The wind whipped my ponytail as I stopped to catch my breath for a second. My muscles quivered, and my fingers were shaking. I grunted and dug my toes better into the hold below me, pressing my body flat against the wall. I twisted my wrists to stretch my fingers.
I heaved myself one more time and slapped a hand down on top of the wall, a husky bellow passed my lips as I pulled my aching and exhausted body up with the last of my strength. I sucked oxygen for a second, lying on my back, and staring up at the blue sky, the sun beginning its descent.
“Get up,” I hissed to myself.
I rolled and stood to my feet, preparing myself for more hell. But I stared at the finish line down below. It was right there. And there was only one more step I needed to take.
I sat down at the back edge of the wall and pushed.
I tucked my arms in as my body flew down the slide.
Then I was clawing at the ground and thrusting myself up to my feet. The man I had helped slid down next to me, still lying on his back. I stared down at him for a second, his gaze freezing on mine in his prone position. I could kick him and debilitate him.
I chose not to.
I sprinted across the grass as fast as I could, my chest heaving and my arms pumping by my sides. His feet pounded behind me, gaining on my position. My mouth opened, and I squealed in excitement with a victory punch in the air, my tiny feet passing the white line painted on the grass.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
I stopped and sucked air as I punched my fist into the air again with a little hop. I looked back at the guy, and he was grinning too as he fell onto the grass and lay flat on his back, his arms spread wide.
I hissed, “We did it!”
There weren’t over twenty recruits sitting behind the instructors—only nineteen. We had just made the cut.
“To not killing each other.” He held his hand up into the air for me to high-five.
I smacked his hand in giddy delight. “To not killing each other.” My smile had to gleam in the sunlight. “What’s your name?”
“Ben Prac.”
“I’m Poppy Carvene.”
He snorted. “I know who you are.”
One more man crossed the finish line behind us.
The instructors instantly stood to their feet.
Recruits resting behind them followed their lead.
Godric was watching me under hooded eyelids, a tiny smile curling his lips. He winked at me in private congratulations. Godric the Great appeared damn pleased that I had passed.
My grin was glorious. I had done it!
Ben lifted his hand from his horizontal spot on the grass, muttering, “Give me a hand up, yeah?”
I grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet.
Then I froze as a silent man came out of the tree line behind the train. He wore a silver fur hooded coat with the hood up over his head. Silver hair stuck out from under it in chaotic strands. He had a black pair of leather pants on and a white t-shirt. Two swords were crossed against his back, the black handles seen above his shoulders. There were no shoes on his feet.
He stalked right toward me.
I turned to him with wariness. I didn’t know him.
His eyes were the color of shining silver blades.
Ben mumbled, “Who the fuck is that?”
Godric and Finn charged by us, marching at a fast clip toward the stranger. They didn’t have weapons in their hands, but their shoulders were tight with tension as they stopped in front of him.
Godric growled, “You are not wanted here.”
Silver eyes didn’t flinch, his tone bored. “Oh, you’ll want me here, God.”
My head cocked with the use of his nickname.
Finn held his hands up between the two. “Let’s take this discussion somewhere else.” His head snapped to the newcomer. “That is if you came here for a reason, Cassander? Not just to piss him off?”
Cassander with the silver eyes yawned. “Of course, I came here for a reason. I wouldn’t show up after all these years without one.” He looked between the two of them, straight at me. He tipped his head in my direction and then pointed an accusing gaze on Godric. “I came to protect her.”
Godric’s eyes narrowed. His fists clenched.
Finn’s head darted back and forth between the two of them, and then he speared the silver-eyed man with a look. “Quit fucking around, Cass. He’s about to snap.”
Cassander’s lips tilted up. “Fine. I am here to protect her. But not from the asshole across from me.”
“What are you talking about?” Godric growled.
Cassander lifted his hands above his head and drew his swords, the sun bouncing off the metal in a brilliant gleam. He tipped his head back toward the wooded area he had come from. “We’re about to have company.”
Godric’s gaze slammed toward the trees, and his nostrils flared. He stepped forward, his eyes trained on the tree line. His voice was whisper quiet, deadly, and fierce. “Finn, get everyone out of here.”
Finn was already walking away. “On it.”
Ben leaned toward me, also staring at the trees. “Were they talking about you?”
“I think,” I mumbled in confusion.
There were bigger problems than that right now.
I quickly trotted across the grass to stand next to Godric as the instructors and Finn herded recruits into the train. “Are we about to be attacked or something?”
“Yes,” Cassander and Godric stated together.
I snapped my attention to the trees. “By who?”
Godric’s nostrils were still flared. “I don’t know.”
“Not by who,” Cassander drawled. “By what.”
I stood on the grassy field with bare feet.
And I froze.
Black creatures with razor sharp nails were creeping closer to the edge of the tree line, moving as if they were floating, with no particular straight pattern as they crossed in front of each other and back again. They moved so slowly that a one-legged dog could beat them in a race.
My hands shook down by my sides. “Someone pinch me. I’m dreaming again.” I wanted to wake up now.
“Not a dream,” Cassander murmured.
Neither of the two took their eyes from the monsters.