He joined the group of faeries and I watched as they took a couple of steps before disappearing from view. ‘Neat party trick,’ I said to Scruffy.
‘One that you will no doubt learn,’ Mum said as she came to stand by my side.
As we walked back to the house it wasn’t their method of travel I thought about and it wasn’t the conversation with Isla or the thought of the humiliating poem. I wondered what it was like meeting him at night when there was nobody else to see. I shivered as I thought about the feel of his lips on my skin and I hoped I would remember soon.
8
Bada Bing Bada Boom!
I wasn’t sure what I was more nervous about; the fact that in an hour and a half I would be joining the Border Guard, or the fact that Mum still hadn’t said anything about it. It was also the first time that I wouldn’t be living under Eric’s roof. I hadn’t realised how much comfort I had taken from his protection. I was buttering my toast, trying to ignore the butterflies flying lazy loops around my belly, when there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Sabina and Thomas shoving each other.
‘I was here first,’ Sabby said, pushing past Tom.
‘Heard you were going, thought I’d say bye.’ Tom stopped to scratch Scruffy behind the ears before helping himself to my toast. I sighed and put two more pieces of bread in the toaster.
Sabina picked up the Border Guard brochure I had strategically placed on the table. Mum often needed an opening to berate me, and it was better to let her get it out of her system than let it build any further.
‘I can’t believe you’re doing it,’ Sabby said.
‘Yeah, I can’t believe you’re doing it.’ Where Sabby’s voice had been filled with horror, Thomas’s was tight with excitement.
‘Yep.’ My casualness belied the nerves I felt at what I was about to do.
‘I thought it was the tea talking.’ Sabina sighed and took a seat at the table.
Mum clanged a pot into the sink and started scrubbing it viciously.
‘Signing up to be a protector of the people, that’s a big deal.’ Thomas took a seat next to Sabby. ‘Guarding the borders between our lands and the Fae, fighting orcs and goblins.’
Mum opened a cupboard and threw the pot into the back corner.
‘It’s a noble occupation. I only wish I had the guts to do it.’
‘And the ability to see blood without fainting,’ Sabby said.
Thomas ignored her and continued. ‘There’s all that mystery surrounding the Guards though. I wonder if the rumours are true?’
I could hear Mum mumbling as she thumped a bowl onto the table and poured some flour into it.
‘About them eating babies?’ I was pretty sure that wasn’t true. And if it was, I was quitting.
‘No, about them being a secret cult.’
I hadn’t heard the secret cult rumours. ‘Well I’ll know soon enough.’
‘Yes.’ He picked up another piece of toast. ’But you won’t be able to tell us.’
If what Aethan had said were true, that was probably closer to the truth than what Tom really thought.
Three eggs flew from the open fridge towards the bowl. Two made it into the flour mixture; the other smashed into the side of the bench and slid to the floor. Scruffy leapt up and raced to the mess, swallowing the egg, shell and all, in one gulp.
‘I don’t know why you’re bothering,’ Sabby said.
‘What do you mean?’
‘You and Aethan are going to get married and live happily-ever-after in his big castle.’
‘Married?’ Geez. I’d spent, what, all of an hour with the guy, and Sabby was talking marriage.
‘Where’s your grandmother?’ I wasn’t sure if Thomas changed the subject because he was uncomfortable with it, or if he could see that I was.
‘Not sure.’ I had been wondering the same thing. It wasn’t like Grams to not be here to say goodbye.
Mum snarled something that sounded like, ‘Death wish,’ and chucked the mixing bowl at the sink. It missed, bouncing off the splashback and spinning on its edge before settling onto its side.
‘Mum,’ I said, ‘you’ll break it.’ I knew she could mend it afterwards but that wasn’t the point. My going was.
‘Oh, so you care about me breaking that,’ she snapped.
Oh boy. Here we go.
‘What about my heart? Do you care about breaking my heart?’ Most of the time Mum was the picture of sensibility, but occasionally she gave Grams and Sabina a run for the Drama-Queen-of-the-Year title.
