Legacy Of Trill: Soulbound Part 2

At first I wasnat exactly sure what he was doing. Then, with a mental forehead smack, I hesitantly placed my hand in his and relished his smooth, warm skin. He tilted his head up, meeting my eyes. A smile danced on his lips and he shook his head some, as if berating himself. Maybe he was chastising himself for being too kind, too familiar, too warm too soon. Maybe he was punis.h.i.+ng himself for breaking some stupid Protocol rule that I wasnat even aware of. Regardless, his eyes were sparkling. He said, aItas my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kaya.a When he spoke my name, he drew it out in a near-whisper, as if savoring the taste of it on his tongue. He gave my hand a slight squeeze and stood once again.

The headmaster clapped his hands together. aWonderful. Just wonderful! An excellent match, I can tell.a My smile faltered some at the reminder that I wasnat being given a choice in who I spent my life with. Not that Trayton wasnat nicea"and gorgeousa"but I really hated that my entire lifeas path had been decided for me.

Tomorrow loomed over me: dark, oppressive. I would be Bound, like it or not.

Bound.

What a scary word.

As the headmaster droned on about something called aproper procedure,a Trayton nodded and answered when he was expected to. The headmaster stood and began pacing slowly around the room as he spoke. Daring a glance at me, Trayton smiled and mouthed aItas nice to meet you.a I smiled back, mouthing, aYou too.a He leaned closer and pointed to his eyes as he silently said, aYou have pretty eyes.a His skin flushed pink, and I found myself utterly charmed by him, despite my reservations.

He had pretty eyes tooa"slate gray and dazzling. I was in the middle of mouthing athank you,a when my imagination wondered what color eyes the boy I was Soulbound to had had. I settled back in my seat, admonis.h.i.+ng myself. It didnat matter, anyway. That boy was dead. And I would soon be Bound to Trayton.

The headmasteras voice broke in. aTrayton? Are you paying attention?a Traytonas eyes widened and, caught, we both shot the headmaster a look. Trayton stumbled. aIaof course. You were saying?a The headmaster slanted his eyes. aA few rules to remember. First, you two will not be allowed to be alone together for one year following your binding ceremony. This will allow you time to adjust to your new arrangement. Maddox will accompany you at all times. When she canat, a suitable chaperone will be arranged. Also, school policy dictates that there will be noaah, er, wellaI should sayano touching with the ahauhmanudityaa My face flushed with embarra.s.sed heat. When I glanced over, I could see that Traytonas face was just as flushed as mine felt at the mention of s.e.x. Trayton very calmly said, aI think we know what you mean, Headmaster.a The headmaster took a moment to straighten some papers on his desk that didnat really require straightening. It took him a moment to speak again. aYes. Well. None of that.a aEver?a I squeaked, then immediately recoiled. Great. Trayton was going to think I was some kind of boy-obsessed girl, like Avery. aI meananot that Iaa Trayton blushed a deeper shade of red.

The headmaster took on that sarcastic, snotty tone that I was beginning to understand was business as usual for him, at least in conversations with me. aNot while you are students here.a aAbout thatahow long do I have to stay here?a I had expected him to reply with the standard four-year answer that most upper schools in Kokoro fell under. The upper school in Kessler had been a four-year inst.i.tution. I had no reason to expect any different here.

aYou will attend Shadow Academy until it is determined that you are ready for what awaits you in this war, be that two years or twenty.a With the schedule clenched in my fist, I shook it in disgust, my voice suddenly rising in anger. I didnat want to be here, didnat want to be part of their stupid war. Especially since it seemed like Healers might as well be walking around with a big target on their chest. aAnd what about math and science? What about training and self-defense? Why wonat I be learning those? Do you have any idea how important those subjects are?a He looked down his long nose at me. aYou will learn all that you, as a Healer, are required to learn.a aWell, itas a d.a.m.n good thing I didnat grow up around you people. Itad be a wonder that I could even read and write.a My hands were shaking. Trayton shot me a concerned glance, but didnat speak. I was betting he was an absolute rule follower.

The headmaster sighed, annoyed with my interruption. aI grow very tired of your impertinence, young lady. I realize that you are not thrilled about being here. I a.s.sure you that if your partic.i.p.ation in this war were not extremely necessary, we would have left you to lead your life among the Unskilled. We here at Shadow Academy do not make it a habit of bringing people in against their will. It tends to not go as smoothly as we would like, as Iam sure youare aware. However, while you are here, you will follow our rules and you will do as youare told. If you choose to make this a difficult experience, I can a.s.sure you that it is not only you and I who will experience these difficulties.a The threat was veiled enough that I wasnat sure if Trayton picked up on it, but I knew exactly what he meant. Get in line or my parents would be the ones to suffer.

When he spoke again, it was to Trayton and Trayton alone. After all, I was just a Healer. I had no business interjecting my opinion in a Barron-to-Barron conversation. The arrogance amazed me. My parents were both Barrons, but neither had ever treated me the way I was being treated now. Maybe it wasnat a Barron thing after all. Maybe it was an arrogant dek thing. aNow back to business. Kaya must never be allowed to wander the grounds alone. I donat have to tell you why. Please make certain this isnat a problema"we canat risk the loss of another Healer. Also, as you well know, Trayton, curfew is nine oaclock in the evening. NowaI believe youare both due for your next course. Should you require anything at all, please donat hesitate to stop by my office. If youall excuse meaa Trayton held open the door and I exited with him close behind. When the door closed after us, we were surrounded by a hush. For a long time, Trayton and I simply exchanged uncomfortable smiles. He turned his head briefly to look over at Maddox, to make certain we hadnat been left entirely alone, and I spied the edge of the marking on the right side of his neck. Clearing my throat, and trying like h.e.l.l to let go of all of the anger I was feeling for Headmaster Quill, I said, aYour Traceacan I see it?a aOf course.a He drew back his hair and I took a closer look. A small black crescent, lovely against his pale skin.

