by VJ Dunraven
“I second the motion!” a girl hollered from the back, generating another round of laughter.
“Now, now, settle down, settle down.” Mr. Clark waved both hands palm-down. “This is Social Hierarchy, not Social Networking. Mr. Alistair, why don't you tell us more about yourself as a Defender Descendant?”
“Well—, I am a fifth generation Descendant—”
“Aha!” Mr. Clark cut in. “That makes you a Descendant of the first water.”
“Uhm, yes, Sir. But I'm no different than the others,” Chad replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“Oh, but you are, Mr. Alistair,” Mr. Clark said with a delighted smile. “Your prime bloodline makes you an Alpha Deimon, a born leader and warrior. You are more aggressive, stronger and very clever. I would wager that you'll quickly go up the ranks in the Royal Army.”
“Way to go, Chad!” Carlos whistled while the others clapped.
Chad grinned and shifted uncomfortably, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
“Settle down, settle down,” Mr. Clark admonished once again. “Go on, Mr. Alistair; please tell us about Conversion and Maturity.”
“We are born immortal so we don't undergo Conversion. However, we do undergo Maturity between ages twenty five to forty when we reach the peak of our abilities. Ageing stops after that.”
“That is true for both Defenders and Academics,” Mr. Clark said. “However, the age of Maturity depends on how far down the lineage of royal descent one came from. The closer the ancestry, the younger the Maturity.” He drew an arrow after the word Descendant on the board and wrote Maturity: 25 to 40 years next to it. “Mr. Alistair, could you please tell your classmates about your education?”
“Yes, well, Defenders study at the Tactical Defense Institute. Our curriculum is focused on strategy, warfare techniques and self-mastery.”
“Could you expound on these subjects, Mr. Alistair?”
Chad nodded. “Strategy involves the research and development of offensive and defensive tactics, Warfare Techniques is the training and adeptness with different types of weapons, and lastly, Self Mastery is about discipline, to condition us for combat both mentally and physically.”
“Very good, Mr. Alistair, you may go back to your seat.” Mr. Clark turned towards the class. “By now, everyone should know that the administrators and educators here at Darian Hall are all Academics, including yours truly.”
The bell rang just as Mr. Clark handed out copies of the syllabus. “Our next lesson will be on Royals.” He cleared his desk as the students started heading towards the door. “Please read your copies and do some research.”
Chapter 31
Combat Class:
Directional Propulsion
Major Alexander conducted Combat class on the grounds of the sprawling elliptical coliseum.
“Today, we will train on Directional Propulsion.” He strolled down the middle isle in between their ranks. “There are three basic directions of thrust. The Incline and Decline Thrust, which means to propel your body at an angle. The Vertical Thrust, which means to launch yourself upwards, and the Curved Thrust, which is to land on a target situated on level ground. Let's start with the easiest, the Curved Thrust.” Major Alexander pointed at the markers on the grass.
“The Royals will demonstrate the correct techniques and assist me in monitoring your performance.” He beckoned the Royals to join him in front, then, separated them into three teams.
Major Alexander ushered everyone to stand in line with the Curved Thrust team, manned by the identical twin blond princesses with short bob hairstyles and full bangs.
Elizabeth watched them demonstrate the correct technique and took her turn, imitating the way they bent their legs in a stance. She jumped at a slight arch as instructed in order to land correctly.
“Very good! You can move on to the next level.“ One of the twins pointed towards the line where her other classmates were doing the Vertical Thrust.
She took her place behind Debbie Parks and watched as Prince David showed them the proper technique.
“Your feet should be apart and land at the same time.“ Prince Philippe pointed at Prince David's position on the ledge at the top of the wall.
Elizabeth glanced from one Prince to the other. Prince Philippe had a clean-cut hairstyle and wore an afternoon shadow, while Prince David had longer hair and a deep dimple on his left cheek. Both were tall, dark haired and handsome, bearing a strong resemblance to Prince William with the exception of their stunning yellow-green eyes.
