The Culling Trials (Shadowspell Academy #2)(36)

I shrugged and continued on, sensing the rightness of this decision. It felt…natural. Logical.

“If everyone would stay in their assigned groups, they probably would be able to do it.” I hunted for more tracks as we continued up the mountain.

“You are wrong about that. No one gets assigned a group,” Orin said. “Like choosing which trial to go to first, those you end up with in a group are randomly selected. We are very lucky to have one trial goer from every house.”

“Says you,” Ethan grumbled.

“It is a wonder they don’t better mix the groups, instead of allowing us to choose for ourselves,” Orin mused as Pete wobbled up in front of me and picked up the scent. Regardless of their rage, honey badgers were freaking cute. I wouldn’t tell Pete that though.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I really hadn’t wanted to be wrong.

“What do you mean?” I asked Orin as an impression in the soft dirt caught my eye. I found another paw mark, the nail indentations not as prominent as they’d be on a real wolf. That had to be because the shifter trimmed their fingernails.

“A mix of women and men, and not just houses. Often times, the different sexes bring something different to the table. Like a lion versus a lioness, for example. Same magical type, extremely different attributes.”

“Less mixing in the social classes would be a nice change,” Ethan said.

“For us, yeah,” I replied.

“I’m happy to bring a bit of feminine energy to the group,” Wally said, beaming. “And traditionally, the groups going through are not this well mixed. The school tried to enforce group selection a number of years ago, but the trial goers ended up fighting each other instead of completing the trials,” she paused and then nodded, as if to herself, “like Orin, I am beginning to believe that our odds are better together.”

Silence descended, everyone remembering she was the only one who didn’t know I was also a girl. Although, she wasn’t entirely wrong. I was hardly brimming with femininity.

The trees pressed in on us until we were forced into single file. Light filtered through the canopy in thin streams before diffusing into a soft glow. Shadows pooled in crevices and at the bases of trees, nearly thick enough to have substance. Cool air slid across my exposed skin and a warning skittered up my spine.

Here we go.

“Don’t stop to put on a sweatshirt,” I said in a hush. “That’ll give you a moment of weakness, and a moment will be all they need.” I reached down to flick Pete so he’d look back. Given his anatomy, he had to wiggle around so he could see. “You’re the lead,” I whispered, before falling back. “I’ll take the rear.”

“What’s happening?” Ethan asked, putting his hand over his wand like Doc Holliday in the Wild West.

“We’re coming up on the next battle,” I said, feeling a strange presence throbbing from within the trees. A threatening presence, one that felt familiar—just like the wolf I’d faced at home. The itch of watching eyes flared between my shoulder blades.

This wasn’t one wolf—it was a pack, and we were in their sights. Their strength was in their pack synchronicity. The pack would work in tandem, seamlessly.

Of all the times not to have a human shield.





Chapter 14





Branches shook and shapes charged toward us from all sides, graceful and deadly. Flashes of fur—gray, brown, black and even a brilliant white—cut between the pine trees on this mountain slope, silent in their attack.

Rocks flew, one hitting a wolf square in the head and making it stagger before falling. Another hit a body, eliciting a yelp. Wally had a great arm and aim.

A jet of magic zipped right past a wolf, followed by another blast, that one hitting home. The wolf yelped—and then yelped again as Orin rushed forward, raking four deep red scores into its furry side.

A large gray and white timber wolf lunged at me, snapping my attention from the others’ battles.

I yanked out my knife as I dodged to the side, fast and agile, fueled by adrenaline and experience. I swung my knife around and dug the business end of my short blade into the soft flank. I yanked it back, pivoting as the wolf fell, and delivered another puncture in its gut.

“I could gut you right now, but that would kill you,” I said as Orin zoomed around me and cut off another wolf running my way. “If you continue in this fight, I will. Bow out, and you’ll live.”

I spun, catching a brown wolf mid-leap, its jaws lined up with my face. A rock hit it square in the face, making it close its eyes and rip its head away at the last moment. Its body was already committed, though, and I ducked, braced, and brought my knife up into its soft underbelly.

It yelped, its own momentum driving my blade lengthwise as it fell. I bent with the butt of my knife, knocking the beast in the chest above the heart and spinning away. Hopefully, it would get the gist, because I couldn’t warn everyone.

Another stream of magic flew out, and a wolf sailed into the trees, blood dripping from a gash in its side. Honey badger snarls and spits toward the top of the line told me Pete was holding his own.

“Go,” I shoved Wally forward, knowing Orin would run up behind her. “Go! They’ll need to carry out some wounded. Orin, watch our six. Take down anyone that follows. Ethan, back them off our sides. Pete, lead the way!”