‘How am I breaking your heart?’
‘By, by,’ she waved her hands around in the air, ‘going off to die.’
I let out a big breath of air. ‘Mother, I am not going off to die. I’m going to learn how to defend myself.’
‘But why? What did I do wrong?’
I glanced at the clock. If I didn’t leave soon I would be late, and I really didn’t want to be late.
‘Oh Mother.’ I pushed back my seat and went to hug her. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong.’
‘She’s always been a freak,’ Sabby said.
The corners of Mum’s mouth quirked up at the corners, but tears rolled down her face.
‘I’ll be safe,’ I said. And if I weren’t, well I just wouldn’t tell her. ‘I’ll talk to you tonight, I promise, but I have to go.’
She hugged me fiercely and then wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. Mum’s tantrums never lasted long. ‘Tonight,’ she said.
‘You may want to instigate that,’ Sabby said, as I carried my bag to the back door. ‘She broke my mirror the other day.’
I poked my tongue out at her while I waited for Tom to pull the door open for me. I had already packed Scruffy’s bed and it only took me a moment to squeeze my bag into my small boot.
Excitement, anxiety and nerves were all mixing together and I was starting to feel nauseous. The prolonged farewell was not helping the situation and there was nothing to be done but get on with it. I started the car and pulled out of the driveway, and, with one final wave, I set off for London and my new life.
***
I had worked myself into quite a state by the time I reached the Barracks. The whole I’m-going-off-to-join-the-Border-Guard thing had been a lot easier whilst eating toast in my kitchen. Now that I was there, driving past groups of men training in the fields, I wasn’t so sure about the idea.
What if I made an idiot of myself? What if I wasn’t good enough? What if Mum was right and I died?
Eeeek.
If I kept thinking those sorts of things I’d turn tail and flee. Instead I concentrated on the anger I’d felt the other day. I wanted to help keep our land safe, I wanted to stop the senseless violence. And, if I were totally honest, a deep, dark part of me wanted revenge.
About a dozen young men stood at the front of the barracks, waiting in line to give their name to the huge, hairy Border Guard. His face broke into a grin when I joined the queue.
‘Izzy.’ He seemed absurdly pleased to see me.
‘Wilfred.’ I returned his smile. It was impossible not to get swept up in his enthusiasm.
‘No need to wait,’ he said. ‘Rako is briefing the second years. You’ll be joining them.’
Every head in the line turned to stare at me. No doubt they were all wondering the same thing I was. Why did I get to join the second years?
I slammed my mouth shut and nodded at him. No need for them to know I was as confused as they were.
‘Come on Scruffy,’ I said, picking up my bag.
Wilfred ruined my cool exit by punching me on the arm. I was sure he meant it in a comradely way, but his fist bit deep into the muscle and I staggered to the side.
The grin on his face intensified to outright merriment. I rubbed my arm, stared him in the eye and said, ‘You’ll keep.’
He smacked his hands together and said, ‘Excellent.’
Rako was standing inside the entry to the building. I paused for a second to admire
the old, stone structure with its sweeping pillars and high arches. Colourful banners and wooden plaques lined the walls.
Rako ended my contemplation of the beautiful, old building. ‘You’re late, and he’s not white.’
‘I only promised washed-yesterday white,’ I said.
‘I guess he’ll do. First door on the left.’ He pointed down a hall. ‘Briefing is in five minutes.’
‘Ahhh,’ I said, ‘Wilfred said I’m joining the second years.’
‘You don’t think you’re up to it?’ His eyes bored into mine as he frowned.
‘I guess the important thing is if you think I’m up to it.’ While I liked the idea of skipping a year of training, I wasn’t sure why they were letting me.
He snorted. ‘You’re going to have to fight for it, but you’re up to it.’
Fight for it? What in the Dark Sky did he mean by that?
I trotted down the hall to the room Rako had indicated. An easy murmur of conversation, punctuated with laughter, flowed out the door to the hallway. Twelve young men sat with their chairs pulled into a rough circle. Some of them were obviously full-blooded faeries; the others must have been the same as me – half-breeds. As soon as I entered the room the conversation stopped, and once again, all eyes were on me.
