I nodded, relaxing my mind and power, watching the small glowing orb fade and finally wink out with a small snap of electricity. “Cool. When can we practice next?”
Dael met Mirra’s eyes, and something secretive passed between them I couldn’t read. Dael looked at me, grim-faced. “Tomorrow, and every day after that, I want you here. In between? Practice nothing more than conjuring a decent sized orb. Try to feel the ebb and flow of power. Like a muscle, it grows stronger with use. Practice pulling it in and letting it out. But remember, it’s magic and it will drain you until you build up your strength.”
While we’d been talking, Shade had finished his sparring lessons and approached. I whirled in surprise at the sound of his voice.
“I was watching. Not bad for a newbie,” he admitted. I said nothing, watching as he looked between Mirra and Dael with an odd expression I couldn’t place.
Dael grinned. “She’s going to be great once she learns more control.”
Mirra shrugged. “She’ll be good for an Onlander, anyway,” Mirra admitted. I blinked, getting the impression she was trying to downplay what I had done.
Shade turned to me. “So, we have a tradition on the playing field.”
Dael interrupted, “Shade, I don’t think…”
Shade ignored him. “The newbies have to spar with the Captain of the Guard on their first day.”
“She’s exhausted from practice. And she’s nowhere near ready with her ability to form and use the orbs,” Mirra protested.
Shade pulled his trident around, pointing to where my staff lay, leaning up against a rock where I’d put it.
“I’m not a monster. She can use her staff. I’ll go easy, I promise.” A frisson of alarm skated along my spine, and I swallowed.
He looked at me, his eyes a glittery dark green challenge. “Pick it up, newbie. Let’s see how good your Onlander skills are when matched against tail, fin—and me.”
I opened my mouth to protest. He made a sudden feinting move with his trident, the end gleaming a sudden cherry red. Instinctively I dived for my staff, bringing it around defensively and calling a bead of power along its length. I was too tired for much more. It crackled in my hands, arcing off the end.
He didn’t wait for me to recover my wits, sending an arc of electricity winging my way. Mirra and Dael scrambled out of the way as I brought my staff down with a cry into the silty bottom of the lake, creating a sonic boom of energy arcing outward and throwing his beam of energy sideways, singeing a tuft of my hair as it swung out.
My eyes narrowed, and a spot of anger bubbled up from inside. He wasn’t pulling his punches near as much as he should have been. I felt like a target he was trying to make an example of.
His grin slipped, his handsome face registering surprise. Well, I had a few more of them in store for him if he did that again.
But I’d underestimated the unique set of skills needed to fight a war beneath the water. Abruptly, he swung his arms wide and then brought them together abruptly in a loud clap. Instantly, an avalanche of pressure hit me, a boiling miasma of lake water converging on me from all sides. The hit knocked every ounce of breath from my body, sending my staff flying. Unconsciousness threatened as I struggled to draw a breath. There was a buzzing in my ear, and then I realized it was Dael and Mirra, shouting. And then Mirra’s hands were around me, rubbing vigorously over my arms and back. “Breathe Sirris. Relax, you’re okay.”
And I did, my gills pulling in lake water and changing it to a welcome gulp of oxygen for my starved cells. I spotted my staff where it had fallen. With a snarl, I reached out my hand and called it to me, shocked when it immediately spun in my direction, smacking hard into my fist. I’d never done that before.
I realized Dael was yelling. “Are you out of your mind? That was a jerk move. She’s an Onlander, not one of your seasoned guards. You could have really hurt her.”
Shade looked thoughtful and totally unrepentant. “She’s the same age as they are. I can’t help it if she hasn’t kept up on her Sylvan skills like she should. She has to catch up and in a hurry if she wants to survive down here. I gave her a wake-up call on what to expect.”
He turned to me. “Sirris, you may be a badass on land, but down here, just using your shield for protecting yourself doesn’t work the same. Water is liquid and flows around its objects. Your shield must do the same or some enterprising Sylvan or Seascrill warrior is just going to sneak their energy in on you from behind. Learn the difference, and you might survive.”
