I focus on the professor. “So that’s one of Worgren’s spawn, huh? I thought he’d be taller.” The guys snicker at my response, drawing the man’s attention to us—and to me.
“Mistress, I know I tell you this often, but please for the love of the gods don’t anger him. His ancestors have a bloodthirsty reputation for the Dark.”
I stroke Lore’s wing with the crook of my finger. “I won’t start if he won’t.”
She groans into my mind, and the guys stare between the professor and me. Their auras merge and flow together, and I frown at Dane who shrugs nonchalantly before stepping in front of me, blocking my view of the man.
“Class!” his voice booms across the arena, sending fear across a number of faces. “I’d usually begin this lesson by saying you’re here to learn to defend yourself against the Dark, but as we have one of their kind here, trying to intermingle with us, I’ve been warned against my usual speech.”
I peer around Dane and wave brightly. “Glad to be here!” I call before I’m pulled back by a horrified Rory.
“Do you have a death wish?”
I snicker, and Paxton sighs, standing on my other side to block me in completely.
“You are here to learn advanced combat techniques, so that you can protect yourselves ‘in the event of an attack from any nameless opposing body.’” He says the last part in a bored voice, as if someone had drilled it into him only recently. “These skills are vital if you wish to take part in the semesterly Trials!”
“Trials?” Lore perks up.
I turn to Declan. “What… er… what are the Trials?”
“It’s like an obstacle course,” he says under his breath, “but more dangerous. It tests all of our skills at once; the winning team takes the prize for twenty-four hours, and those that lose end up bruised at best and in hospital at worst.”
I stick out my bottom lip, taking in the information with mild interest. “And what would that prize be?”
“Usually it’s one of the godly objects.”
“Ah…” I swallow, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Interesting…”
“Today, you will be split into pairs and will spar,” Professor Worgren continues. “I will be watching for natural skill as well as strength, agility, and learned technique. Ladies, your changing rooms are to the left. Gentlemen, yours are to the right. Be back here in five minutes.”
The guys finally break apart their human wall and shuffle off in the direction of their change rooms. I watch them go for a moment before turning on my heel and making my way to the ladies, but not before giving Professor Worgren a salute and wink. He crosses his arms and watches me darkly until the door of the changeroom blocks his view.
Lore sighs into my mind, and I chuckle. “What kind of Dark student would I be if I didn’t mess with people every once in a while?”
“But why does it have to be the descendant of a known Dark slayer? Can’t you choose one of those blonde girls?”
I turn to the rest of the girls who are scouring the lockers for their names. Those who have found their own draw out their academy-issued training gear and head into the cubicles to change. Looks like I don’t have to fight in a skirt, after all.
My eyes scan over the lockers, searching for my name only to find it at the very end of the row, far away from everyone else.
“How do they know what size I am?” I ask Lore as I open the locker and check on the tags in the clothes and shoes.
“The brownie that lives with us. She organized everything and made sure you had—What is that devil doing here!?”
I snap to where Lore is glaring, expecting to get into my first real fight of the day, only to find my lips twitching into a smile. Keaira pounces toward me, taking a seat next to my gym shoes.
“I’ve been catching glimpses of her around the school.” I lean down and scratch at her head, smiling as she purrs. “I think she’s looking out for us.”
Lore huffs. “She is a pest. I will find a hawk to take her.”
“You aren’t going to have her killed, you bloodthirsty little menace.” I head into a nearby cubicle to change, sighing in relief when I find the clothes cover my scars perfectly. “But I do want you to find out everything you can about brownies. I want to thank her for taking care of us; we mustn’t be in debt.”
“And the cat?” She glares at Keaira as I exit the cubicle. The cat rubs up against my shoes, meowing happily, not a care in the world.
“She’s my fierce protector.” I coo down to my feet.
Straightening, I take my hair tie from around my wrist and pull my hair into a high ponytail as I move back out the door and onto the field. I spot the guys off to the side and smile as they wave me over. I smirk at Declan as I near, his badass appeal quickly diminishing at the sight of his legs in gym shorts. No one looks badass in gym shorts.
Professor Worgren remains with his arms crossed until everyone has returned to the field. When the blonde trio makes their way back last, he grunts and nods. “Pair off and begin!”
The guys turn to me, but my attention is focused on one of them in particular.
Let’s see what a paladin can really do.
Chapter 6
I take Paxton by the wrist and drag him roughly toward an empty patch of field, far from our classmates. He stumbles after me for a moment before righting himself and pulling back against my grip. I look back at him, and he only shakes his head.
I roll my eyes. “Sorry, Paxton, but I choose you. You’re my Pokémon.”
Even though his lips twitch at that, his eyes still hold an edge of
