by Brianna West
Carl scoffed beside Anric. “It’s been an ongoing curse to be related to you, let alone have the same face as you.”
“You big ol’ meanie,” Bernard whined girlishly, sticking his bottom lip out in a pouting manner.
Inside, I laughed hysterically. It was too bloody adorable the way they fought. It reminded me of my brother and I, but even more so with how quickly they rebutted each other.
Outwardly, I remained stone-faced and barely shifted as not to appear rude to the head of the Promiscus Guardians. I’d been told enough about him to know that one shift, one singular twitch, could he perceive in my face would ultimately give me away. There were legends and stories that exceeded even my father about Simon. So, no time better than now to practice all that royal breeding my father had forced upon me than the present. If it served my brother’s hope to create ties here with the Guardians, then it would be worthwhile.
Simon’s eyes were on Bernard as his mouth twitched for a moment. “I shall find other Guardians should you deem your current ones, or perhaps more specifically just one of them, to be unfitting.”
“Hey Chief, what’re you—” Bernard started, but I quickly interjected, my heart thrumming again as my eyes pinned the angel to where he stood.
“That will not be necessary,” I said, clearly surprising the angel with my unwavering statement and delivery, “Both are quite sufficiently skilled from what I have already discerned in our time together.”
Simon’s eyes flashed, mouth upturning. “I have heard that you are overseer of the Spirit Bellatorum warrior army, is that accurate?”
I nodded once, lifting my chin in a moment of pride. “My men are trained vigorously by myself and Anric.” I let my stare trail beside me, finding that Bernard’s mouth had dropped open, “My brother recently honored me with the position of Captain of the Spirit Warriors.”
Simon cradled his chin again, eyeing me with a secretive smile. “A high honor indeed. The last I heard it was given was to your father himself.”
“Yes,” I replied coolly.
Father had never given it to another during his rule. Before him was his father and so on, so forth. My brother had broken the chain when he bequeathed the title to me—not a king or a man, but a woman and a princess in which blatantly suggested I had other uses aside from child-rearing.
It had been another reason so many were against my presence in court. I was the royal that broke the mold. A sort of rebel, if you would. However, I did everything that was required of my social position. But after being permitted to become a skilled warrior, it was the only time I truly felt freedom and happiness with a given responsibility.
Of course, Anric, confidant to my brother, had agreed that I deserved nothing less than leadership over the army I’d nearly trained entirely by myself. Seeing how he trained me with everything he knew, it was a statement to his tutelage that I should be honored with such a title. And thereafter, Anric received the title as my second-in-command. It was expected since he was the most gifted warrior within our realm, but it was also a relief because there was no one I desired most at my side than my own teacher of all things battle.
I went to touch my concealed blade absently, straying to the mark between my shoulder blades in a brief second. Quickly, I straightened my spine to shift back into the princess I wished to project to the clearly intelligent Chief of the Promiscus Guardians.
Look like a princess, Nyla, and not some sort of battle junkie.
Twinkling eyes insinuated that Simon noticed not only the change in my tone when speaking between princess and captain, but that he also perceived the brief moment when I’d touched my marking. The very notion of him knowing caused my cheeks to flush before I was able to reign it in and control my face once more.
The gorgeous man, whose skin was a luminous gold that practically made the angel glow in the dark, offered me a brilliant smile before saying, “Then you should have no trouble whatsoever with Bernard’s particular case of inept.”
Simon’s powerful body pivoted at the waist, the formal outfit he wore distorting with wrinkles along the suit coat as he offered a pointed stare to the man beside me, who was still clearly astonished by what he had just discovered about what I did outside of my position as the royal princess.
“Hey!” Bernard finally shouted when he’d caught up with what had been said, “That’s not nice, boss. I’m one of the best you’ve got.”
“I have never spoken of such things, for it would be grossly inaccurate, to be sure,” Simon denied, lips lifting in a beautiful, yet obviously insulting smile.
Bernard touched his hat, mouth hanging open again. “Did you just make a funny about me, boss?”
“I only speak the truth where you are concerned, Bernard,” Simon refuted with a short chuckle.
Bernard landed a hand on his hip. “Now that’s just plain mean. Why does everyone poke fun at this sweet cowboy? Are you hearing this, princess?” He turned towards me, pouting.
He was too cute!
I really wished I had the same freedom as he did, because then I’d be allowed to throw my arms around him and say the words out loud. But instead, I simply watched him, lips twitching against my strongest control as Anric cleared his throat and took hold of my hand. My head jerked down to where he had grabbed me, startling me silly as Simon’s expression grew silently astonished.
“King Yaniv wishes to let this venture be one that Princess Nyla does alone. And against my wishes, he has asked that once in your care, I return to the kingdom until her time has come to an end,” Anric said to my utter befuddlement.
What?! Big Brother was actually letting me stay here without aid from Anric?!
“Against your wishes?” Simon asked the question I was eager to know the answer to.
Anric’s jaw worked for a second before he nodded. “But my King’s command is my duty. He trusts that you will care after her wellbeing.”
“Without hesitation,” Simon responded confidently.