With a final lingering look at Mirra, he whirled, and with a dizzying burst of speed, was gone.
Dael and Mirra turned to me. Mirra started, “I’m so sorry Sirris, I don’t know what that was all about. I’m going to have a talk…”
I held up a hand, still fuming. I’d had a minute to think about it. “No. Don’t. You’re right, it was a dick move. But he’s not wrong, either. I need to embrace the skills that will keep me alive and fighting in Deep Lake. I’m not an Onlander now, down under. Here, I'm Sylvan.”
CHAPTER NINE
I couldn’t sleep. Mirra lay beside me, her arms flung wide, lightly snoring. I eased out from under her right arm and sat up. I wasn’t really worried about disturbing her. My sister slept like the dead. A glance at the time told me morning was still hours away at 3 o’clock. With a soft sigh, I stood up, stretching and wincing at the sore protest of muscles unused to yesterday’s workout. Bending down, I snagged my clothes off the floor where I’d dropped them the night before.
The last time I’d gone wandering about the castle after dark, I’d been the first to discover and sound the alarm on the attack that left Min dead. This time, I hoped I didn’t run into any similar surprises. I especially didn’t want to see any members of the Council because the reason I’d lain awake had been the hard knot in my stomach, the acidic ball of sadness. I missed my father and my friends. I couldn’t stop thinking about Thomas and how we’d argued about my coming here. He’d been right, of course, though there was no way I was letting him know that. I gave my sister one last fond glance and closed the door behind me. I hadn’t been above for several days, and by now I knew they must wonder and be worried. I owed it to them to let them know I was still alive. And to myself. My heart hurt thinking about Thomas and how he was driving me mad with an avalanche of confusing feelings I didn’t understand. We’d known each other most of our lives, and I knew him. So why did he seem such a stranger to me lately?
I eased into the main room, listening before I crossed to the door and let myself out into the hall where I immediately ran into two guards. Security had been beefed up since the attack, but it was designed to keep intruders out, not us in. I waggled my staff at him, smiling. If you had to lie, it was always good to remain as close to the truth as possible, blending subterfuge with a heavy dose of honesty.
The taller of the two Tarians stared at me suspiciously, their eyes on what I had in my hand, and not missing the hand bow holstered at my side as well. “I couldn’t sleep. I thought maybe I’d see if I might catch something fresh for breakfast. I’ve a craving for a nice Cutthroat Trout, pan-fried in butter and spices.”
His smaller companion wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Why ruin a fresh catch by doing all that to it?” Clearly, he was a Tarian who liked his food as close to nature as he could get it.
I plastered a big smile on my face. “Don’t knock it until you try it. But I don’t have a lot of time to chat. I want to be in position near some of their beds in the next hour, see what moves in, or out. Maybe I could bring you a sample of the results. Have you actually ever had pan-seared trout? No, I thought not. Try it, you might never go back.”
He sniffed, stepping aside to let me pass, his admiring eyes on my long silvery hair. I realized he was younger than his companion, and cute. I might have been interested if my heart wasn’t already taken by a certain grumpy wolf. “I doubt it, but I’m willing to try.”
I smiled, but didn’t answer as I moved along the lan
ding, feeling his eyes on me the entire way. My fingers glided along the balustrade and down the long, winding staircase as I went down. Outside, the castle courtyard and main streets of Tarus were largely deserted except for the guards that roamed the grounds. I was stopped twice more as I made my way to the tunnels and the heavily guarded pool leading out of Tarus and into Deep Lake. The twelve guards in the chamber had little to say to me as I left. They would have more questions on my return if I arrived empty-handed.
