House of Ravens (The Nightfall Chronicles Book 2) (11 page)

It's a grey day, full of clouds and wind with a light rain spatter. The dirt under my feet has turned to a slimy mud, and my clothes are sticking to my body as I swing my sword against an invisible enemy, practicing the attack and defense drill Jax just showed us.

"You're improving, Scarlett," Jax says as he makes his way around the arena. He puts a hand under my elbow and moves it up. "Good. Keep working on your form. You don't want to leave yourself open for attack."

"Okay," I say. I was up all night thinking about what Jax told me about his family. We need more time together, more time to talk and just be. But today we're back to our roles, and Varian has a meeting this morning so Jax is in charge of Combat.

Which makes me his student, not his best friend. So we keep it professional. But my heart is reaching out to him, to my friend, to the man I still love despite everything. How many more secrets are there for me to discover about my life and the lives of those I love?

Jax walks across the arena to help Lana on her thrust. His back is turned to me, and he's out of earshot when Garin and his friends surround me. "You may fool everyone here," Garin says, "But I know you're just a rich brat who bought her way into a spot that should've gone to someone more deserving."

They all have their swords out, and while I know they won't attack me with everyone here, my heart still beats a little faster. "I heard about your sister, and I'm sorry. I had no idea. But you need to back off and knock that chip off your shoulder."

He growls and moves closer, pushing me back against his sidekick Bartholomew, who uses his elbow to knock me forward. I rub between my shoulder blades where I'm sure a nice bruise is forming thanks to Bart.

I'm debating about whether to use my powers, call Jax, or do something else, when Kai pushes Garin away and stands in front of me. "Back off, Garin. You know as well as I do Scarlett had nothing to do with your sister's rejection. If you have a problem, take it up with the Council." He sticks a finger in Garin's chest and pokes hard. "But leave Scarlett alone."

Bart looks over at Jax, and back to Garin. "Let's go, dude. My parents will kill me if I get in trouble in the first week."

Garin glares at Kai and me. "This isn't over."

They walk away, and I turn to Kai. "Thanks for your help. Though I have to admit I'm surprised."

"Why's that?"

"You don't seem to like me much."

He presses his lips together for a moment, his hand on the pummel of his sword. "It's not that. Look, I'm sorry I was a jerk yesterday. I shouldn't have brought up your parents. Corinne reamed me hard for that one. I'm not a bad guy, honest. I just do an excellent impersonation of one from time to time."

"We'll see about that." I raise my sword. "On guard?"

He grins and raises his. "On guard."

***

We're standing, not in a classroom, but in the vast park near the arena.

"My name is Grandmaster Ella, or Gabriella, if you prefer to be more formal. I'm the head of the Teutonic Order, and I'll be teaching your Survival class this year. Today's lesson is going to test your tracking skills." The Grandmaster paces in front of us in her white Teutonic robes, her blond hair pulled back in a tight bun. She's younger than the other Grandmasters, but no less impressive.

"Since this quarter is focused on the Teutonic Order, I suggest you take this class very seriously." She points to the forest around us. "Somewhere out there, a pig has been released. Her name is Miss Piggy—"

Garin and his friends guffaw at that, and Grandmaster Ella glares at them.

"As I was saying, her name is Miss Piggy, and she's not to be hurt. Your mission is to track her, find her, and retrieve the special token inside the collar around her neck. You will be in teams of two. The first team to bring me the token will receive extra points in this class, which will increase your odds of being granted a Boon from me during your Trial. Trust me when I tell you, you'll want that Boon."

She calls out the names of the teams, pairing up everyone. When she calls my name, I step forward, and say a prayer to whatever gods may or may not exist that it's not Garin. Anyone but Garin.

"Miss Night, you and Prince Kai will work together."

Wytt looks over at us from his team with Lana and winks. I roll my eyes at him as Kai walks to me.

"Looks like fate has brought us together again," he says.

"You're starting to sound like Wytt."

"He does have a way with words. Too bad it's not appreciated more in our family," he says, the corners of his lips turning down.

Grandmaster Ella raises her hand. "Oh, and did I mention that I also released a goat and a wild boar into this forest? Just to keep things interesting. You have two hours. Good luck." She drops her hand and everyone scampers off into the forest to search for the pig. Kai and I look at each other.

"I hope you're better at tracking than you are at identifying body parts," he says.

"Likewise," I tell him.

He grins. "Fair enough. Actually, I am. We did a lot of hunting back in Sapientia."

"Good," I say. "Because I'm decent at it too, and I want that Boon. I'm sure not going to be getting one from your uncle or APD."

"True enough," he says. "Shall we get to it?"

We walk into the forest, looking for tracks against the light of the sun, which is hard given the cloud coverage and foliage. But it doesn't take long to find what we're looking for. We keep the tracks between us and the sun, so the light creates shadows in the print and makes it stand out from the surrounding soil. I point to one as we kneel in the dirt. "This isn't the pig. See how it's pointed here," I say, "That's the goat."

Kai nods. "I agree. Let's keep looking."

As we get deeper into the forest, Kai pulls out a flashlight to substitute for the missing rays of sun. We find another set of tracks, but based on the space between footprints we can tell it's the boar, not the pig.

"I'm impressed," Kai says as we keep walking. "I didn't expect this from the self-proclaimed computer geek."

"My parents did all kinds of training with me growing up." I grin. "Not anatomy and physiology, obviously."

"Obviously," he says.

"But we did this kind of thing all the time. I may know my way around a computer, but I'm still a Montana girl at heart."

He nudges me with his shoulder. "You're full of surprises."