Debbie Parks took her turn and jumped up, landing on the narrow ledge shakily, but caught her balance right away.
“Good!” Prince Philippe exclaimed. “Just make sure to bend your knees once you hit the ledge for better balance.”
Prince David beckoned to Elizabeth next.
She positioned herself on the starting point, carefully following instructions, then, propelled herself upwards. Her diligence was rewarded with a solid landing on the ledge.
“Excellent!” Prince Philippe clapped and ushered her towards the next level, the Incline and Decline Thrust.
Major Alexander was supervising the training together with Lady Catherine. From where she stood in line on the ground, she could see the marked bleachers up ahead, elevated to about fifty feet at a forty five degree angle.
She watched in apprehension as Major Alexander repeated the proper technique every few turns, but none of her classmates were successful except for Chad, who performed both jumps effortlessly. He strolled towards where she stood in line.
“Calculate the distance. Don't overexert yourself or you'll end up like that.” He pointed at Carlos, who skidded into the narrow isle between the bleachers and was now stuck underneath.
“Oh, no.” She grimaced.
“Just do your best. You got through the first two jumps with flying colors.” He flicked his chin towards Ben, who had failed the Vertical Jump and was now up on the wall, straddling the ledge and clinging for dear life, while Lela and Prince David were coaxing him to get down.
Elizabeth tried to keep from laughing as they watched Prince Philippe pluck Ben from the wall, only to lose his balance when Ben panicked. Both of them landed on Prince David's outstretched arms, who in turn jerked backwards and toppled on Lela who was right behind him.
“See?” Chad grinned. “There's nothing to worry about. The Royals got you covered.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and took her place at the starting point. Chad gave her an encouraging nod. She bent her knees and propelled herself the way she saw Chad had so effortlessly done.
Once airborne, however, she realized that the Incline Thrust was different. Instead of falling on the target, it seemed like the target was meeting her halfway.
The next thing she knew, she missed the marked spot on the bleacher and lost her footing. She tilted forward, hitting her shin on the edge of the upper bleacher and tumbled face first into the aisle with her legs sticking up in the air.
“Miss Hamilton! Are you all right?” she heard Major Alexander call from the field.
“Yes Sir, I'm fine!” She muttered a curse, taking the hand that was offered to help her. “Thanks, Chad!” She dusted herself without looking up. “You made it look so easy I thought I had it all figured out.”
“There's always a first time,” a baritone voice with a sexy British accent replied.
Elizabeth jerked her head up to find Prince William smiling at her. “Y-your Highness! What are you doing up here?”
“Helping out with training.” He rubbed a smudge off her cheek with his thumb. “You're supposed to call me William.”
Elizabeth caught her breath at the tender gesture. Today, he looked strikingly masculine, wearing the same black leather combat uniform as the other Royals, except his had intricate blue and silver insignias on both shoulders. A lock of dark hair fell over his brow.
Elizabeth felt self-conscious. She must look hideous with her Medusa hair and grimy clothes! And was that a tiny s
pider crawling up the bridge of her nose? She turned her eyes inward and frowned.
The Prince dropped his hand. “You don't seem too thrilled to see me.”
“It's not you.” She flicked the offending insect with her forefinger. “It's just that—, I hate combat class!”
Prince William chuckled and plucked a dried leaf from her hair. “You need more practice, that's all. Come on.” He took her hand. “Let's go over there.”
“Are you sure Major Alexander won't mind?” Elizabeth glanced back at her classmates who were casting curious looks at them.
“No, he's too preoccupied.” The Prince selected a bleacher not too far from the class and placed a yellow marker on it. “I'll teach you how to do the Incline Thrust properly.” He led her back down to the field starting point. “Grip my arm tightly.” He extended his arm and placed her hand on his forearm. “Brace your arm against mine and bend your knees.” He showed her the right position. “Now, focus on the target.” He pointed up at the yellow marker on the bleacher. “Propel yourself upwards on the count of three, got it?”
