Page 36 of Black Onyx
“We all did,” Loki replies, “you left it on the coffee table in the main room and we wanted to see what classes we shared.”
I smile, but don’t reply as we continue our onward journey. I like that they cared enough to want to know. Eventually the others all split off to their own classes leaving me alone for the first time with Rival.
“So, what’s strategy?” I ask.
His smile is warm as he looks down at me, “It’s pretty much what it sounds like but I personally think it’s a bit outdated now. It’s all about war strategy and things like that so it's fairly difficult to transfer that into the modern version of what we do now.”
“You mean enforcement, no wars and dignitary protection detail,” I smirk.
“Well don’t get me wrong, I think it’s an important job we do especially since we’re deployed across the realms, but more and more now the important members of our society seem to be sending their spoilt kids here to be reformed.” He shrugs.
“If that’s what strategy is about then what class do we learn the best strategy to take down the many supernatural creatures we come across?” I ask with a frown.
“Funnily enough that’s in a class that’s simply called supernaturals.”
I raise my eyebrows and he chuckles as he opens the door to the class room.
Chapter Eleven
By the end of the class, I could easily see what Rival was talking about. The lesson seems to be outdated, focusing on strategies that past commanders have used in their wars. Even if we have another war, the strategies that they’re teaching in that class wouldn’t necessarily be relevant. It seems to me that they’re keeping the wrong traditions alive. Lunch is a reasonably smooth affair, and by the time we leave, I’m grateful that we’ve had a relatively drama-free day.
“Farren, boys, can I speak with you for a moment?” Uncle Magnus asks, approaching us just before we enter the gym for combat class.
“Sure,” Storm replies with his signature frown.
The hallways are fairly empty now, but he still keeps his voice low as he talks, “Something big is going on. All of the Kings and Queens of the courts have been summoned to the winter palace. I don’t know if you are aware, but the head Seer is currently in attendance there before she moves onto the next court. Your father is attending as well.”
“What? Why? He’s not royal.” I reply, unable to help, stating the obvious thanks to the sinking feeling in my gut.
“No, but he is very well connected, as you know, and is in a couple of their confidences. Whatever is happening is not good, Farren. The last thing we need is for him to decide he needs you back home.” His warning makes a shiver of premonition go down my spine.
Ice freezes in my veins; going back there now, even after such a short amount of time, would be incredibly difficult, especially since I’ve been shown kindness and consideration here, far more than I ever did with him. I also know that as soon as he gets me back there, he’ll insist on punishing me despite the fact that he agreed to send me here. At the time, I don’t think he realised quite how incompetent his other enforcers were when it came to dealing with his problems. Of course, they didn’t have the threats hanging over them that I did, and any time one of the new hires seemed to question his methods or the things that were asked of them, they mysteriously disappeared. It happened so often that he stopped hiring new people, and his current enforcers have been with him for so long that they’re nearly as bad as he is and love to help inflict the punishments that my father demands.
“Farren, Farren!” someone calls, clearly having been trying to get my attention for a while.
My eyes refocus, and I look blankly at Reaper, who’s stood in front of me, his knees bent slightly so he can meet my eyes. He’s just that freaking tall. All the guys are surrounding me with the same worried looks on their faces, and my eyes drift over them all before catching on to Storm as he leans against the wall, separate from the rest of us and, of course glaring.
“Are you okay?” Reaper asks gently.
“Erm, yeah.” I reply awkwardly before deflecting with a question of my own, “where did Magnus go?”
“He said he had a meeting to get to and needed to go. He did say goodbye.” Loki replies with a slight frown and then continues changing the subject for me, distracting the others from my momentary lapse into the abysse that is my mind, “something pretty fucking big must be going on because the kings and queens wouldn’t all be in the same place otherwise.”
“Has your father said anything?” Mayhem asks, looking over to Storm.
His glare deepens as he thinks about the answer and replies shortly, “No.”
“If the meeting is as last minute as Magnus made it out to be, then I doubt he had the time to get in contact with you. Hopefully, it’ll be a big enough deal that he’ll be too occupied to come here or check in.” Kill adds, his expression dark. “Does he know I’m here?”
“I sure as shit haven’t told him, but that doesn’t mean the Headmaster hasn’t, or one of the students could have told their parents, and it could’ve gotten back to him that way.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic.” He replies grimly.
I’m not too fond of the looks on either of their faces. They’ve got the same haunted look in their eyes that screams of shared trauma. I hate that he’s still a threat to them even now, and if he does end up here, I might have to see what I can do to deter him from returning or bothering the brothers ever again. I can be pretty fucking persuasive when I need to be.
“Don’t, Farren. It’ll bring far too much trouble for all of us, trouble that we don’t need. He’s not just a random man; he’s a king.” Kill warns me, his face serious but a spark of pride in his eyes.
“What?” Storm barks, his eyes studying my expression closely and then flicking back to his brother. They widen slightly at whatever he sees in our expressions. “You’d go after him? For Killian?” he asks, seemingly somewhat perplexed, and it occurs to me that, of course, no one has ever stuck up for them where their father is concerned. He has even more power than my own, and no one who wants to remain in his good graces would go up against a king.