They remained stoic as I disrobed down to the light silver gypsum suit I’d bought from the market the last time I’d shopped with Mirra. I smoothed my fingers along the sleek cloth, molded to my form and ending several inches above my knees. I bagged the rest of my clothes, noting the number as I hung the bag on the rack. And then I was diving in and beneath the water. Scales erupted along my neck and back, exploding over my fusing legs and burning feet as the other half of my mermaid genes took over with functioning gills and a flick of powerful tail fins. I moved through the tunnels, the walls smooth beneath my fingers. I broke free into the largess of Deep Lake seconds later. I sent a brief wave to the guards there. But like the rest, they didn’t detain me. I angled myself close to the lake bed bottom, feeling the tickle of the feathery leaves of water milfoil along my belly and my trailing fingertips. I was far from invisible, but I wasn’t trying to announce my plans to any who might be observing, either.
I wasn’t sure how much of my passage went unnoticed, but nobody else tried to detain me, either. Within a matter of minutes my powerful fins had propelled me the length of the lake and I began my ascent towards shore and the large flat rock I’d last stood on several days before. I hoped the bag of clothes I’d stashed was still there, hidden in the weeds. I had no desire to be running around the mountains in a sheer singlet, freezing my butt off in the cool October air.
But I was in luck, my ditty bag being right where I’d left it. I allowed myself a few shivery moments to dry and get my land legs firm beneath me before I dressed in the dark. I slung my bag over my shoulder and struck out along the main trail for home. I had several miles of dense forest to cover between Deep Lake and the other side of Shephard’s Mountain and my father’s cabin. And the Tuttle homestead. I gave a shivery sigh of longing. I missed Thomas, the pull to see his face a near craving. I knew I’d be taking the path to his door farther up the mountain first.
Dawn was just cresting the distant ridge with the faintest tinge of pink and orange when I slid the door to the Tuttle barn open. One of the ewes gave a faint bleat of alarm when I entered her pen and went along the back edge. I raised my fist and knocked.
Silence.
I knocked again, louder. I could have tripped the secret catch and just gone in, but only a fool would enter the den of a changeling werewolf uninvited. It would have been akin to inviting myself to dinner—as the main course.
A low growl and a shuffle of movement on the other side of the door made me tense. It slid open, and Thomas stood there, his face unreadable in the shadows. To me he looked sleepy, mussed, and wonderful. I gave a small whimper, snapping my mouth shut at the small tell. Thomas’ expression shifted suddenly into something savage that made me want to take a step back and run. But it was too late. His muscled arms reached out and drug me in and up against him so tight I struggled to breathe. When I managed, I inhaled the wolf, my nose buried against his bare chest, taking in the familiar scent with a soft sound of contentment. A moment later, he seized my arms with brute force and held me back to stare down at me.
“Sirris,” he gasped. He sounded like he was hanging on to his emotions by a thread. It was my undoing. I reached out with frantic fingers and cupped his dear face, his untrimmed beard sharp beneath my fingers. I drug his face down to mine and kissed him, my mouth trembling beneath his. When I would have pulled back, he pulled me tighter, deepening the kiss until every one of my senses sprang to life. I felt the pop of scales along the base of my neck and a shiver of magic tingle off the pads of my fingertips where they touched him.
Too soon he was thrusting me away, backing up and breathing hard, his light yellow eyes fading to a glittery, hot gold, as he panted.
“Are you out of your mind? Go. Now. Get out of here before I do something I’ll regret. Before I hurt you.”
When I just stood there in shock, he swore. He reached out, turned me around, and thrust me through the door. The lock slid home behind me before I could comprehend what was happening and form a protest. I turned and stared at the closed door, jerking at the growl of rage that came from the other side, the slam of fists that made the wall shudder, and the dust motes springing free and rising into the air.
I blinked in confusion. He’d just kicked me out. Over a kiss. I shuddered, backing away and stumbling back past the sheep who scampered out of my way. My cheeks were wet when I closed the barn door and trotted back up the path towards home. Obviously, I’d made a huge mistake in thinking he felt anything other than annoyance at my intrusion on his sleep.
I swiped angrily at the tears, wanting them gone before I saw Dad and he asked questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
By the time I arrived, smoke was already pouring from the chimney and the coffeemaker was already chugging its last. The kitchen was empty, but sounds from the bathroom down the hall told me my father was already up and getting around for the day. Daddy was an early riser, always had been.
