better. “What would you suggest, your majesty,” I gritted out.
She ignored my tone. “I would suggest that you attend the Brocken school, it would help you to hone your skills.”
I thought about this for a second. “Okay, I’ll go-“
“Of course,” she continued, cutting me off. I clenched my fists. “You will have to get accepted into the school in order to attend.”
“Okay,” I said, slowly. “I have to take some kind of test or something?” She shrugged. The gesture looked funny on her. “Of sorts.” I narrowed my eyes, forgetting my earlier pledge to show respect.
She continued as if she didn’t notice my gaze. “If you wish to attend the school with our warriors, you must fight for entry.”
I spoke the first words that came to mind; my Mother’s words. “I only fight when I have to.”
Again, she shrugged. “Well, you can always take up a trade… or live off of Nelliana. Everything comes with a price, young Warrior, and those who make it through the Brocken school are paid very well. The men you see standing in this room will testify to that. The decision is yours.”
What was she suggesting? Being paid for fighting? I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling that whatever it was, it was one of the reasons my Mother had kept us away from this place. I looked down at my arm and ran a finger over the lily on my wrist. My Mother hadn’t wanted this for me, but did I want it? After all, I’d admitted that I enjoyed fighting. It was what I was made for; one of the only things that I was great at.
I looked back up, meeting her gaze. I’d made my decision. I could only hope it was the right one. “Fine. I’ll fight.”
She smiled; no doubt she’d known what I was going to say. “Good. Very good. We shall ready the arena. You will take your test tonight.”
Chapter 21
We were heading back to our apartment buildings, with Kayden as our escort once again.
“What the hell?” I exclaimed, earning a few disapproving glances from passing people.
“It could be worse,” Jackson said.
“It’s easy for you to say that, you don’t have to beat anyone up to go to your school,” I snapped.
“I know,” he said. “But I don’t know why you’re so worried, you’re an awesome fighter. You kicked Riley’s ass easy enough.”
“Riley hasn’t been training to fight his whole life like these people have. It’s not the same thing.”
Jackson stopped walking and grabbed me by the shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “ You’ve been training your entire life to fight too. And you are the only one who is a true Warrior. You’ll be fine.”
He was right, and I told him so. “It just doesn’t seem right. Why are we fighting each other when we should be fighting the Lamia? It just doesn’t seem right.” Kayden swung around and faced us, making all of us jump in surprise. “Miss Montgomery, Mr. Kane,” he said to Nelly and Jack. “Would you mind going on ahead and packing your things? Someone will be there shortly to escort you to your new dorms.” Nelly shot me a look, asking if this was okay with me, and I nodded. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” I said.
After they walked away, I raised my eyebrows at Kayden. “Got something on your mind, buddy?”
Kayden walked over to where a bench sat under a cherry blossom tree, about ten feet away from the path we’d been walking on. I followed and took a seat on the bench beside him. I felt… happy being next to him, and again, this struck me as strange.
He stayed silent for a long time and I was just about to break the silence, when he spoke.
“You don’t have to fight.” He wasn’t looking at me, just staring straight ahead.
I took time to consider this. “It sure doesn’t seem that way.” He turned abruptly toward me, his glorious eyes looking at me for the first time since this morning. “I know. But you don’t have to. You do have a choice.” I sighed and looked down at my hands. My voice was small when I
She ignored my tone. “I would suggest that you attend the Brocken school, it would help you to hone your skills.”
I thought about this for a second. “Okay, I’ll go-“
“Of course,” she continued, cutting me off. I clenched my fists. “You will have to get accepted into the school in order to attend.”
“Okay,” I said, slowly. “I have to take some kind of test or something?” She shrugged. The gesture looked funny on her. “Of sorts.” I narrowed my eyes, forgetting my earlier pledge to show respect.
She continued as if she didn’t notice my gaze. “If you wish to attend the school with our warriors, you must fight for entry.”
I spoke the first words that came to mind; my Mother’s words. “I only fight when I have to.”
Again, she shrugged. “Well, you can always take up a trade… or live off of Nelliana. Everything comes with a price, young Warrior, and those who make it through the Brocken school are paid very well. The men you see standing in this room will testify to that. The decision is yours.”
What was she suggesting? Being paid for fighting? I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling that whatever it was, it was one of the reasons my Mother had kept us away from this place. I looked down at my arm and ran a finger over the lily on my wrist. My Mother hadn’t wanted this for me, but did I want it? After all, I’d admitted that I enjoyed fighting. It was what I was made for; one of the only things that I was great at.
I looked back up, meeting her gaze. I’d made my decision. I could only hope it was the right one. “Fine. I’ll fight.”
She smiled; no doubt she’d known what I was going to say. “Good. Very good. We shall ready the arena. You will take your test tonight.”
Chapter 21
We were heading back to our apartment buildings, with Kayden as our escort once again.
“What the hell?” I exclaimed, earning a few disapproving glances from passing people.
“It could be worse,” Jackson said.
“It’s easy for you to say that, you don’t have to beat anyone up to go to your school,” I snapped.
“I know,” he said. “But I don’t know why you’re so worried, you’re an awesome fighter. You kicked Riley’s ass easy enough.”
“Riley hasn’t been training to fight his whole life like these people have. It’s not the same thing.”
Jackson stopped walking and grabbed me by the shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “ You’ve been training your entire life to fight too. And you are the only one who is a true Warrior. You’ll be fine.”
He was right, and I told him so. “It just doesn’t seem right. Why are we fighting each other when we should be fighting the Lamia? It just doesn’t seem right.” Kayden swung around and faced us, making all of us jump in surprise. “Miss Montgomery, Mr. Kane,” he said to Nelly and Jack. “Would you mind going on ahead and packing your things? Someone will be there shortly to escort you to your new dorms.” Nelly shot me a look, asking if this was okay with me, and I nodded. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” I said.
After they walked away, I raised my eyebrows at Kayden. “Got something on your mind, buddy?”
Kayden walked over to where a bench sat under a cherry blossom tree, about ten feet away from the path we’d been walking on. I followed and took a seat on the bench beside him. I felt… happy being next to him, and again, this struck me as strange.
He stayed silent for a long time and I was just about to break the silence, when he spoke.
“You don’t have to fight.” He wasn’t looking at me, just staring straight ahead.
I took time to consider this. “It sure doesn’t seem that way.” He turned abruptly toward me, his glorious eyes looking at me for the first time since this morning. “I know. But you don’t have to. You do have a choice.” I sighed and looked down at my hands. My voice was small when I
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