instead of releasing my shoulder, making me squeal when I almost trip over my own feet.

“Do you need me to escort you inside?” he whispers against my ear, and I shake my head at him.

“I can take myself into the changing rooms, Zane. I’m fine. I’ll only be a minute,” I insist, grabbing his hand on my shoulder as I purposely step out of his reach. I don’t manage to make it two steps before he’s pulling me back toward him, only this time, we’re chest to chest.

His lips crush mine, a searing heat creeping up my spine as his hands cup my face, claiming me. I’m breathless when he releases me a moment later, leaving me needy for more as his hazel eyes burn into mine. “You’re in my bed tonight.” It’s a statement, a promise, anything but a question. He winks, briefly squeezing my fingers as he passes, and like a gust of wind, he’s gone.

Creed and Eldon stare at me knowingly, and I quickly tuck my hair behind my ear and rush inside the girls’ changing room. The tips of my fingers graze over my puffy lips and a grin spreads across my face.

I see Leila in our usual spot and head in her direction. She smiles tightly at me as I press my thumb to the hook, producing my uniform. She’s almost dressed in comparison to me, so I make quick work of catching up. Once my sneakers are secure, I look up to see her smirking down at me.

“I’m just saying that was the best start to the day I’ve had in ages,” she nods toward the door, and it takes me a moment to understand she means Sebastian and Brax.

“I can agree with that.” I stand and we follow the crowd of girls heading toward the door.

“I think we’re going to need it because my father gave me a whole speech this morning about eating extra protein and stuff. Something to do with what he has planned for us today,” she admits, and my eyebrows raise in surprise.

Keeping my voice low, I lean in while maintaining our pace. “Does it concern you when he says stuff like that? Completely out of the blue and with no real explanation,” I ask, intrigued to know her answer.

She looks ahead as we approach the large, grass combat field, her father dominating the space without even lifting his head from the device in his hand.

“If I’m honest, yeah. I can always see in his eyes that he can’t tell me what he wants to say, but he’s desperate for me to read between the lines. I just suck at it. I’m a black and white kind of girl, and there’s just so much… gray space here.” She waves her hand around us and I understand what she’s saying.

“I feel like I’ve been drowning in the gray all my life.” The truth parts my lips before I can consider saying it or not.

“Then it’s about time we turned it around, huh?” she replies without missing a beat, making my heart warm at her casual offer. Not wanting to delve into it right now, I look around the crowd and find Zane and Brax in front of Fitch already. It takes me a second to find Creed and Eldon, but that’s because they’re behind me, and the way they’re watching my every move has me guessing they waited at the changing rooms and I just didn’t notice.

I’m wondering if they’re going to call me out on not being alert enough as I come to a stop beside Zane, but to my surprise, they don’t say a word.

Once I’m surrounded by the Bishops, Leila dips her head, taking a step away as if ready to leave, but before I can think better of it, I grab her wrist. She looks at me with wide, hopeful eyes, and I quickly drop her arm and shrug.

“It looks like he’s setting up for pairs. We’ll be odd if you leave,” I murmur, waving my finger around the Bishops and me. Leila nods in understanding and shakes off whatever tension is clinging to her as she takes a step back to be beside me again.

“Good morning, class. I hope you’re ready to focus on your strengths today, and I don’t mean your magical abilities.” He clasps his hands together behind his back as he walks along the length of the students hanging off his every word. “I’m talking about actual strength, your body, your muscles, everything. If every fiber in your body isn’t screaming by the time we’re done today, then you weren’t trying hard enough,” he declares, piquing my interest. “First, we’re going to work on agility and longevity in your legs, your strides, and your posture.”

“You mean you’re going to make us run our asses off,” a guy I’m not quite familiar with hollers, making a few people laugh. I’m not sure if he used to be friends with Finn, and the thought of his lifeless body flashes in my mind, reminding me that it’s not fun and games right now. Fitch is serious as hell and we’ll do well to treat his words with respect.

