by Rachel Angel
“Yes. I haven’t always felt lucky, but I guess I really am.” He stood and straightened his trousers. “I believe you didn’t get a chance to see the enormity of the grounds when last you came. I think you’ll enjoy it.” He offered up his arm.
Smiling, she hooked her arm in his and let him lead the way.
“I’m sorry I underestimated you,” he said when they reached the cool shade of the weeping willows. “Funny. You’d think that with my mother as queen of the land, and my grandmother who has always been so strong in every way, I’d have a different view of women. Yet… I don’t know why, but it’s hard for me to imagine a woman on the battlefield.”
Ally looked at him, trying to understand the male psyche. “Perhaps it’s just that. Your love for these women in your life make it impossible for you to see them dying in the field, or being hurt in any way.”
“You know, you constantly surprise me. I mean, first with your physical abilities, then with that great sword. You’re a great rider, a great listener, and of course, a great healer. You battled those serpents like a pro.” He chuckled as he recalled that day. “Even butchering one for a meal. And you speak of politics and world views with the wisdom that exceeds your age.”
They arrived at a large fountain overlooking the valley below.
“Is all of this yours?” Ally said, marveling at the serene beauty. The rolling hills stretched out as far as the eye could see. Dotted with the occasional pond and striped by three rivers, the land was lush with greenery and bursting with life.
Jasper simply nodded. “Someday I will rule this land, and I will share this palace and its immense grounds with children of my own, and….” He looked down at her but didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side, admiring the landscape with her.
“I’m sorry I tricked you into coming out here.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “I’m not.”
He chuckled, a deep warm sound that warmed her heart.
The remainder of the day was lazy and relaxed, with a delicious meal of pheasant, duck and pork all blended together in a scrumptious broth and sprinkled with colorful vegetable. Topping it off was a strawberry shortcake that Ally practically drooled over.
When night fell, Jasper dutifully walked her to her room, and with a warm, wet kiss, said goodnight.
Smiling, she prepared for bed and slept soundly until she awoke to see him sitting on the edge of her bed. Sitting up, she pulled the covers to her chest in false modesty. “Why, Prince Jasper. This is highly inappropriate,” she said with a teasing smile.
“I know,” he whispered. “But Mother and Grandmother are already down in the dining room. They’ll never know.” He kissed her sweetly and, like a true gentleman, left her and waited outside her door as she dressed for the day.
After breakfast, they took one last stroll around the palace and finally said their goodbyes.
“Come back as often as you like,” Queen Jade offered.
Ally smiled, warmed by her gracious hospitality.
At the stable, she was surprised to see Jasper holding Shelby’s reins, waiting to help her up.
“You know I’ve been getting up on my horse on my own for quite some time now.”
“I know. But can’t a man still help his lady, just for the pure joy of it.”
His lady?
Ally smiled at the thought as she accepted his aid and got into her saddle.
Soon they were riding out of the gate and back on the path that was quickly becoming familiar to Ally. This time, the horses didn’t protest when they arrived at the ominous meadow.
Had they already forgotten?
It was early afternoon when they arrived at the Academy, and still floating on a cloud of love and tenderness, Ally allowed Jasper to hold her hand as they left their horses and walked to her dorm.
“Grandmother’s birthday is in a few weeks,” Jasper was saying as they rounded the corner to the dorm. “She’ll be disappointed if you…”
He stopped mid-sentence and Ally looked up at him, his gaze fixed straight ahead. She followed his gaze to see Tar and Flint looking at them with accusations in their eyes. But it was Razor, with his murderous gaze on their clasped hands that sent a shiver up Ally’s back.
She’d not even realized that she and Jasper were still holding hands. Come to think of it, she hadn’t thought anything wrong with holding his hand either. But for a fraction of a second, she released Jasper’s hand, only to quickly grasped it again.
She didn’t belong to Razor and she could hold the hand of anyone who pleased her.
“We’ve been looking all over for you two,” Razor said. He made no attempt to hide his anger.
“You found us,” Jasper said with good humor.
Razor looked Ally up and down, licked his lips then looked to Jasper. The question was clear in his eyes; had they slept together?
It’s none of your business, Ally thought.
“Did you forget tomorrow?” Razor said.
Frowning, Jasper tilted his head quizzically to the side. “As a matter of fact, I have. Care to refresh my memory?”
Razor looked at Ally and back to Jasper.
“The competition, you lovesick bozo,” Tar groaned.
“Go put your bags away and meet us at the Dragon’s Den,” Razor ordered.
“Shit,” Jasper muttered under his breath. He looked to Ally as the guys walked away. “I’d completely forgotten.”
Moments later, they entered the Dragon’s Den. On entering Razor immediately checked to see if they were still holding hands, which made Ally want to laugh.
For all his tough talk, there was something preciously childish about him.
They all sat at a table meant for four, but they squeezed together to allow room for Ally.
“Tomorrow is the second portion of the competition,” Razor said. “It is the dragon flying competition.”
“This is far more dangerous than the first portion of the competition,” Jasper added.
Flint scoffed and punched the table lightly, but said nothing.