This time though, the looks were openly hostile. I gulped as I took in their angry looks. Now I knew what Rako was talking about. Fight for it indeed.
I was guessing Little Miss Nice wasn’t going to cut it with these bad boys. The problem was that I didn’t really have any other persona. I scuttled to the back of the room and dived into a chair, opening up the manual that was on the table next to me and burying my head in it.
I could feel their eyes on me, but I stoically ignored them, flicking through the manual whilst not seeing one word. Eventually their conversation started up again and I let out the breath I had been holding.
A few minutes later, total silence fell over the room again and an accented voice asked, ‘Who do I have to beat the shit out of to get a seat?’
I knew that voice. My eyes flew to the figure standing in the doorway.
Oh boy, did I ever know that voice.
Isgranelda’s blonde hair was pulled back into a braid. She wore a skin-tight, black cat suit. I felt like a child as I viewed the ample curves that suit clung to. The zip, running the length of the front, was undone far enough to show her breasts bulging out of her bra. I was thinking she needed a bigger cup size, but I don’t think the boys agreed.
‘You can sit right here,’ one of the bigger men said, patting his lap.
She smiled as she swayed towards him and reached out as if to pat his cheek. Instead, she grabbed his arm and wrenched him out of the chair, pivoting her body to propel him across the room. He flew an impressive distance before crashing face first onto the floor. Then she dusted off her hands and daintily took his seat.
I groaned inwardly. I so should have done that. But no, I’d gone for the church-mouse approach and now I would probably never earn their respect.
Rako strode through the door. ‘Get up Brad,’ he said as he stepped over the prone man.
Brad pushed himself onto all fours and then clambered to his feet. I had thought Isgranelda’s trick would have made him angry, but instead he eyed her lustily. ‘Maybe we can try that again later,’ he said, dragging another seat to the front.
‘Next time I use my knives.’
I couldn’t believe it. What was Isgranelda doing here? The fact that she was part-faery made total sense. Her ability to tie me in knots was her manipulating air.
I stared at the back of her head, wishing her anywhere but there. Perhaps it would be different to school. Perhaps without her friends she wouldn’t feel the need to make my life miserable.
Yeah right!
I managed to push thoughts of her aside and concentrate as Rako outlined the program for the year. At the top of the list was the fighting training: swordplay; archery; hand-to-hand combat; and miscellaneous weaponry. Then there was tracking and evasion, first aid, bushcraft and logistics.
‘As second years you will become more than proficient in all of these areas, or face dismissal. This year you will also start entering Trillania.’
A few of the students murmured to each other. It seemed I wasn’t the only person who didn’t know what Trillania was.
‘You will be accompanied by Guards for these trips, and it is imperative that you stay with your Guards and obey their every command.’
Trillania? It didn’t even ring a faint bell.
‘Rosters for training and for Trillania are in the normal place. Take your gear to your barracks and get ready for your first lesson.’
I was more clueless when he strode from the room than I had been when he’d arrived. The only thing to be done was to follow the rest of the class and hope I got some answers as the day went on.
The notice board’s normal place was in the entry hall. I stayed at the back of the pack as they clustered in front of it, pushing and shoving to get the best view. Isgranelda elbowed her way into the crowd. From the ‘ouches,’ and surreptitious rubbing of body parts I gathered she was pinching her way to the front of the group.
‘Archery,’ she said in her distinctive accent. ‘Twenty rumbles I’ll wipe the floor with any of you.’
‘I’ll take you on,’ Brad said.
‘Anyone else game?’ She looked around the group.
‘Looks like it’s just you and me.’ Brad seemed to like that idea.
Once the main group had moved off, I scanned the board. Archery this morning, bushcraft this afternoon, and then, after dinner, Trillania. I had the day to find out what in the Great Dark Sky it was.
