Page 9 of In Darkness We Claim

I should have been expecting something like this, having just returned to Shadowmere University to start my second year. Even though we’re given assignments to prove ourselves throughout the year, there’s always a big task at the start of each new year. It’s usually when our numbers drop most significantly.

I’ve handled every challenge thrown my way with ease; not only earning my High Crow status, but holding on to it for the last year. None of my fellow Crows have even come close to stealing my rank, and they never will. I will pass any challenge thrown my way with flying colours.

A shuffling noise on the other side of the room captures my attention, but the man is standing in front of me by the time my body has followed orders enough to lift my head.

Fuck, everything feels heavy and sluggish, and my reaction times are severely delayed.

A loud noise echoes around the room, and it takes a good couple of seconds for my body to catch up, as my brain registers that the man in front of me just slapped my cheek. The sting heats my face moments later, almost as if it’s on a delayed timer.

I look up at the man who slapped me, focusing on the design of the silver mask with gold rims covering his face. It’s one I’ve seen many times before, but I have to dig around in my brain for the name that’s just on the tip of my tongue.

“Are you with us?” the deep, stern voice asks.

Xander! Head of Crowhurst House. I’d recognise the voice and mask anywhere, even if it took me longer than I’d like.

I give him a slow nod, which does nothing to help the throbbing in my head, but the increased pain clears my thoughts just enough for me to take stock of my situation.

My knees are screaming at me, and I look down to see I’m kneeling on a concrete floor; the pain suggests I’ve been in this position for a while. The bindings tying my hands behind my back grate against my wrists, making a strange crackling sound when I try to move them. They must have used zip-ties to secure them in place, and they’re pulled tight enough to prevent any movement at all.

The room itself seems quite large, but it’s difficult to make out the outer walls as they’re doused in shadows. The harsh spotlights overhead blaze with an unnatural, almost searing intensity, bleaching the middle of the room white. It’s almost impossible to discern anything beyond the looming figure silhouetted against the glare.

My brain feels sluggish, as if it’s operating on a noticeable five-second delay, each new event a struggle to process. My body, I’m sure, lags even further behind, like a thick fog is clinging to my limbs. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the lingering effects of whatever they gave me are still very much present.

“Lawson, are you ready to receive your second-year assignment?” Xander asks, crouching down so he can make eye contact with me through his ornate silver and gold mask.

“I am.” I try to say the words loud and with confidence, but my voice is shaky from the drugs, and they come out sounding almost wobbly.

Xander reaches up and removes his mask, keeping his stern glare on me, and my eyes flicker all around. I’m struggling to focus on him, but he moves close enough that all I can see is his face, so I have no choice but to concentrate on him.

My eyes lock on his lips as they begin to move, and I fight the fog in my brain to listen to every word he says, knowing they’re important. “We injected you with Midazolam to slow down your reflexes, leaving you in a haze. To prove yourself as a Crow, we need to be sure you’re able to complete your assignments, no matter the challenges or roadblocks in your way.

“You will have three hours to complete the task, and the drug will slowly wear off during that time. Search this room, find the instructions, and then complete the assignment within the allotted time.

“As always, failure is not an option, and you know what happens to Pledges who don’t complete their tasks. But you should also remember that the whole challenge is being watched and assessed. Your performance will earn you a grade that will affect your Crow ranking. Do you understand?”

His lips stop moving, but the words are still slowly filtering through my brain as I try to register the important instructions. It’s like wading through treacle, and my head throbs loudly from the pressure, but I sure as fuck will not let this beat me.

“I understand.” I’m not entirely sure I do, but I don’t let Xander know that.

With a sharp nod of his head, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a flip knife. He extends the blade as he stretches to stand in front of me, before walking out of sight. The sound of plastic being cut hits me before my hands tingle, indicating their freedom. Though it takes a few seconds to convince my arms to move where I want them.

Fuck, when he first said three hours, I thought that was plenty of time, but now I’m not so sure. It might take me an hour to get up off my knees.

Luckily, as if hearing my thoughts, Xander reaches down and hooks his arms under my shoulders to pull me to my feet, keeping his grip firm as I sway where I stand. When he’s sure I’m not going to fall, he lets go of me, taking a step back.

“Your time starts now, Lawson. Good luck.” Xander gives me a slight nod before turning on his heel and striding out of the room, leaving the door open as he goes.

I blink several times as I try to push through the fog and remember what my instructions were. I eventually recall him saying the task instructions are somewhere in this room; I just have to find them.

As I take my first step, my whole body feels as if it doesn’t really belong to me. In my head, I’ve taken several steps, but in reality, I’m still on the first, my legs trembling under the weight of the drug, making me feel so fucking heavy.

I focus on each step until I make it to the side wall, having decided the best way to check the room is to do it methodically, following the outer edges first, before making my way into the middle. Even though my brain is hazy, I’m able to think a bit more clearly with each second that passes, despite it still being a lot of hard work.

I reach the cold stone wall, and use my hand to trace along it as I take tentative steps, trying to look around as much as I can to find my assignment. I try to think outside the box to work out where they might have put it, but it would be difficult on a good day, so it’s nearly impossible with the fucking drugs in my system.

I don’t know how long it takes, but by the time I make it to the third wall, something near the bottom catches my eye. One brick has an obvious crack through it, and one side seems to protrude more than the other.

I crouch down as best I can, slamming my hand on the ground and the other on the wall in a desperate attempt to stabilise myself when I start to wobble. Once I’m sure I’m not going to topple over, I reach for the piece of protruding brick.