Razor ignored his outburst and looked at Ally sitting at his side. “This is a competition meant for dragon shifters, which means you’ll be at a disadvantage. But don’t worry. We’ll do everything to cover for you.”
Ally nodded, but wanted to know more.
“The first portion is on horseback,” Jasper said. “I’ve seen her ride,” he told the others. “There should be no issue there. She’s as good as any of us.”
“But,” Razor said, “the second portion is in the air. All five of us, up in the air, against five of them.”
Again, Ally nodded.
“One more thing you should know,” Jasper said. “The parents of all the students will be there to watch.”
“Queen Jade and Queen Mother Jasper, too?”
Jasper nodded. “Initially, they weren’t supposed to come, what with Grandmother feeling so ill, but… well, because of you, they’ll be able to attend.”
She wasn’t sure whether she was happy about that or not. Somehow, she felt the added pressure to keep Jasper safe. She hated the thought of anything happening to him right in front of his mother and grandmother. She also hated the thought of letting them down. They thought so highly of her, and she hoped she’d be able to prove herself worthy.
“And in the end, this competition will determine who will patrol The Border first at year’s end.”
The men all nodded.
“All right,” Razor said, slapping his hand firmly on the table. “I think we’ve covered everything. If you guys don’t mind, I have a few more instructions for Ally.”
They all looked at him with suspicion.
“I’ll see you guys later,” he repeated.
Reluctantly, they left.
Razor leaned back in his chair and scrutinized Ally. “I hope you appreciate what I did for you. I used all my influence to ensure you were on our team.”
&nbs
p; “Thank you. That was nice of you.”
He leaned in close to her and took her hands in his. “I don’t understand why you continue this charade of cozying up to Jasper. Surely, you’ve realized by now that I’m the top dog at this Academy. I am the prince of all princes.”
Pulling her hand out of his, she stood and headed for the door, but he caught her and pinned her to the wall.
“I’ve not dismissed you yet,” he said, pressing his body against hers in a show of his passion for her. “I’ve missed you. You were gone for too long.”
“Jasper’s grandmother wasn’t feeling well.”
“I don’t care what his grandmother feels. What about what I feel? What about the sleepless night I spent wondering about you? What about my body that ached for yours?” He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her cheek. “What about this?” He pushed his crotch against hers, leaving no doubt as to his level of arousal.
Ally gasped, surprised by her body’s reaction.
But when he kissed her, a long hard kiss filled with passion, she felt the full power of his arousal.
“I can’t forget the sight of you in that dress,” he murmured through his kisses. “I can’t forget your long, luscious rainbow hair. I can’t stop thinking of you, dreaming of you.”
She turned away, and tried to push him off her.
“Ah, yes. And you’re such a tigress. Your defiance only turns me on more. I love that you’re not just a meek and mousy girl who melts under my touch. No. You make me work for it.” He leaned in to devour her neck, his tongue working magic on her skin. “But, damn, how you’re so worth the work.”
He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. “Tell me you want me.”
“I don’t know what I want.”
“Then maybe this will help you decide.” He pulled her in for another passionate kiss, his hands running over her body, cupping a breasts, grabbing a buttock.
Before she even realized what she was doing, she was kissing him back, just as hard and passionately.
Chapter 16
Ally awoke to a clear blue sky that promised a beautiful day. “A perfect day to fly,” she said as she looked out her window. Birds fluttered from one tree to the next and she watched them with envy.
Soon, I’ll be trying out my wings, as it were, she thought.
She had asked to have breakfast sent to her room that morning and the chef had obliged, sending a sheepish, young student to bring her a tray laden with protein rich foods.
She ate slowly, not so much to savor every bite, but to take the time to contemplate the day ahead. She mentally went over her custom designed armor, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
It didn’t really matter, she thought as she finished her last bite and set her fork down. It was too late to make any changes now anyway.
With her plate empty, she then took to the task of preparing herself. She pulled on a clean pair of trousers. They’d shrunk in the wash and were now snug on her hips and thighs. Then came the creamy white shirt that she’d tediously sewn Kate’s embroidery to the hem. It wasn’t a perfect seam, but it would have to do. Something about having Kate’s handywork on her made her that much more confident.
Finally, the long leather riding boots. With one last look into her bag packed with her armor and sword to ensure all was there, she made her way to the stadium.
The air was cool and crisp on her skin and she sucked in large gulps of air, reveling in the fresh scent. She knew she’d soon be covered in dirt and she wanted to savor this particular moment.
The stadium was unusually quiet. Minus the cheering students, an air of mature serenity filled the stands. Then she saw them; the Cruel Princes were there, waiting for her. As soon as she joined them, they headed to the center of the field.
As they stood there gazing out at the spectators, Razor came up to Ally’s side and pointed to the couple seated under a rose-colored flag. “My parents are just there; the King and Queen of Rose Cliff.”
Ally nodded and attempted her usually clumsy curtsy.
Jasper pointed out Queen Jade and Queen Mother Jasmine, and Ally waved at the women.
“Over there,” Flint said, pointing to the left of Queen Jade, “is my father, King Titan. Those little squirts beside him are my little brothers.”