Bernard took a few sneaky steps closer, making Anric’s eyes grow angry, but still, he continued by saying, “However, I wish to update my King on the current situation, and I must unfortunately leave to do so. Princess Nyla being in greater danger than what was originally discussed was not initially something we had been prepared for, and I wish for my King to comprehend the direness of her being left without her guard. I ask that she stay protected while I am away.”
This jerk.
“Anric,” I seethed in a tone that demanded he explain.
His light eyes flitted to mine before he was overtly ignoring me and speaking with Simon once again. “I shall only be a week. It should take me that long to get to my King in your realm.”
The angel hummed lightly, giving my heart a start when he focused on me. “And what does Princess Nyla wish?”
Me?
“I-I wish to honor my King’s wishes,” I said, stammering in my confusion and internally cursing the slip.
Simon stepped forward. “Princess Nyla, you can tell me what it is that you truly desire in your heart. You are among friends here.”
Friends.
Something about that statement made my stomach flip-flop with a sudden eagerness to do whatever he asked of me, but I knew it would be ill-mannered to say the words. To say what it was that I wanted more than anything—the freedom to walk and talk the way I wished without the ever-watchful eyes of my severe companion.
Anric appeared to be fuming, but it was the first time anyone had ever asked after my own feelings on any matter. Not even Big Brother had asked me such a question in all the years I’d lived. Of course, he was clever enough to perceive it, but so was Simon.
So why ask? Was it to gain some sort of insight on who I was? Could anything be gained by his knowing my wishes?
“I…” I stammered again, angry at myself for not holding onto my infamous control, “—I would like for Anric to trust the abilities he personally trained in me.”
Even though I knew that
Anric would tell Big Brother about every word I’d spoken, I couldn’t help saying what I really wanted. It was as if this angel had somehow drawn it out of me with his overall genuine regard of my person. It was everything I desired, to be treated as Nyla rather than a princess.
“What the princess desires is hers to freely take,” Simon said to Anric, giving my companion every reason to stiffen until his jaw was close to breaking with frustration, “You see, Anric, here in this realm, no matter what your upbringing or social status, you are whoever you wish to be. Under our care, she is free to do what she pleases as long as it doesn’t unnecessarily endanger innocent lives.”
“I would never—” I started in my defense.
Simon’s smile immediately disarmed my need to defend myself further. “Of course you wouldn’t. Seeing how you are a leader of an entire army, I would never expect you to risk the life of anyone without a purpose or their consent to do so.”
Clever angel.
“Never,” I concurred, pulse thudding.
Simon’s expression softened as he gestured towards Anric. “She is aware of the risks, so I ask that you respect her decision while she remains in our care. You have personally trained her and know the abilities she harbors. Is she so weak that even with the watch of our Guardians she would be at terrible risk? Or do you think our group incapable of supporting her?”
Anric was still clearly fuming, but even he couldn’t refute Simon’s words. “It was never my intention to suggest your group was incapable.”
“Then, I believe that you can rest easy.” Simon’s sharp eyes landed on Anric and my tall companion crippled under their strength, proving again that Simon was a formidable foe but an incredible ally.
I totally understood why Brother was so taken with the group now. Simon in particular.
My teacher’s hair shimmered as he bowed his head respectfully before turning towards me. “My Princess,” he said shortly, clearly upset with me, “Do whatever you wish, but heed my words. Stay vigilant. Enemies often disguise themselves as those closest to us. That does not change in this world by any means.”
Was he referring to the Guardians?
I wasn’t given an opportunity to question him as Anric went to a knee with an arm striking hard across his chest before he left through the door we had previously come through. I watched him go, a pressure weighing down on my chest when he disappeared entirely.
Gathering myself, I turned back to find Simon peering at me thoughtfully. The intelligent eyes that transfixed to me were clearly swirling with amusement. It wasn’t quite what I’d expected in response to Anric’s less-than-subtle insult to the operation that this angel personally oversaw.
“We have an estate nearby for you to stay at in the meantime. As soon as I have any information on Vlad, you can trust that I will contact you,” he said, taking my hand and pressing a soft, farewell kiss to it.
Enamored with the way Simon’s hair seemed to shine on its very own and the warmth that radiated off of him as if he were the embodiment of the sun, I very nearly missed his next words as he pulled away, whispering them so that only I could hear. “Be whoever you wish, princess. You are not bound by your status here, nor will any of us hold you to it.”
Had he read my thoughts?
Still mystified, I watched Simon disappear into the heavily crowded room, his massive body somehow blending in with the many Guardians that were moving about in the dimly lit space. Devices that I couldn’t fathom in my wildest dreams projected images onto the walls, depicting scenes that were, from my quick deduction, of different parts of the human world they wished to see. It was an incredible sight I was still left gaping at when I was finally pulled out of my avid stare by the voice beside me.
“Just you and me now, hmm, princess?” Bernard remarked with a wink.
I turned, avoiding Bernard’s gorgeous amber eyes and regarding the other Guardian, Carl, with a look instead. “Where is this estate of yours?”
Carl smiled, motioning to the door we had come through. “I’ll take you. Leave the idiot here. We don’t need him anyway.”