The second year barracks was along a corridor and up a flight of winding stairs. A large open room looked out over a field where archery boards stood. One side of the room was lined with bookshelves packed full of books. The rest of the room housed over-stuffed chairs arranged haphazardly around low tables.
A huge chamber opened off the common room. Beds, separated from each other by a wardrobe and a chest of drawers, lined the walls. There didn’t seem to be any separate accommodation for Isgranelda and me.
I gathered by the way she dumped her bag on a bed and growled, ‘Mine,’ that she didn’t care. I, however, wasn’t sure how I felt about the idea. I chose a bed as far from her as possible and set my bag down on it. Scruffy jumped up, turned around a few times and put his head on his front paws.
‘What’s with the dog?’
I turned to the young man who had taken the bed next to mine. ‘Scruffy is my familiar.’
He stared at Scruffy, a perplexed look puckering his face. Then he flashed me a quick grin. ‘Cool.’ A little, ginger cat jumped onto his bed and stared across at Scruffy. ‘This is Tinker.’ It arched its back and padded at the course, grey blanket with its claws before settling down in a position that mimicked Scruffy’s.
‘I’m Isadora. Izzy for short.’ I held my hand out.
He grasped it and pumped it up and down a few times. ‘Jared,’ he said.
‘Hey Jar Head,’ one of the other guys yelled out, ‘you trying to get the jump on the Ice Queen?’
Ice Queen? Well I guessed that was better than Scaredy Cat.
Jared flipped a finger at the other guy. ‘Don’t worry about Lance. He’s all bark.’
Isgranelda was unpacking her bag onto her bed. Pairs of lacy bras were piled high next to G-string knickers. Brad and a couple of the other guys were watching her with huge grins on their faces. I grimaced and hoped nobody got a look at my very sensible underwear.
‘So,’ Jared perched on the edge of his bed and nodded his head at Isgranelda, ‘what’s her story?’
Geez, how to answer that?
‘Don’t know much about her,’ I said. ‘She showed up at my school about six months ago and took over as head bully.’
He nodded his head at Brad and said, ‘They’ll get on well then.’
I opened th
e top drawer of my dresser and shovelled my underwear in, then put the rest of my clothing into the other ones. I hadn’t brought anything that needed hanging. A quick glance at the clock showed that we only had five minutes till we were due at the archery range.
Jared finished putting his clothes into his drawers and then the two of us left the others to their ogling of the contents of Isgranelda’s wardrobe. I had no idea how she had managed to wedge so much stuff into one bag.
‘Jared,’ I didn’t want my potentially only friend to think I was an idiot, but I had to ask someone, ‘what’s Trillania?’
‘I’m not sure. I’ve heard the word before but nobody here ever tells us what it is.’
’Guess we’ll find out tonight.’
He nodded his head and led me out a side door and down to the field I had seen from the common room window. Wilfred was already there with a pile of bows and arrows.
‘Where are the rest of them?’ he asked.
‘Unpacking.’ I had forgotten how hairy he was. Orange hair covered his arms and sprouted out from under the neck of his shirt.
‘You’re imagining me naked aren’t you?’
I jumped and blushed. I hadn’t been imagining it, but I had been wondering if the hair was like that all over his body.
‘Hoi Aethan,’ he yelled out, ‘your woman wants to see me naked.’
There was so much wrong with that, that I didn’t know where to start refuting information. To start with, I wasn’t Aethan’s woman. We’d fought together and had one courting session (I wasn’t sure what else to call it), but I wasn’t his woman and didn’t know if I ever would be.
‘I do not,’ I said, my cheeks on fire.
Aethan laughed as he walked towards us from the targets. He didn’t seem disturbed by the mention of me being his woman.
‘You and he,’ Jared waved a finger between Aethan and me.
‘It’s complicated,’ I said. I didn’t want to claim it and yet I found myself strangely reluctant to deny it. The man was an eye-fest.
I was thankful when he left it at that and turned his attention to Wilfred. ‘Izzy was asking about Trillania.’
Faery Born (Book One in the War Faery Trilogy) Page 10