Elizabeth gave him a worried grimace, but proceeded to do what she was told.
“Don't be afraid. I'll control your velocity. I won't let you fall.”
Elizabeth tried her best to keep her focus. His nearness did funny things to her insides, but she certainly wouldn't start making a fool of herself by letting him see how much he affected her.
“On three, okay?” Prince William tightened his hold on her arm. “One ... two ... three!”
They both leapt towards the target.
Elizabeth felt the muscles bunch in his arm, as he matched her speed with his own. They landed on the mark without incident.
“Easy, huh?” He grinned. “Did you get the idea of controlling your momentum in relation to the target?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Good. So you won't end up in a creek next time.” He winked when she glared at him. “Now, let's perform the Decline Thrust by jumping back down to the mark on the field below.”
They practiced both Thrusts repeatedly until Elizabeth gained more confidence.
“Okay, now do the Incline and Decline Thrust by yourself.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Oh no, I don't know if—”
“You'll be fine.” He led her to the starting point again. “You need to learn how to do it without me.” She bit back her protest and nodded. “Remember what I told you,” he said as she prepared to take off.
Surprisingly, she discovered that she could manage both thrusts successfully on her own.
“You did excellent! Now, perform both thrusts backwards.”
“What?” Elizabeth gaped at him. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. It's very useful in actual combat. You must learn how to modify the basic techniques for your own advantage. If Major Alexander shows you how to thread on a straight line, think about how you can manipulate that simple move into a number of different moves. That's how Royals and Defenders are trained.”
“But I'm not—”
“Come. No more excuses. Do everything exactly the same way you did before, except now, the thrust will be done in reverse. I won't let you get hurt, I promise.”
“Okay,” she grumbled, a little annoyed that he was back to giving orders again.
As soon as she went airborne, however, she learned that propelling oneself facing the opposite direction wasn't so difficult. She looked down as she sailed over the bleachers, but as her momentum tapered, the acceleration of her descent was faster than she'd anticipated. She landed on the target, but floundered helplessly backwards.
Strong arms caught her.
“Not bad for a start.” He cradled her waist as she fell back on his chest.
Her body instantly awakened on contact with the contours of his muscles pressed against her spine, her skin tingling as his breath fanned on her cheek. The scent of him—, clean and woodsy, filled her nostrils, weakening her knees. She braced her forearms automatically on top of his, clutching at his wrists for balance.
“Ready to try again?” he whispered in her ear.
“S-sure.” She turned her head halfway.
Her movement unintentionally caused his lips to glide along her cheekbone. The accidental touch sparked an acute awareness that she knew he likewise felt, judging from the heavy rise and fall of his chest as he drew an unsteady breath.
For a moment, she thought he would kiss her right there—, within sight of the entire class, but he loosened his hold and let go of her instead.
“On your mark, Private Hamilton!” his voice sounded stern, although humor lit his eyes.
“Yes, Sir, Drillmaster Sergeant!” she retorted in an equivalent tone, saluting and snapping her feet together.
His eyebrows flew upwards in surprise, then, he laughed heartily. “You are very funny.”
“And you are very bossy.” She joined in his laughter.
For the next half hour, they worked on the technique multiple times, until Major Alexander finally called the class to reassemble in the field.
“Thanks for teaching me.” Elizabeth began to saunter away.
“Wait—” He caught her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “I'll walk with you.”
Elizabeth looked at him in astonishment. Walk her to class—, hand in hand?
“You don't mind, do you?”
“N-no,” she breathed, her gaze dropping to his mouth.
His lips tipped at the corners. He gave her hand a slight squeeze and tugged her to his side.
“Here we are,” he said, as they reached her spot in the middle of the row. Elizabeth was quite aware her classmates were gawking, but she didn't care. “I'll come by later,” he murmured and squeezed her hand again before releasing it.