I reached out to touch it, then caught myself and pulled my hand back. My cheeks felt warm again, but this time, it was a pleasant warmth. Trayton smiled, flicking his eyes in the direction of Maddox. I guessed he was suggesting that touching his Trace before we were Bound was a no-no and nodded. aIam supposed to be in some stupid Healer cla.s.s in about twenty minutes.a He sighed, but averted his eyes, as if he wasnat sure what he should say to me. aIam supposed to be training as of ten minutes ago.a I caught his gaze and smiled. aWell, arenat we a pair?a The corners of his mouth lifted and I swear, I almost melted into a puddle of goo right there. He turned to walk away, but paused midstep, as if wrestling with something in his mind. Then he turned back to me. aDo you like books?a My mind drifted back to my bedroom in the cabin. Stacks and stacks of well-worn, well-read, well-loved books lined my walls. The memory brought a smile to my face. aLove them. Well, good ones. Why?a aI want to show you something after dinner tonight, I meanaif youad like.a He smiled sheepishly, revealing a small dimple just to the left of his mouth.

I could hardly contain my grin. aIad love to.a aGood. I want to take you to my favorite place on campus.a He nodded and moved down the hall and out the door. I watched every step.

Maddox snickered. aOh man.a Her words shook me from my apparent trance. aWhat?a aFlirt much? You just met the guy, for fakas sake.a Already, she could see right through me. aI wasnat flirting! I wasatalking.a aYeah, sure you were.a She walked past me and started down the hall. aCamon, Princess.a This time when she called me by the nickname shead given me, it sounded differenta"more like a sarcastic quip than an insulting dig.

And I was flirting. I couldnat help it. Trayton was hot as could be, sweet like honey, and had that clever shyness that I found irresistible. Any girl in her right mind would have flirted with him.

By the time we got outside, Trayton was already gone. aHeadmaster Quill wants me to give you a quick tour of the campus before your first cla.s.s. That isaif youare done drooling over Trayton for the moment.a I smiled, suddenly feeling lighter than I had all day. aFor the moment.a Maddox raised a sharp eyebrow in my direction. aIs that all it takes to make you relax, a pretty face? You were awfully tense before your meeting with the headmaster.a aItas not like that. Iam justaa What was I doing? It wasnat like I wanted to be here and the fact that Trayton was super nice and really good looking was making that all better. Tension returned to my muscles. aI donat know what Iam doing.a Maddox gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze. Her eyes were full of sympathy. aYouare flirting with a great guy. No crime in that. Trayton is about the nicest boy on campus. Cutest too, I think.a After a moment, I offered her a smile. Maddox was all right.

The campus was several acres long, a rectangle of lush, green grounds, spotted with various buildings and trees. Moving north, we walked alongside the dorm building that contained my room and the dining hall. Once we cleared the building, Maddox pointed out its twin, which sat parallel and to the east. Beyond the dorms was a field and in the far-off area to the east were gardens and a small, shabby cottage. To the west of my dorm stood a wide open area that Maddox referred to as the courtyard. On the courtyardas edge, facing my dorm, was another cottage, this one well cared for. Most of the courtyard was green, but a smaller areaa"the one right between the cottage and dorma"was paved with flagstones and home to a large fountain. Maddox pointed out two large L-shaped buildings near the north gate that were home to cla.s.ses, and she explained that there were more dormitories to the far west just for the guards.

Just west of the courtyard cottage was another open field, with two sets of bleachers bookending it. Probably forty students filled the stands, and two men were sparring at the center of the field. I nodded to the area. aIs that where the Barrons train?a Maddox nodded. aWant to take a closer look? We still have a few minutes before your first cla.s.s.a We walked over and stood on the side of the field, close enough to see, but far enough away that we wouldnat interrupt cla.s.s. All the Barrons were dressed in what I had thought was training geara"turns out, I was right. And all of them, the boys and the girls, wore protective face masks. All but one.

At the center of the field stood two men. One with long black hair, who I recognized immediately. Trayton looked strong and sure, his movements calculated. The other man, the one who wasnat wearing a face mask, the only one with short hair, just long enough that it brushed the collar of his s.h.i.+rt. Short, silver hair.

My hero.

Biting my bottom lip, I hesitantly asked Maddox, aWho is that?a aThataa a"she sigheda" aawould be Darius. Heas the best teacher on campus when it comes to fighting. If anyone knows how to handle a katana, itas him.a It wasnat hard to see that though they were roughly the same age, Darius was clearly the more skilled combatant. From across the field, Darius turned his eyes toward me, his skin flus.h.i.+ng, and flipped Trayton over, putting him down hard on the ground. Without even pausing to take a breath, he shouted, aYou, out of my training area!a Somebody was in trouble, for sure. I glanced around the outskirts of the field, but couldnat even guess who he was yelling at. It was only when he crossed the field in an angry stride right toward Maddox and me that I realized it was us. He locked eyes with Maddox and jabbed a thumb in my direction. aI donat want her near my training area, Maddox. Get her out of here.a Me? He wanted me to leave? I couldnat believe what I was hearing! I hadnat done anything to him. My heart thudded in my chest, and I narrowed my eyes in disgust. aYaknow, if youare going to talk about me like Iam some kind of plague, you might as well do it directly. Iam standing right here.a He looked at me, a fire burning like hot coals in his eyes, and then directed his attention back to Maddox. aNow.a Maddox grabbed me by the sleeve, dutifully trying to lead me away from the field. aKaya, we shoulda"a Shaking her off, I stepped toward Darius, but he didnat budge. aWhy do you want me to leave?a His eyes were alight with anger, his shoulders tense. He was fuming, and I had no idea why. aI will not have some Healer standing around gawking at my cla.s.s, distracting my students.a Shaking my head, I lost my cool completely. aThe only one who seems to be distracted is you!a No one made a sound. Even Maddox seemed to stop breathing.