I had just taken my first sip of coffee when he came out of the bathroom, stopping dead when he saw me. And then I was sitting my coffee down and running down the hall and into his arms, burying my face against his thin chest with a sob. “Daddy,” I breathed.
“Baby girl,” he murmured gruffly, squeezing me tight. “Thank God you’re all right. I was so worried.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” I mumbled against his shirt. More tears sprung up, and I swiped at them furiously. I was acting like a dolt, unable to control myself lately.
With a last squeeze, we moved apart. Back in the kitchen, I held up an empty cup in question, and he nodded.
We sat at the table. One question led to another, and before I knew it I was telling him everything, leaving nothing out. By the time I’d finished, my father was clutching at his cup so hard I worried it might break. “You took a chance going back there, a big one. You’re lucky they let you leave. Tarus Council isn’t known for being reasonable.”
I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“They don’t know, do they? You snuck out of Tarus? They’ll be furious when they find out. You had a lucky escape.”
I gulped. I’d just set his world right again, showing up like I had. We’d always been exceptionally close. Now I was about to turn him topsy-turvy again.
“Yeah, well, I’m just here for a visit. I’m going back.”
“What? No way. It’s not safe there,” he protested.
“It’s not safe here, either. You don’t think the Council or the Seascrill will stop at the lake shore, do you? Neither of them will give until they have what they want. I have to go back and convince the Council that me on the throne is a terrible idea and in nobody’s best interests. If I can do that, and they don’t see me as a threat, maybe The Dragon Rebellion will leave me alone, too. Only then will I be convinced that my life here is safe, and that none of us are in danger.”
Dad stared at me hard. “There’s more. What are you leaving out?”
I scowled. Mouses! My father was as mad an eccentric scientist as there was. He was easily distracted by anything that involved numbers and the mysteries of the unknown, and the magical community, especially. But not when it came to me. That was where he paid attention.
I stared at my hands, cringing away from what had happened earlier.
“I went to the Tuttle farm first, before I came here.”
Dad’s eyebrows knitted in a puzzled frown.
“And?”
“I saw Thomas.”
My father’s eyes moved to the open window and the early morning sunrise. “Last night?
When the moon was high? Hmm…how did that go?”
“Not well. He kicked me out. I thought he would be happy to see me…” I started.
Dad was shaking his head. “What else? What happened while you were there, Sirris?”
I felt my cheeks flame and I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Sirris, talk to me. What did you do?” he prompted.
“I kissed him,” I whispered so faintly that he leaned forward to hear the words. When he did, he gave a grunt and sat back. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Dad and I talked about everything except my relationship, or whatever you called it, with Thomas. As far as he knew, we were strictly platonic, and he was my best friend. Period. Gaging Thomas’ reaction, maybe I was the only one that thought there was something more.
I was surprised, my head jerking up in astonishment when he laughed.
“Daddy?” I asked, horrified by his reaction.
Continuing to chuckle, he asked, “Are you saying you knocked on a young werewolf’s door during his first moon change, in the middle of the night during a full moon, and when he answered the door you kissed him? I bet that went over well.”
I growled, my lips pursed. “It didn’t. Like I said, he kicked me out.”
My dad’s expression turned rueful. “I forget sometimes, Sirris. You aren’t my little girl in pigtails anymore. And Thomas is no wolf pup. When young wolves first go through their change, they are unpredictable and dangerous. They don’t have any control. Thomas wasn’t kicking you out. He was protecting you from himself. He didn’t trust himself to…ahem…behave.” He gave me a pointed look.
I didn’t think it was possible, but my face grew even redder. “Oh,” I mumbled.
He shook his head. “Oh, that's right. You’re still poking the wolf, Sirris.”
A small smile tilted my lips. I remembered our kiss. I’d done that—pushed my Thomas to the edge. And I wasn’t sorry.
Rule 9 Academy Series Boxset: Books 3-5 Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy (Rule 9 Academy Box Sets (3 Book Series) 2) Page 62