“Hey!” Bernard yelled as I followed Carl to the door, “I hope you meant some other idiot and not me.”
Even he acknowledged his idiocy? Intriguing.
“I don’t see any others here,” Carl said over his shoulder, letting me walk ahead of him while he held the door open for us to exit back out into the sunlight of the human world.
~*~
As we made our way towards the erected barriers of the estate, something in the air shifted abruptly. It was a sharp sensation that shot down my spine, alerting me of oncoming danger and triggering my hand to immediately reach for my heavy blade without hesitation. If there was one thing I trusted, it was my gut. I peered around me, drawing my blade slowly and noticing that both Carl and Bernard had drawn their respective weapons as well.
Oddly enough, Bernard carried some sort of vine that was spiked along the length, held securely together by a carved handle. A dagger was held in his other hand, while Carl sported only his hand in which the nails had sharpened to points with a hum of yellow and orange power that sparked from it.
I held my body-sized sword aloft, seeking out the offenders that I knew were nearby. It wasn’t that I could feel their essence like some, or even that I truly felt them at all, but it was the sensation of intended harm; the dense weight and static in the air that accompanied an oncoming swarm of enemies. I’d grown familiar with these sensations and knew them the instant they touched my body, running over and electrifying my sensitive flesh.
Beasts I couldn’t fathom appeared one after another, but they were clearly the same creatures as Bernard and Carl. Powerful muscles, clawed feet, sharp fangs, and a striped body of an assortment of similar colors but slight, nearly indiscernible deviations in each individual pattern. But the similarities to Bernard and Carl’s beast forms was striking and left me gathering intel of what I had already gathered from my Guardian guides versus what I’d gather in the seconds our enemies strode upon us with an intention to harm.
Focus, Nyla. Remember your training.
There were ten of them that I could count from my vantage point. The two Guardians beside me grew visibly rigid by their appearance. I, however, barely moved as I perceived every infinitesimal detail about our enemies’ shapes and movements. There was an obvious pattern to their actions that suggested this was an experienced group rather than one formed recently.
Two of the ten were poised much like I was, barely moving and watching us closely from where they crouched. Their glowing gold and black eyes, similar to the two Guardians, were fixed to our forms. Their claws ate into the dirt, signifying that they were eager to join but were under some kind of silent order to stay at the back.
Look outs. Their job was essential to make sure that no other intervened in what was to come. Interesting.
The others I noticed moving towards us formed an arrow pattern, the larger of the ten heading the front. Each individual beast moved in unison as if they were one, but the first movement came from the one leading at the front. It was milliseconds ahead of the rest, but I noticed it with my keen eye.
Their leader.
It was a pretty well-known saying, but in order to take down the snake, you must first cut off its head. With a leader-led attack such as this one, there was only one calculated move that would disrupt their formation and leave them momentarily disordered enough to overpower the rest—attack their leader, and then take the rest of them down with his demise.
My foot moved as the two Guardians beside me shifted with agitation. I didn’t give either a chance to breathe in between my foot striking dirt and my forward plunge towards the leader of the pack. I twirled just as I flitted to the space where he had crouched down in a short pause, and then I swung my sword with a downward swipe without a moment’s hesitation, aiming to kill.
Gold eyes shot to mine before I could land the blow, and then I was unexpectedly struck in the gut wi
th a powerful wave of magic. My body was sent lofting backwards, but I recovered as I formed a ball and summersaulted, saving myself from a brutal hit with the floor as I landed with my weapon striking the ground hard and sending out staggered waves of earth in the wake of my calculated landing.
Magic-user.
The body of the beast became disfigured, transforming into a man after a few seconds of awkward, uncomfortable looking movement through his back and limbs. He stood to his full height, gold eyes gleaming in the light of the sun as sandy blonde locks blew out behind him with the sudden burst of wind from the west. I watched his lips upturn, smiling at the three of us with a carefree attitude that instantly confused me.
“What a greeting,” the man said, fingering through his hair. His golden body glowed in the simple white shirt and a pair of pants he wore, similar to Bernard’s, “Is that anyway to say hello to an old friend?”
I eyed the two beside me, even more perplexed by this strange man-beast’s words. Carl was stiff and still postured for an attack, which confirmed that whoever this man was, it was no friend of ours.
Bernard surprised me with a sharp glint in his usually playful amber eyes, but it was so quick that I almost believed it a trick as he beamed a smile at the stranger, hollering out as the rest of the group shifted into their human forms.
“Danny-boy,” Bernard said, throwing his arms out, “C’mere, you old sneaky tiger you. I thought you had gone off and gotten yourself some fancy house in Hollywood or something.”
Danny—supposedly—the gold-eyed, yellow-haired man that was clearly powerful by the muscle cording through both torso and limb, walked forward casually, kicking up the dirt with his boots as he scratched along his jaw.
“How would someone you thought dead do anything like that, Bernie? Thought we were friends, but friends don’t leave friends dying in a ditch.”
His face was upbeat, smiling much like Bernard was, but there was rage boiling in his golden eyes, and I knew immediately that whatever this was, it would likely end with one of them dead.