When he orders everyone to start off with the outer path of the field, I take a deep breath and do just that. I keep my pace slow enough to jog beside Leila and the Bishops hang close by. Working on my breathing and strides, I quickly find a comfortable rhythm and a calmness washes over me.

One lap turns into two, and by the time we’re ending, the last third of the students have given up. They are either catching their breath in front of Fitch at the starting point or slowly completing the path with no intention of pushing further. Sweat has my shorts and t-shirt clinging to me, and I swipe at my hair to stop the wispy pieces from sticking to my face too.

The look on Fitch’s face, however, tells me he’s nowhere near done with us. “That was embarrassing. We’re training here to defend Silvercrest Academy, to defend the realm, and half of you can’t even make it around the field three times. Do I just fail you now?” Fitch barks once everyone is back in, and the silence that stretches out around us is almost deafening. As much as most of us won’t want to do this, it’s still vital to why we’re here, and a startling reminder of it too.

After that, everyone remains pretty quiet as we follow one order after another. From building strength in our muscles, working through repetitions on our core, arms, and legs, to racing through an obstacle course he summons from thin air.

By the time we’re close to being done, my body is definitely fucking screaming, and I’m not sure whether it’s sweat clinging to the corner of my lashes or unshed tears of exhaustion. Those who couldn’t withstand the pain called time earlier, and now the number of students sitting out the rest of the class is greater than those still participating. The Bishops, Leila, and I are hanging on, some better than others. More specifically, better than me.

I’m sure Fitch is about to shout another demand at the group when a thud sounds from behind me and a few screams ring out, making my heart race as I whip around to see what the commotion is.

A few students are up on their feet, running past me faster than they’ve done any part of the training today, but instead of fleeing with the rest of them, I smile.

Ari.

His golden feathers ripple with the light breeze, his claws digging into the grass as I hear Fitch call time on the class, but I don’t turn around to look at anyone. Instead, I cut the distance between Ari and me.

“Is everything okay?” I murmur, worry instantly tingling through my veins at his sudden arrival.

“As amusing as it is watching you be put through your paces, the exhaustion I could feel between us outweighed the joy. I had to make sure it was brought to an end,” he grumbles into my mind, and I huff.

“Sorry about that.” I place my hands on my hips, stretching from side to side as he tilts his head down slightly.

“Don’t be.”

I don’t really know what to say in response, so I lift my hand to stroke over his feathers and fur, in awe at where the two textures meet at his side. Touching him instantly brings a sense of serenity I’m not at all used to, but I cling to it desperately.

“What do you do all day when you’re not checking on me?”

“I’m usually trying to figure out how to help take care of my pride.”

“Your pride?” I ask, my eyebrows pinching in confusion as I tilt my head back to look up at him.

“Yes, the other griffins in my family,” he explains, and I stare deeper at him.

“It’s played on my mind a little, but I always forget to ask,” I state, and he instantly bends his back legs to lower himself a bit more.

“Speak.”

I roll my eyes at his bluntness. “When I met you, the Gauntlet was set up as a simulation, in the sense that we wouldn’t die, so how on Earth are you even real? It doesn’t make any sense for me to actually find a familiar under those circumstances.”

Rustling sounds from behind me and I glance over my shoulder to find only the Bishops remain. Everyone else is long gone and it’s almost embarrassing how much I let the world disappear for a minute as I focused on him instead.

“Raven, that was a simulation for the students, not for the griffins.”

Horror burns up my spine as I take a step back, gaping at him. I want to call him a liar, but I know it to be true. The burning sensation in my veins, although it may cause an inferno in line with my own emotions, it stemmed from him first.

“They can’t do that,” I mumble, at a complete loss.

“Why? They did it with the sirens and used them as targets for the Gauntlet for their own gain. It’s been happening since long before now, and it’s not going to change.”

Shaking my head in disbelief, I can’t figure out how to comfort him, but then what he said moments ago replays in my mind. “How is it, exactly, that you’re trying to help your pride?” I already know the answer before he says it, but as the words slip from his mind, it only confirms the terror I didn’t know existed but now requires my attention.

“They’re held captive. We all are.”