She watched him join his cousins until they disappeared from view, wondering if his interest in her was for real.
Another minute later, Lela nudged her. “Back to Earth, goo-goo eyed Miss!” She pointed to Chad, Carlos, and Ben who were standing a short distance away. “Class is over and they're waiting for us!”
Seated at the farthest row of bleachers from the field, Catherine peered down at the students who were starting to leave. She singled out the girl with the long flame-colored hair. Was this the girl William chose over her? A mere Tainted?
She watched as the petite teenager dressed in jeans and a blue sweater joined her friends. What did William see in her?
Jealousy speared her heart. She'd tried her best to overlook William's presence in Combat class, but what she couldn't ignore was how he'd doted on that girl.
Catherine felt the wick of fury burn in her chest. How could he be so fond of the Tainted girl, when he couldn't have known her for more than a few days? Whereas fifty bloody years and all she got was a cold dismissal slapped on her face—, used and humiliated, cast off in favor of a new plaything! Did William think she would give him up that easily?
Her gaze followed the Tainted girl who was laughing with her friends on their way out of the coliseum. Before they disappeared into the exit, one of the girl's friends turned and looked in her direction.
Catherine abruptly ducked and waited for the tall, handsome blond guy to shift his attention. She could spot an Alpha Deimon when she sees one. When she'd asked Major Alexander about him in class earlier, he had mumbled something about an exchange student program.
What rotten luck that the Alpha Descendant was friends with the girl! He might get in the way of her plans. But then again—, if he was still an undergrad, he couldn't be skilled enough to pose much of a threat.
Catherine rose from the bench, as the group vanished under the arch of the exit doors. She had plenty of things to do—, beginning with her moving out of the twin's townhouse.
Chapter 32
The Concept of Friendship
The parking lot was no longer crowded when Elizabeth, Chad, Lela, Ben and Carlos finally reached it after combat class.
“I'll say this just once.�
� Ben gave Elizabeth a reproachful look as they walked towards where they usually parked. “Whatever you told us the other day about what's going on between you and His Royal Hotness was a load of hogwash.”
Elizabeth shot him a glance and felt her cheeks flush. “I don't know what you mean,” she replied crisply.
“Now don't get all ruffled, I'm not trying to put you on the spot.” Ben arched a well-shaped eyebrow. “We're not blind and stupid, you know. We can figure out that your story about His Royal Hotness don't match the facts.”
Elizabeth tensed. She was not comfortable disclosing the Prince's obvious preference for her company, nor her undeniable feelings for him. In spite of the palpable chemistry between them, her uncertainty on where it would lead scared her.
Lela touched her arm, distracting her contemplation.
“Excuse my blind and stupid friends here and let me explain,” Lela said in her usual take-charge attitude. “You probably think we're too nosy, but guess what? That's the whole concept of friendship. We share the good, the bad and the nasty.”
“That's right,” Carlos interjected. “We won't judge you even if you're a sinner, or a fornicator, or a—”
Ben clamped his palm on Carlos' mouth. “Forget you heard that.”
Lela glared at them. “What we're trying to tell you is that we're your friends and you can trust us if you need to talk about anything or anyone, like— His Royal Hotness. Right Chad?” She slapped the back of her hand on Chad's chest, who had been observing them quietly.
“Uh—, right.” Chad grinned. “Plus, we'll find out the truth about you and His Royal Hotness, one way or the other anyways.”
Lela gave him an exasperated look and rolled her eyes.
“Guys, guys . . .” Elizabeth formed a T for time-out with her hands and stopped walking. “Look. Can you all please stop calling him, His Royal Hotness? It's annoying. I know I lied and . . .” she let out a big sigh.
Carlos rubbed his hands together. Ben and Lela eyed her expectantly. Chad glanced at his wristwatch, looking bored.