Darius lowered his voice to a growling whisper. He was standing so close, his breath was warm on my cheek. aExtra duties for you tonight, in the rose garden. Thatas on the opposite side of the campus, just so you know. As far away as you can be from me and still be at the academy.a My jaw hit the ground. aButa"a He turned his eyes to Maddox. aSee to it she gets there after her final cla.s.s of the day.a Before I could say anything else, Maddox dragged me away from the training area and we headed toward one of the L-shaped buildings.

I ranted the entire way. aWhat the h.e.l.l is that guyas problem?a Maddox sighed. aDarius isatemperamental.a aNot exactly a good quality for a Barron, is it?a Maddox opened the door and we moved inside, keeping our voices respectfully low, as cla.s.ses were already in session. aOh, heas no Barron. Darius is an Unskilled. One of the few who knows just about all there is to know about the war. Heas also one of the best fighting teachers available. He can even put Barrons down, something thatas almost unheard of. An Unskilled against a Barron? Normally, thereas no question whoad win. But Darius is pretty amazing.a I snorted, still fuming over the way head emphasized Healer, like I was a thing rather than a person. aYeah, an amazing dek.a aYeah, wellaListen, Iall be here when you get done, okay?a Maddox opened a cla.s.sroom door and smiled. aGood luck.a With a deep breath, I stepped inside the cla.s.sroom, trying to put Darius out of my thoughts. The room might have pa.s.sed for any normal cla.s.sroom outside Shadow Academy. Three rows of three tables each filled the room, with a large slate board at the front of the cla.s.sroom, two small buckets of chalk rock sitting on the floor in front of it. There were about twenty students inside, both male and female, though most were girls. And, as expected, all Healers, not a single Trace in sight. The woman standing at the front of the cla.s.s wore a bitter, pinched expression as she noticed my entrance. aYou are late.a I unfolded my schedule, as if it alone gave me reason for not being here on time. According to the clock, I was. But maybe she meant I was late for being early. aMy name is Kaya. Iam supposed to bea"a aKaya,a she snapped, and I took a step back.

aYesamaaam?a aYou will address me as Instructor Baak.a She picked up a sponge and started wiping the already smudged words from the board on the wall, already dismissing me like I was no more than some annoying fly buzzing around her head. aFor your tardiness you will have extra duties tonight after your final cla.s.s.a I swallowed hard, shuffled my feet, and wished that everyone in the cla.s.s would stop staring at me. aBut I already have extra duties tonight.a That got her attention. She whipped her head back around and gave me the evil eye, staring as if she were trying to read the small print on my forehead that labeled me a troublemaker. aTomorrow then. Iall give your guard the details. Now take your seat.a Great. My first day and I already had two days of extra duties to look forward to. I was on a roll.

I slid into the nearest empty seat, at a table next to a boy who kept making moon eyes at the mousy-looking girl next to him. Barrons werenat allowed to couple up with other Barrons, and the same went for Healers, as far as I knew. It was kind of odd to see a Healer openly gawking at another Healer like that, but I shrugged and tried to pay attention to the instructor ladyas lecture on the importance of being a Healer.

aBarrons have been fighting for lifetimes to keep the Graplars at bay. Both to bring an end to this century-long war and to preserve our way of lifea"something that would be impossible if not for the aid of Healers. After all, for as long as Healers continue to heal their Barrons, the Barrons will remain healthy and strong, fit for the battlefront. Small wounds, of course, can be healed with the smallest touch. Larger wounds require a longer touch. A Healer can bring a Barron back from the brink of death on the battlefield. Almost always.a I didnat question the almost part, though I very much wanted to. Instead, I groaned a bit. No pressure, Kaya, just know that whether or not Trayton lives or dies is all on you.

The instructoras head snapped in my direction. aSomething you care to add, Kaya?a She hated me already, and I had only just taken my seat for the first time. aIam afraid Iam not much of a nurse. Seriously, I canat even keep a bandage from falling off. How am I supposed to save my Barronas life on the battlefield?a She pursed her lips so tightly that it looked like shead had lemons for breakfast. aSelf-doubt is the mark of an amateur.a Without waiting for a response, she turned back to the board and continued her lecture.

That didnat exactly answer my question, butawhatever. I slumped down in my chair and tried to stay awakea"and quieta"until cla.s.s let out.

After another forty-five minutes of Instructor Baak droning on about what a gift it was to be a Barron, and what a duty it was to be a Healer, cla.s.s finally, mercifully ended. Maddox was waiting right outside as promised. Several guards were milling about, waiting for their Healers too. aHowad it go?a I sighed heavily. aI think Instructor Baak hates me.a aDonat worry about it. From what I understand, she hates everyone.a aGreat. At least Iam fitting in.a We both laughed as we walked toward my next cla.s.s.

CHAPTER.

Seven.

