Bloodline Secrecy: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Academy Novel (Bloodline Academy Book 2) by Lan Chan (best e ink reader for manga TXT) 📕

I placed my hands on my hips. “News flash,” I said. “We’re not shifters. And if Max has a problem with that, then he’ll have to come through me.”

Sophie dropped her head to my shoulder. “I do like him,” she said.

“Well, duh!” Diana said. I wacked her in the arm.

“It’s just, I’m not ready for this.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” I said. “Let’s get something to eat before I pass out.”

Everyone else seemed to have the same idea right now too. A rumble sounded from the far corner where the Shadow Ball game was being prepared. It looked like it was about to start, and no one wanted to be distracted when it did.

The roasted pork on the spit was melt in your mouth. I didn’t care if the whole rest of the night was a bust. The food made it worthwhile. I was still picking at the bits on my plate forty minutes later when Mr. Thompson’s voice boomed out.

“Okay, folks, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. All those who want to play, huddle in the dunes.”

People cheered all around us as they started running towards the pretend beach. Diana ran with them. Sophie locked her arm around mine and we walked down in a more respectful fashion.

I’d taken a look at some of the zealous shifters around me streaming down the dunes and decided that I didn’t want to play after all. But the excitement in the air was electric. It permeated through my skin and caused my heart to race faster.

For one night, I would allow myself to forget everything else.

“This is going to be hilarious,” Sophie said.

I smiled and gripped her arm tighter. What wasn’t to like about watching people beat the crap out of each other? It was a time-honoured tradition, after all.

20

It turned out Shadow Ball was a lot like paintball. Except they played with these enormous, military-grade looking guns that had glowing orbs of light attached just in front of the rear sight. There was a massive blade at the tip of the gun that I assumed was for when the magic ran out.

Shelves of the weapons had been set up on either side of the enormous cavernous entrance to the arena. Like the one that we took for our Academy entrance exam, the big warehouse-looking building was magicked and was probably about fifty times the size of what it appeared from the outside.

Massive mirrors were placed all around where we were standing to allow the spectators to see what was happening inside the arena.

As he was the birthday boy, Charles was assigned to be one of the captains. He nominated Luther to be the other. In a very crowd-upsetting move, Charles chose Kai first to be on his team over his brother. There was a chorus of good-natured booing to which Charles showed everyone his two middle fingers.

“Charles,” his mother said.

He lowered them immediately. It wasn’t really a surprise choice. Shifters were highly competitive. None of them would blame Charles for trying to pick the team with the best chance of winning. I hadn’t seen Kai and Max pitted in a fight, but if I had to choose, I’d go with the guy with wings too. It just made good sense.

Diana got chosen very early on for Charles’s team too.

“I’m having flashbacks,” Sophie said.

I hugged her. “Don’t think about it. That felt like it was years ago.”

I thought they were possibly going to get geared up, but everyone just ran and grabbed their weapons as they were. Cassie strolled over when the games were about to begin. I patted the seat on the warm sand. She plonked herself down.

“So they’re just going to go in as they are?” I asked. “No protective gear or anything?”

“Nope,” Sophie said. “It’s ridiculous macho shit.”

I glanced at where Diana was checking her weapon. “I suppose that men aren’t the only ones inflicted by that plight.”

“She’s going to end up killing someone.”

“As long as it’s not me. I get my ass kicked by her regularly enough.” I nudged Cassie. “Are you having a good time?”

She nodded. “It’s nice to be away from the Academy for a little while.” She grinned. “And Maddison is so jealous that I got an invitation.”

I couldn’t help laughing at that. “So, you and Charles...”

She shook her head. “We’re just friends.” I had a feeling that was the case. I wasn’t any kind of love psychic, but though Charles had his good qualities, he was just a little wrecking ball at this age.

“Well, can you tell that to your cousin because he seems to think it’s my responsibility to police you guys.”

“He won’t listen to anything I say anyway. Sometimes I think he’s got shrapnel for a brain. Case in point.”

She gestured to where Kai was balancing the gun blade in his outstretched hand. He shot a dirty look at a boy who walked past a little too close. Kai’s green eyes watched the boy for too long after he’d passed. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear he was tagging the boy for later reprisal.

“They all turn into idiots when they get competitive,” Sophie said. “Just wait until the Halloween Showcase. And don’t even get me started on the Unity Games. The whole thing gives me a headache. It’s like they don’t think there is any merit in any other kind of excellence.”

“Well,” Shayla said from above us. “We are technically at war.” Sophie all but jumped out of her skin. I wanted to make a wisecrack so bad about the fact that we were in the presence of her possible future mother-in-law but the stricken expression on her face made me pause.

“May I join you girls?” Shayla asked.

Cassie and I waited for Sophie to nod. Over near the entrance of the arena, a siren blared. “Here we go,” Shayla said.

The two teams lined up in rows. Even though Charles and Luther were