“Aren’t they a bit young to be at such an event?” Ally said.
“You gotta start them off young. In fact, at eight years old, Frederick is a little too old to be attending his first competition. Little Frank is right on the mark at five.”
“Five years old,” Ally said shaking her head. “He’s just a baby.”
Ally was dismayed to see that Tar had no one in attendance. He didn’t seem bothered by that fact, but Ally suspected that it had to affect him somewhat.
The opposing team stood not too far away, all wearing the same charcoal grey uniform. They were a big bunch of guys, very big.
“Not to scare you,” Razor said, leaning in to speak into her ear, “but these are some of the roughest guys at the Academy.”
Staring at them, Ally said, “Why, they are absolute brutes, every single one of them.”
Their leader stepped forward, a tall young man with black eyes. “Cruel Princes,” he said nodding at the men. Then he turned a wicked eye to Ally. “And Princess Ally. What a pleasure.” He bowed down low. “At last we meet. I am Drag.”
Ally just stood there staring at him.
“You’ve been difficult to ignore lately,” he went on. “It’s really a shame that we have to compete against one another. I could easily list a number of other far more pleasant activities I would like to do with you.”
“I’m sure,” Ally muttered under her breath.
Razor and Jasper, who’d been listening at her side, suddenly took a menacing step forward.
“You want to settle this now?” Razor said, punching his fist into the palm of his hand.
Flint and Tar pulled both guys back and let Drag return to his teammates.
“Keep your energies for the competition, guys,” Tar told Razor and Jasper.
As Drag walked away, he grabbed his crotched, turned to face Ally and made a vile gesture that had the crowd of parents gasping in shock.
“What a jerk,” Tar said.
“The guy never did have any class,” Flint added.
Headmaster Jerrod came to stand between the two teams and faced the spectators. “Our first challenge,” he called out. “The relay obstacle course. Please take a seat on the backside of the stands to view the desert run.”
Parents left the stands while the two teams met up with the respective horses and walked their mounts to the starting line just outside the stadium.
The dusty, dirty track was barely visible in the rough desertic terrain.
“The track is a mile long,” Headmaster Jerrod informed the crowd and teams, “running along the edge of the forest, around the boulders and back here where each team’s starter will hand his baton to the next teammate, and so on until the fifth and last participant has passed the finish line with baton in hand. A dropped baton will result in the participant returning to the starting line to begin his run again, or face disqualification.” Headmaster Jerrod looked around. “Are we ready to begin?”
The guys from both teams shouted their eagerness to begin.
“Starters, mount your horses and get on your mark.”
First up for the Cruel Princes was Tar.
Headmaster Jerrod, held up his starter’s pistol, while Tar and his competitor got down low on their horses, baton in hand.
“Ready!” Headmaster Jerrod cried out a second before pulling the trigger.
Tar kicked his horse into action and shot off with his competitor just barely keeping up with him. They rode hard along the forest’s edge then disappeared a brief moment behind the boulders before reappearing again for the last stretch. They were still side by side, fighting it out, both horses pushing to the max.
As the riders got closer, Ja
sper and his opponent took their marks. Jasper’s horse fidgeted with anticipation. When the batons hit both their hands at the same time, they sped off.
Next was Flint. He had a momentary head on his opponent who whipped his mount mercilessly. W when they reappeared from behind the boulders, they were neck in neck.
Ally was up next. Her heart raced as she mounted Shelby.
“Come on, girl. You can do this.”
She brought her horse to her mark and saw that she was up against Drag. She would have preferred any other teammate than him.
Flint and his opponent were getting closer, and closer and…
“Eat my dust, pretty lady,” Drag called out as his teammate landed the baton in his hand.
Two seconds later, Flint laid the baton in her hand and she kicked Shelby into motion. Soon she was at Drag’s backside, catching up to him with every pound of Shelby’s hooves. He glanced back at her, surprised to see her so close by.
As they neared the edge of the forest, Drag called out, “There’s no way, pretty lady. No way I’m going to let you take the lead.” He brought his horse closer, almost nudging Shelby off course. Gripping the reins, Ally kept Shelby in line and urged her forth.
But when they arrived behind the boulders, out of view from the spectators, Drag didn’t just push his horse to merely nudge Shelby. He maneuvered close and kicked out his leg to shove Ally off her horse.
For a moment, Ally lost her balance and control of Shelby who whinnied and stomped in confusion. Barely hanging onto the saddle, Ally’s feet briefly hit the ground once, twice, and on the third touch to the ground, she bounded up and jumped onto Shelby’s back and regained the saddle. Grabbing the reins, she soon had control of Shelby.
“Don’t worry, girl. I’m here,” she whispered to her mount. “Now let’s show him what girls can really do.”
Shelby bolted forward easily overtaking Drag and his horse and quickly leaving them in their dust. The end was near and Razor sat on his horse, ready.
Bursting with joy and pride, Ally slammed the baton into Razor’s hand and watched him head off. A full five seconds later, Drag finally arrived and passed his baton to his frustrated teammate.