With just minutes left in my Anatomy of War cla.s.s, I stared at the door, willing time to speed up so that I could escape the dull h.e.l.l that was Mr. Rossas lecture.

aIn fact, the very reason that our training schools exist lies solely in the hands of King Darrek. Without war, we would have no reason to train Barrons with katana skills or Healers in the art of healing. The katana training is especially important here at Shadow Academy, as our reputation precedes us all across Tril as the leading educational authority on the mattera"just as Darkmoon Academy is known for their Healer training and Starlight Academy is known for their weapons craftsmans.h.i.+p.a He took a breath and I thought that the sound of it would go on forevera"that horrible, wheezing, nasally noise. It was mind-numbing. Glancing around the room, I wasnat the only one who thought so.

aWe have been at war for approximately one hundred years, but no one can explain why King Darrek has failed to age in that time. Our scholars can offer no explanation to Darrekas abnormal youth, but it is important to remember that everything that lives is mortal, including Darrek. Which brings us to your homework a.s.signment.a The entire cla.s.s groaned, but I knew that the very mention of homework meant the doldrums of cla.s.s time was about to come to an end. Even freedom had a foreboding kind of ring to it. Mr. Ross took a breath and said, aI want you each to write a thousand-word essay on your personal theory as to why Darrek remains youthful after more than a century of living, due tomorrow.a At long last, Mr. Ross bid us good-bye as the cla.s.s poured out the door. Maddox was waiting for me outside, looking sympathetic, but bemused. I shook my head at her, exhausted. aWhy didnat you warn me the cla.s.ses would be so boring?a aAll I know of Healer cla.s.ses is what Iave heard from the rumor pool. Is it really that bad?a aItas worse.a Maddox walked me across campus to the rose garden, which was way off on the unpopulated side of academy grounds. Far away from the training grounds, just as Darius promised.

At the far side of the rose gardens, which seemed to stretch on forevera"who needed that many roses, anyway?a"sat a large greenhouse and beside that a small, wooden shack that looked like it had seen better days. An old man was was.h.i.+ng each pane of gla.s.s in the greenhouse with the care and precision of someone who firmly believed that what he was doing was very important. Maddox patted me on the back. aThatas Mr. Gareth. Donat worry; heas much nicer than Instructor Baak. Have fun. Iall be back in a few hours.a She walked away, and I couldnat help but think about how much it bothered me that she couldnat just hang around while I worked. I could have used the company. But then, I was kind of pouting about having extra duties. Thank you, Darius.

Mr. Gareth must have had a sixth sense about someone entering the gardens, because the moment I set foot on the nearest row, he turned and waved me over. He was an old man, that much was clear from a distance, but what wasnat clear was just how old. He hurried down the ladder as if he were in his thirties, but the wrinkles and crazy eyebrows said he was closer to his seventies, maybe eighties. I smiled politely as I approached and was about to say h.e.l.lo, when he pointed to the shed. aEverything youall need to prune and fertilize the roses is in there, miss. Iam afraid we donat have any gloves lying around, but you look like you can handle a few pokes. Start at the south end, work your way north, row by row. Remove any dead leaves you find and prune any rogue stemsa"those go in the leaf bags on the other side of the shed. And donat forget to mulch the roots.a I stared at him for a moment, trying to process all of his instructions. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out, so I closed it again and wondered quietly why awea were all out of gloves if awea were going to have aoura hands in th.o.r.n.y bushes all day. Mr. Gareth simply smiled and pointed again to the shed. aGo on. Get started.a The old shed looked exactly the same on the inside as my imagination had conjured up. Dozens of shelves lined the walls, all filled with various gardening instruments. There was barely room to step inside, thanks to all the spare pots taking up residence on the floor. There wasnat a single glove in sight, but there were bags of mulch and some pruning shears, so with a deep sigh, I gathered my supplies and got to work.

There was a lot to be said about pruning rosebushes, and every one of those things could be spelled with three letters. Two hours of pruning back th.o.r.n.y bushes, mulching the roots, and removing dead leaves had left my hands b.l.o.o.d.y and sore, with bits of thorn stuck here and there on the tips of my fingers. I brushed a stray hair from my eyes with the back of my hand and sighed with relief to see Maddox approaching from the west side of campus. I looked to Mr. Gareth and he gave me the nod to get out of here and back to the dorms. I could hardly wait to sink into a hot bath. My stomach rumbled loudly, reminding me that food would be a good idea too.

The sun had begun to set and if I hadnat been in pain and seriously ticked off at Dariusas att.i.tudea"not to mention flabbergasted at why I was being punished in the first placea"I would have taken in the beautiful scenery around me. But all I wanted, all I really wanted, was for Maddox to walk me back to my room, so I could eat, bathe, and sleep.

Maddox picked a leaf from my hair and shook her head. aYou look awful.a Thatas what I needed to hear. aThanks.a aYou should at least pick the dead leaves off and maybe wash your hands and face before you see Trayton.a My eyes went wide. Trayton! I had totally forgotten we had plans tonight. I looked down. My hands were covered with dirt. My clothes were stained with mulch and gra.s.s. I could only imagine what my face and hair must have looked like. Like some crazy forest woman, I was sure.

Maddox smirked. aYou look great. Iam sure Trayton absolutely goes for that lost-in-the-woods-for-a-week look.a aDo we have time to stop by my room, so I can clean up and change?a aNo, but let me put it this way. If heas attracted to you looking like this, heas a keeper.a We hurried to the courtyard, and my heart sank to find it empty. I had really been looking forward to getting to know Traytonaeven if I had totally forgotten about our plans. Maddox eyed me quietly for a moment, and then said, aThe plus side is that he wonat see your hair.a I got the feeling Maddox didnat have many friends.

Combing my hair back with my fingers and fixing my ponytail, I sighed. aWell, at least I can get something to eat.a aThe dining hall is closed.a My day couldnat get much worse at this point. I was being Bound forever tomorrow morning to a boy I hadnat even had a five-minute conversation with. My teachers hated me. I was forced to work in that horrible rose garden all because Dariusa"what? Didnat like my presence? And now, I couldnat even get a measly ham sandwich. Topping it off with how much I missed my parents, I found myself fighting back tears.

aThere you are.a A voice from behind me. Warm and vaguely familiar. I swallowed my tears and turned around. Trayton crossed the flagstone and held out a leather satchel. aI grabbed you some food. Figured you might be hungry.a A smile curled my lips. It was touching in that he-wouldnat-let-me-starve way.

