Matt
My shoulders itched like mad.
It was scaring the crap out of me. A deep itch, up beneath the shoulder blades. Where a Dragon’s wings would hide.
Mari and I merged with the other students gathering near the obstacle range. When Anna’s voice dropped into my head, I pushed my worries deep down. Where she hopefully wouldn’t sense them.
Fortunately, her concerns were elsewhere.I won’t be there for obstacle training.
I kinda already guessed that,I stated,considering you aren’t here.
Cara is taking me somewhere else. She’s being rather secretive about it. I think this visit to the Queen upset her.
It was stonkin’ revealing, Angel. I’m—
Yeah, yeah. Screwing royalty. I get it. But it’s all based on a photo and circumstantial evidence. I only have foggy memories of Terri, and the pics I have are unclear. It might not be the truth.Her skepticism carried through her mindvoice, but I considered it to be mostly denial.
Well, the screwing bit is real.My mind obligingly filled with images that sent my heart—and other things—pounding.
If you don’t get your mind out of the gutter, you’ll be tripping over it. Or banging into things—but her mindvoice was a bit breathless sounding too.Behave yourself and look after Mari.
I stared up at eight-feet plus of hulking ogress.Think it might be better if she looked after me.But Anna was gone. Where was Cara taking her now?
Figured it was tough to be declared a princess. Even if her bloody mate turned into a Dragon.
Our life was certainly not dull.
“I’ll be right back,” I told Mari, and edged over to give Anna’s message to Cody.
His mouth twisted, and he shook his head. “Cara’s schedule rarely meshes with anyone else’s. I don’t suppose you know what she’s up to?” When I looked uncomfortable, he held up a hand. “Never mind. I probably don’t want to know.”
I grinned at him and returned to Mari. Cody led the group down the trail, but instead of branching right to the obstacles we’d done before, he took a left fork.
The trail spat us out at a rock ridge. It stood about a hundred feet in height with an almost vertical face.
Ryan took half the teams farther along the path, while Cody turned to face us.
“Today,” Cody said, “We are going to work on climbing skills. Three teams at a time, the other three will watch and learn.”
More likely harass and heckle, but I supposed the distraction was part of it. Ropes trailed down the rockface, and Cody had us strap into climbing harnesses.
“The ropes,” he explained, “are only there to save your hides if you slip up. You are not allowed to grab them. This is a free-climbing exercise. And remove your boots—you’ll need your toes for this. No claws, though. You have to stay human.”
Groans passed through those watching. Mari and I were in the first group to go. We clambered ten feet up to a ledge, where we snapped our harnesses onto the safety ropes.
Cody snapped himself in too. “This will build awareness of your body, and help you to understand the value of balance with every movement.” Then he began to climb.
I had to admit, I’d no idea there was so much involved. Sticking to the rock minus claws looked dodgy as hell. Twice I dangled from the rope, with my bleedin’ student mates on the ground pointing out just how pathetic I’d been.
Despite her bulk, Mari didn’t fall even once. She was not only immensely strong, but able to keep her enormous body flat against the rock and balanced as she climbed.
The ogress was stonkin’ amazing.
I finally managed to get halfway up the jagged stone. The bloody itch beneath my shoulders distracted me, and my fingers kept slipping. What kinds of changes were happening back there? Would I sprout real wings, or deformed, useless things?
To my left, the big redheaded Dire, Wyatt, kept up a litany of curses as he struggled for fingerholds amid the rocks. As I filed some away for future reference, my mind filled with images. Like a fast-forwarded slide show, they flashed through my head.
Buildings, their walls devastated by fire, most collapsed in a heap of timber and metal. The acrid smell of smoke from things not meant to be burned.