I look up at him. "So are you, Prince Kai of the House of Ravens."

He rolls his eyes. "Please don't call me that."

"I can't imagine life as royalty," I say. "I know you think I grew up with all these connections, but I didn't know anything about my parents’ involvement in this world until a few weeks ago. I grew up a normal girl with, mostly, normal parents."

His purple eyes soften as he looks at me. "I'm a real jerk, I know." He turns away as we climb over a fallen tree. "My father brings out the best in me, obviously."

"Obviously," I agree.

I look down just in time to catch the light of the sun as it lands on another track. "Kai, check it out. I think we found Miss Piggy."

He crouches next to me, our legs pressed together. "I think you're right."

We follow those tracks through the forest until we find the pig happily sunning in the one open spot in the forest. She's very pink, with coarse hair over her body that looks clean. We approach slowly, and she doesn't shy away, but instead walks toward us as if we might have a treat for her. I pull out a marshmallow I pocketed during breakfast and hold it out for her.

Kai smirks at me. "You keep marshmallows in your pocket?"

"Sometimes," I say. "What of it?"

He just shakes his head, but my marshmallow works. Miss Piggy comes over to us, her snout teasing out the air until she lands at my hand, eagerly munching up the white treat. Kai slips the collar off of her and pulls out a golden token with the Teutonic symbol on it. "Got it!"

Miss Piggy finishes her treat and trots away as we stand. "That wasn't so hard," I say.

"We make a good team," Kai acknowledges.

Something rustles in the bushes around us and Garin and Bart pop out. "That's our token, and you're going to give it to us," Garin growls.

Kai and I look at each other and smile. We both silently agree we are not giving in to this bully.

Bart puffs his chest. "What are you smiling at?"

"Just an inside joke," I say. "And I'm sorry to disappoint, boys, but we aren't giving up the token."

Kai looks at me. "Are we really sorry, though?"

I cock my head as if considering. "No, you're right. We're not really sorry. We got here first, that's the rule."

Kai turns his head to Garin. "You heard the lady. Move along. We have a token to deliver."

Garin raises his fist as if he's going to knock Kai out. Kai doesn't look worried. I prepare to use my strength on Bart, if needed, but he looks less than excited about fighting. "Dude, we shouldn't," Bart says. "You know Jax will kill you if you hurt her."

Garin throws his friend a disapproving look. "Shut up."

"It's true," Bart says. "Just let it go. There are other ways to earn a Boon."

Kai and I don't stick around to listen to them bicker, and instead cut through the forest to find Grandmaster Ella.

On the way, Kai looks over to me. "So, you and Jax?"

"What about me and Jax?"

He shrugs. "Never mind. None of my business."

***

During lunch, a group of people gathers around a circle of sand, watching as Jaden and a woman spar.  I recognize the woman. She's wearing red and silver armor with an eye across her chest. She is the Seeker. Kira.

The
Initiate
lands a few punches.

"Drop your guard again and find yourself in the dirt," says Kira.

Jaden raises his defenses. He strikes again.

I nudge Akio with my elbow. "Why's she wearing all that armor?"

"She practice the same way she fight on battlefield," he says in his stilted accent.

Jaden strikes again, but lowers his guard. Kira grabs his arm in a hold and knocks him to the ground with her leg. "And you're dead, soldier." She addresses the crowd. "Someone care to show me something new?"

No one responds.

She snickers. "I thought not."

She acts as if Initiates are below her. It angers me. "You fought well," I say, "
if
you consider beating someone with no training fighting."

Murmurs spread through the crowd. A few Initiates sneer at me. They think I'm being arrogant. But I'm being smart. This is an opportunity to make friends.

Kira chuckles.

I study my nails, not giving her my full attention. "And…" I pause for dramatic effect. "You made three mistakes."

The Seeker raises an eyebrow and faces me. Her green eyes are piercing against her pale skin and black hair. Corinne was right, I realize. She is beautiful.

She holds out her hand. "Please, inform us, great Initiate, what were these mistakes?"

"You favored your left leg. Your kicks left you vulnerable."

Kira nods.

"Also, though you told Jaden to hold up his guard, you dropped your own twice."

Murmurs of agreement travel through the crowd. Jaden meets my eyes, nodding. Perhaps he will be an ally now.

"And finally," I say. "You turned your back to him. A soldier with his back turned to the enemy is a dead soldier." I shrug. "Before you seek to criticize others, perhaps you should criticize yourself."

Someone in the crowd gasps.

"And do you criticize yourself, Initiate?" asks the Seeker.

"I do," I say. "Every day." The crowd grows silent.

"Then why don't you enter the ring?"

Everyone stares at me. I can't back down. I can't show weakness.

I lay my books on the ground, walk up the small hill and enter the ring. Akio wishes me good luck. Kira and I begin to circle each other. I throw a few jabs to assess her reaction. She backs away often, keeping herself out of reach, but she doesn't reposition properly. Her stance is off balance. If I could close the gap, I can hit her.

Kira strikes at my head, I block. She backs away. As expected.

Now is my chance. I dash forward.

And Kira's foot crashes into my skull.

I collapse on the sand, my head pounding, my vision fuzzy. People chuckle, others wince in mock pain. Kira grabs my head, shoving it down until I can taste sand on my tongue. She whispers in my ear. "I had five weaknesses, not three. I didn't hold my guard, so he could practice delivering a blow. I didn't reposition, so he could attempt to knock me down. I taught him a lesson. Now here's yours. You are weaker than I, Initiate. Don't act otherwise unless you're prepared."