Before I could say anything, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see Darius crossing the courtyard toward the small cottage there. When he saw Maddox, Trayton, and me, his steps slowed. He hunched his shoulders up and growled. aItas a half hour until curfew. Iad hate to have to dole out more extra duties today.a But something told me he wouldnat hate it at all. His tone sounded almost eager.

Trayton didnat look worried. Maybe head never had the luxury of an afternoon spent weeding the garden before. My palms were still stinging. With a small smile, Trayton said, aIn that case, wead better hurry.a He took off at a run and I bolted after him, forgetting the pain in my knees and palms, breathless as we ran across campus. I threw a glance over my shoulder to Darius, who wasnat bothering to watch after us.

Trayton and I ran across the commons and finally, in a fit of laughter, reached a large, round building. Trayton opened the door and a man inside said, aTrayton, Iam just closing up.a aPlease. My Healer is here and she loves to read. Fifteen minutes, no more. I promise.a The man sighed, as if he were powerless to refuse Traytonas whim. aAll right. Fifteen. But lock up on your way out.a The man dropped a second set of keys on the desk and walked out, and Trayton turned to my guard. I was the only one still trying to catch my breath from our sprint. aMaddox, may we have a moment?a aAlone?a Maddoxas defenses were up. I could tell by the way she slanted her eyes. aYouare seriously asking me to break Protocol after I just got my head handed to me by the headmaster this morning?a Trayton smiled and I could see what a charmer he was. aCome on, Maddox. Weare supposed to be Bound tomorrow and we havenat even had a short, private conversation. We wonat do anything, just talk. I give you my word. We wonat even touch.a Maddox flicked her eyes to me, then back to Trayton, and groaned. aI donat know.a aIall owe you one. Seriously.a aBy one do you mean a new head? Because if we get caught, mineas getting bitten off.a Maddox folded her arms in front of her, tapping her foot as she mulled over his offer. Finally, she sighed in exasperation and threw her arms up. aFine. But you owe me big-time. Donat forget it. Iall be right outside. No touching. Not until after your binding tomorrow.a Trayton reached inside for the light switch. I was no way near prepared for what was coming.

A giant, golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, dripping with crystals. It cast a warm glow over the entire room. Rich, ornate rugs covered the hardwood floors. And if it werenat for the obvious, I would have doubted that I was in a library at all. The walls were covered with immense, dark bookcases, each lined with hundreds and hundreds of books, their spines soft and faded with age. More shelves stood like a maze in the middle of the room, and through it was a smattering of cozy chairs and small tables topped with lamps which spilled soft light into the darkened maze. To the right of the front desk a spiral staircase wound its way to a loft areaa"the steps were marble and wide, which led me to believe the library often had droves of students eager to make the climb to what awaited them above.

Trayton stepped forward slowly, as if asking my permission with his hesitancy. I met his eyes, so dark, so full of questioning. He looked so fragile, like head been hurt before. The last thing I wanted was to be responsible for causing Trayton any pain. I smiled and followed him inside.

His eyes instantly brightened. aCome on. Itas upstairs.a We climbed the stairs at a moderate pace, and I marveled at how beautiful the library was. The ceiling was an immense gla.s.s dome, something I hadnat noticed from downstairs. As we climbed higher, I noticed that some of the gla.s.s ceiling panels were stained gla.s.s, miniature portraits among crystalline squares.

Once upstairs, I saw what drew the attention of so many students, the purpose of the stairs being so wide, and the reason that the handrail was careworn. An enormous fireplace commanded the far end of the room. In front of it were several velvet sofas. Large, fluffy pillows and cus.h.i.+ons lay here and there, as if students were quite comfortable sitting on the floor. And then, a dreameras room come true. Whereas the bookshelves downstairs were filled with textbooks and works of academia, the shelves up here, though much smaller, were overflowing with hundreds of works of fiction, as far as the eye could see. In the corner was another bookcase, this one filled with sketchbooks and tumblers stuffed with drawing implements. An enormous tapestry that seemed to trace the waras history stood guard between the restroom doors at the back of the loft, and I was instantly transported back home. Back to where I read a new book every week, just for fun. Back to where my father sketched and my mother did her needlepoint.

My chest ached. I missed them so much.

Trayton said, aBy the look on your face, Iam guessing you like it. We call this place the loft. Itas probably the most interesting place to hang out on campus. Butaitas not what I brought you here to see.a He released my hand and my palm tingled as it cooled in his absence. I plucked a book from the shelf and flipped through it, reveling in this moment of normalcy. aThis library is incredible.a Trayton was fiddling with something on the wall behind the tapestry. aJust wait. It gets better.a There was a clicking sound and a section of the wall beside the fireplace swung open. Inside was another set of stairs, this one narrow and made of bare wood. I dropped the book on the nearest shelf and looked with wonder at Trayton. aA secret room?a He grinned. aI told you I wanted to show you my favorite place. Go on up.a Unable to resist the unknown, I stepped into the narrow corridor and slowly made my way up the steps, which creaked as I ascended. Trayton stepped in behind me and closed the hidden door, leaving us cloaked in shadows. My eyes adjusted after a moment and I kept moving upward, not knowing what awaited me above. I could feel Trayton close behind me in the darkness, and I knew without asking that he would catch me if I fell, that he would never lead me anywhere where I would be in danger. But even if danger found us, head protect me. I slowed my steps, and in a breathy voice, Trayton said, aIs something wrong?a Smiling in the darkness, but suddenly hesitant, I said, aWhy arenat we supposed to be alone together, exactly?a He was quiet for a long time, and as I turned around on my step to face him, I caught his sweet breath on my cheek. His voice was hushed, and our bodies intimately close in the small s.p.a.ce. aTradition, mostly. Iaitas not like Iam going to hurt you or anything, Kaya. I justawanted to show you that not everything about Shadow Academy is terrible.a I didnat know what to say. I hadnat thought it was so apparently obvious that Iad resolved myself to hating everything about the academy. After a moment, I turned around again and continued up the stairs. At the top of the steps was a small, round room with dust-covered boxes and larger items covered with dusty sheets. I moved forward, wondering why Trayton would bring me here. He stepped to my left and whispered, aLook up, Kaya.a I raised my eyes to the ceiling and discovered that it was also a gla.s.s dome, though much smaller than that of the main library. This one didnat have any stained gla.s.s, but it was perfectly clear. Thousands of stars twinkled above us, and I gasped at the sight of them. Moonlight filtered through the clear panels, lighting the room in a cool bluish tint. I marveled at the perfect view of the star-speckled sky until I heard Trayton moving something behind me. When I turned, he was uncovering what looked like a velvet chaise. He sat down and leaned back, looking up at the stars. After a moment, I sat beside him. aWhat is all this stuff?a I opened the satchel head brought me and munched on grapes, soft cheese, warm bread, and roasted chicken while he explained. aI think itas an old storage room. No one but me knows about it, so I really donat have anyone to ask. Of course, now you know, but I donat suppose you have any idea what it was used for, hmm?a I laughed and finished my dinner while watching the stars twinkle. After a while, I could feel Traytonas eyes on me. I met his gaze. His close proximity both elated me and made me nervous at the same time. What was I doing in a room alone with a boy that I hardly knew? My dad would have a heart attack if he knew. Clearing my throat, I asked the only thing that I could think to ask him. aDo you want to be Bound to me, Trayton?a Trayton leaned forward, elbows on his knees. His soft hair fell forward, hiding his face like a curtain. After a long silence, he said, aDid you know the one you were Soulbound to?a aDonat change the subject.a aIam not.a He lifted his head to look at me. The curtain drew back, revealing his pale, handsome face. aDid you?a I debated for several seconds what to tell him and finally settled on the absolute truth.

aNo. But when I learned head died, I feltabroken. I didnat leave my room. I was just so sad.a I shook my head. aIt sounds crazy, but I canat explain what it felt like to lose himaand I donat know why I felt that way over a total stranger. Iave never talked about it until now.a He watched me for a moment, and I couldnat tell if he was gauging my sanity level or empathizing with my loss. When he spoke, his voice sounded gruff, as if he were on the verge of tears. aNow imagine having known him, having been there to hold him when he cried, having held him and kissed him and dreamed of a life together. Imagine how much bigger the pain of that loss would have been if you had counted on him always being there for you, if you had loved him before you lost him.a A tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek, glistening in the light of the moon.

It was all I could do to keep our promise to Maddox, to not reach out and wipe his tear away, to offer him whatever comfort I could. aOh, TraytonaIam so sorry.a aWhen Samanthaa"my Healera"died, I sank into a deep depression. After her funeral, I wouldnat leave my parentsa home to return to the academy, wouldnat even receive any visitors. I was broken and n.o.body could fix me. After a month, my father brought me into his office and told me that he had offered the headmaster a substantial amount of money as a show of grat.i.tude for treating our family so well. But I knew what he meant. It was a bribe to move my name to the top of the list of those who were waiting for Healers.a He clenched his jaw. aI hated him. And when I learned your name, I hated you too.a He took a deep breath and wiped his tears away, something I couldnat do. aBut the hate, the reluctance, the fear went away with time. And now, Iam just hopeful that maybe weall find even a small part of the happiness, the closeness that Samantha and I shared.a He met my eyes then and his became warm, all tears gone, all sorrow tucked neatly at the back of his mind. It had to be unbearable to live with that kind of pain. aYouall never replace her, but if I had to choose someone to stand by my side, I canat think of anyone more fitting than you. Soayes. Yes, I do want to be Bound to you, Kaya. But something tells me you donat feel the same way.a I nodded, not wanting to lie. Trayton deserved better than that. aUp until this evening, I would have said that you were right. I mean, I was threatened away from my home, forced into training for a war I donat have anything to do with, and given no choice of who Iall spend the rest of my life with. Itas awful.a I fell silent.

After several minutes, Trayton cleared his throat, as if preparing for the worst, and said, aAnd now?a aNow Iam not so sure. Now Iam wondering what tomorrow will be like. Now Iamaa I dropped my eyes to the floor. aNow Iam curious about what it will be like to be Bound to you.a When I looked back at Trayton, he was smiling.

aWe should get going before Maddox has a heart attack.a I chuckled. aShould you walk out s.h.i.+rtless, just to make her wonder what we were doing?a aI like the way you think. But I think weave caused her enough stress for one evening.a He smirked as we made our way out of the room and down the grand staircase. After a pause, he said, aMaybe tomorrow.a Trayton locked the door and we stepped outside. The sky had grown overcast with cloudsa"gray puffs against the black nighttime sky as an unexpected storm rolled in. Lightning flashed, lighting up the night. Suddenly, the sky opened up and rain poured down on us in sheets. I lifted my face, closing my eyes, enjoying the cool water on my skin. After a moment, I looked at Trayton, who was smiling at me. aPromise me that youall always be so open with me, Trayton, that you wonat change once weare Bound.a Trayton leaned close and my heart was completely still. My rational mind knew that he was a virtual stranger to me, but I comforted myself with the fact that he was also a completely gorgeous, highly kissable stranger. His lips were incredibly close to mine, and I could feel his whisper on my skin. aI promise.a A cough, almost indistinguishable from the rain, gave his actions a pause. Maddox spoke from several yards away. She didnat sound happy. aThree minutes until curfew, you two.a Trayton frowned. aIt takes at least five minutes to walk back to our quarters.a aWhatas the matter, Trayton? Out of breath?a I grinned, egging him on.

His grin returned. aMaybe if youad stop stealing it awayaa Maddox practically shouted. aTwo minutes! I suggest you run.a We took off running through the rain and reached the door of our dorm building dripping wet and breathless, with about ten seconds to spare. Trayton didnat leave my side the entire time. He smiled brightly. aThank you, Kaya. I havenat had this much fun in a long time. Maybe we could talk more tomorrow, go for a walk after our binding?a aIad love that.a I meant it. I wanted to spend time with Trayton. I wanted to get to know him. Even if the idea of being Bound forever with no choice did leave me a little nauseated and a lot terked off.

Trayton had just reached for the door when the headmaster opened it from the other side. aAh, just the man I wanted to see. Trayton, if you would accompany me to my office. We have a few things to discuss before tomorrowas festivities.a aOf course, Headmaster.a He threw me a smile and departed with the headmaster, leaving Maddox and me alone.

Maddox grumbled. aThere better not have been any touching, Kaya.a aNo touching. Promise.a A light caught my eye and I turned my head. The upstairs window of the cabin was open. Darius was standing in the window, his s.h.i.+rt partially undone, leaning on the frame with both hands. Something in his expression looked haunted, sad. Then suddenly, his jaw tensed and anger returned to his eyes. He slammed the shutters closed.

I jumped at the sound of it.

Maddox shook her head. aWhat is his problem?a But the answer seemed obvious. It was me. And I had no idea why.

Yanking open the door to my dorm, I huffed inside with Maddox right behind me.

CHAPTER.

Eight.

I woke early, just as the sunas light had pierced the window gla.s.s, to the scent of roses. Light, airy, beautiful roses. A dozen of thema"in rich, glorious reda"were sitting in a vase atop the table near the door, a small piece of parchment tucked neatly between their leaves. Slipping out from under my down-filled covers, I plucked the note from the bouquet. In swirling, elegant script, it read simply Yours, T. A smile touched my lips then and I couldnat help but wonder just how Trayton had managed to get the flowers past Maddox. After all, he owed her after our alone time. Did his charms know no bounds? I rummaged in my trunk for something to wear. Something comfortable, with maybe a hint of pretty. I still didnat have a uniform, but I wagered that the headmaster would insist on it soon. Especially oncea Something in my chest clenched my heart.

aonce Trayton and I were Bound. Which happened to be in about an hour.

Iad forgotten. Iad completely forgotten that I was about to be forever Bound to a boy I hardly knew.

Dragging my feet, I slowly made my way into my washroom, bathed and got readya"my thoughts never far from Trayton and what our binding meant exactly. It meant that there would be no other boys for me. It meant that we were an item, in a way, and that I had no choice but to go through with it if I truly valued my parentsa lives. It meant that I had better suck it up and stop moping, because there was no other choice in the matter.

In short, it meant that I was royally fakked.

After running a comb through my freshly dried hair, I checked my reflection in the mirror, pausing when I heard hushed voices from the other room.

aIs she awake?a Trayton. Even though wead hardly spoken, I would have known that voice anywhere.

Maddoxas voice followed with a hint of harshness. aYes, but Iam not letting you in. You know the rules, Trayton. And Iam not breaking them for you again.a aYou do know that weare due at the temple in a half hour.a Maddoxas voice took on a more formal tone. Something in it suggested it wasnat the first time the two of them had b.u.t.ted heads. aIam well aware of that fact, Barron.a When I opened the door, the looks on their faces were pricelessa"a mingling of surprise and embarra.s.sment. I forced a smile, despite the sick feeling that was churning in my stomach. aGood morning.a Trayton brightened. Maddox cleared her throat, and grumbled, aAre you up for breakfast, Princess?a My stomach clenched at the thought of food, threatening to cramp. Nerves, I supposed. aI donat really feel like eating.a The corner of Maddoxas mouth lifted in a smirk. I was sure she was looking at Trayton with her peripheral vision. aNauseous, huh?a Trayton ignored her jibe and stepped closer, careful not to touch me. aDid you like your flowers?a For an all too brief moment, my tension waned, and my smile didnat feel as false, as forced. aI love them. Thank you.a aAre you okay?a He flicked a nervous glance about the room before returning his eyes to me. aAboutaabout today, I mean.a aFine. Iam fine.a But I wasnat fine. I wasnat even in the same hemisphere as fine. My legs were wobbly and my heart was racing. I felt sick to my stomach and so very sad. All I could think about were my mom and dad and how my binding would save them from the wrath of the Barrons, from the twisted, vengeful actions of the headmaster.

I stepped back, my thoughts shadowed, my eyes on the floor. It wasnat Traytonas fault. None of it was. But that didnat change the fact that I was being forced into this.

Without saying a word, Maddox crossed my room to the door that led to the hall. She opened it and caught my eye, a fierce protectiveness was.h.i.+ng over her features.

Maddox got it. Maddox knew exactly what was going on and exactly how fakked up it was.

That lightened my mood some, but it still didnat change things.

Silently, like monks on a journey to someoneas funeral, the three of us made our way across campus to a small stone building near the north gate. Trayton took the initiative and knocked on the wooden door using the large iron knocker. None of us spoke.

After several seconds, the door opened to reveal a tall man with stark black hair and a pointed black beard. He was dressed in navy blue robes that hung to the floor, a hood on his back. Though there was no familiarity in Traytonas eyes, the man barked, aTrayton, come inside. Bring Kaya with you. The guard remains outside.a The strange man disappeared inside once again and Maddox met my eyes. aIall be right here, okay? You need me, you scream.a Nodding, I fought back a chuckle at how serious we were all acting, like I was going to my death or something instead of being Bound to a really sweet, really good-looking guy like Trayton. aShould I scream anything in particular, or will wordless noise attract your attention?a Maddox grinned. aDepends on what theyare serving in the dining hall, but you might try yelling help.a That brought a smile to my facea"but it faded quickly once I laid eyes on Trayton, who looked like head just had his heart stomped on. I didnat have to say anything to Maddox; she took a few steps back to give us some s.p.a.ce. Then I met Traytonas eyes and said, aIam sorry. Itas just that Iam still getting used to this whole arrangement. Itasaitas not easy.a aYou think itas easy for me?a His eyes were full of hurt. Somehow, Iad forgotten that Trayton didnat have much of a choice in this either.

aNo. I donat, Trayton.a He was quiet for a while, before lightening his tone, the corners of his lips curling into that irresistible shy-boy smile. aWe could always run. Fight off the gate guards, climb the north gate, take off for parts unseen.a I nodded sagely. aNot to mention become a Graplaras midday snack. That is, if we survive the Barron hunting parties.a He shrugged, a chuckle escaping his lips. aItas an option.a And thatas when my stress level dropped. Because even though this was a no-choice situation, even though we barely knew one another, we were in this together. Until the bitter end. A smile touched my lips and I reached for the door. aCome on, Trayton. Letas get started on that whole forever thing already.a The sadness left his eyes then, and it was replaced by something that resembled what I was feeling. Then he smiled too, and together we walked forward, entering the temple of our own accord.

The inside of the small building was lined with wood stained so dark it looked like night. For a moment, my vision wavered, as if the adjustment from the outside morning sun to the stark blackness of the temple were too much to bear. But they adjusted after a moment and Trayton and I moved forward. He looked around in wonder, which made me think that not many people were allowed to enter this placea"maybe only those who were being Bound.

Candles lit our short walk to the center of the room, where the black-haired nameless man was waiting. Behind him, at the far end of the room, was a long altar, covered with a plain white cloth, atop which were an incense censer, an open, ancient-looking book, and a black dagger. In front of the man was the most bizarre piece of furniture I had ever encountered. All black leather and dark wood, it appeared to be a chair of the worst sort, with leather straps and silver buckles that screamed containment. My eyes found Traytonasa"he looked as worried as I felt. My imagination was flooded with horrible visions of what was to come, but before I could get too carried away, the man with the pointed beard spoke.

aTrayton, if you will take your place in the chair, please, we can begin.a Trayton straightened his shoulders, and after casting me a less than convincing rea.s.suring glance, he sat down, matching up his arms and legs with the strange bends of the chair. By the time he was settled, he looked fine, like he wasnat at all worried about what was about to occur.

The man moved around Trayton then, strapping his limbs in tightly. With each tug, Trayton looked a little less confident. When the man drew a thick leather strap across his stomach and buckled it snugly, Trayton released a small sigh, as if resigning himself to his fate.

I could only watch. And wonder.

Our ceremony master turned to the book on the table and began reading from it in a strange singsong tone, chanting words that I didnat understand from a language I didnat know. He raised up the lit censer and swung it toward the back corners of the room, then moved around to the front corners and swung it toward them, chanting all the while. Returning to Trayton, he swung the censer over him three times, then once over me. I tried catching Traytonas eye, to silently rea.s.sure him or even just raise my eyebrows at the weird chanting, but Traytonas eyes were closed, as if he were concentrating, or maybe falling asleep. When I looked back at the ceremony master, he was returning the censer to its spot on the altar. He picked up the dagger and turned to Trayton.

My heart raced at the horrible thoughts running through my mind.

Late last night, Maddox had shared the rumors with me about what a binding included. Shead spoken of daggers. Shead spoken of pain. Shead spoken of blood.

I moved forward, protectively standing between Trayton and the man who hadnat even shared his name with us. Parting my lips, I readied barbs on my tongue.

But then I felt the soft brush of Traytonas fingers on mine. I looked back at him and he whispered, aItas okay, Kaya. Trust me.a Tearing my gaze from the ceremony master, I searched Traytonas eyes, finally relenting to his will and stepping out of the way. But rules be d.a.m.ned, I squeezed his hand in mine, refusing to let him go through whatever was coming without me by his side.

The ceremony master moved closer, clutching the blade in his hand, and all I could do was hold my breath and squeeze Traytonas hand even harder. The man chanted, raising the dagger, while his chants became louder. Repeating words over and over again that I couldnat understand, he brought the weapon down. It sliced through the flesh of Traytonas biceps, and Trayton groaned but held fast. His fingers were crus.h.i.+ng my hand for a moment, but after taking some quick, shallow breaths, he relaxed again and met my eyes.

What I saw in his expression was nothing short of a nightmarea"confirmation that the worst of this experience wasnat over.

The smoke from the incense was drying my throat. It smelled sweet, but tasted rancid, and felt as if it were burning my lungs away. I held back my urge to cough, but it wasnat easy. Blood gushed from Traytonas open wound, dripping onto the floor. To my astonishment, the man cut Trayton again, this time across his thigh. Traytona"despite his tough-guy Barron traininga"howled in pain as the blade cut deeply into his leg. His face blanched and I gasped, glaring at the ceremony master, ready to s.n.a.t.c.h the dagger from his cruel hands. But before I could, he returned the weapon to its spot on the altar. Traytonas blood stained the white cloth.